The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-23 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF GOiTMONS, March 22.
MOLDAVIA AND WALLACHIA.
Lord 1). STUART then rose, pursuant to notice, to
move for copies or extracts of any correspondence be-
-1 tween this Government and the Governments of Turkey
I and Russia, relating to the occupation by Russian troops
1 of the provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia. The Noble
Lord said ho was quite aware how very little atten-
tion questions of foreign policy generally excited
in that House, and he regretted his own want of
ability to invest his present subject with the interest
which he conceived it deserved. He trusted, however,
the House would give him some indulgence while he en-
deavoured to the best of his power, and in as short a time
as he could, to lay before the House a statement on the
subject of which he had given notice, and in which he
hoped he could show that the honour and interest of
this country were both deeply concerned. His Noble
Friend the Secretary ior Foreign Affairs had some
years ago made use of the following language in reference
to our foreign relations:—" I know that there are many
persons in this House who look with great indifference,
if not with actual repugnance, at discussions which turn
, upon our foreign relations ; who think that they suffi-
ciently perform their duties in this House, by devoting
themselves sedulously to our domestic concerns; who are
willing to leave our foreign affairs to the unquestioned
discretion of his Majesty's Ministers ; or who, at least,
believe those affairs to be matters of peculiar mystery and
craft, upon which none but the fully initiated are capable
of arriving at sound and satisfactory opinions. Why, as
well might a man think that provided he looked care-
fully over his estate, and managed his household with
economy and order, it was unimportant to him what
might be his behaviour towards his neighbours. When
we consider how much our purely domestic interests are
concerned in our diplomatic relations with other coun-
tries—when we reflect what influence the foreign policy of
so great a power as England must necessarily have upon
the transactions of the world, and how much it must
affect the welfare and peace of nations—it is plain
that both those who look only to our own selfish inte-
rests, and those whose views take a higher flight, ought
equally to watch with jealous anxiety every step of the
Government in these matters. But then, as to the dif-
ficulty of understanding these things. It may suit the
purposes of some to endeavour, like the high priests of
Egypt, to keep knowledge to themselves, by locking it
up in mystical and unintelligible language; but the days
are gone by when diplomacy was an occult science; the
intercourse of nations must now be conduced upon the
same principles as that of individuals. I say, then, that
every English gentleman, who brings to the debates of
this flouse an honest mind and a manly and generous
spirit, will find it just as easy to judge of thes:, matters,
if he will only insist upon having proper information, as
he would of anything else to which he may direct his at-
tention. I, therefore, implore this House to roue them-
selves from that apathy as to our foreign affairs which
has prevailed so lung ; for they may be assured
that never upon a matter of high national con-
cernment was the salutary control of their interference
more urgently required." The House should not think
' for a moment that he was about recommending this em-
pire to adopt a hostile position towards Russia. He
I was not an advocate for war. He thought the best inte-
' ' rests of this country were bound up with the cause of
peace. It was not for war, then, he was about asking in
his present motion, but for information. If his Noble
' Friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs said there was
no correspondence on the subject referred to, then there
' was an end to the question. But his Noble Friend knew
and the whole world knew, that there had been a great
deal of corresponednce on the subject, and that it had
occupied the attention of many countries for a long time.
' The Noble Lord then went into a brief history of the
' condition of Moldavia and Wallachia, which he said
formed part of the Turkish empire; nearly 500 years
ago they agreed to pass under the dominion of Turkey,
and to accept the Sultan as their Suzerain, and entered
I into treaties or capitulations for that purpose by which
their rights and liberties were caret ully guarded. These
capitulations bad been acknowledged and confirmed not
only by Turkey, but also by Russia, even so recently as
in the treaty of Adrianople in 1829. The inhabitants,
notwithstanding that they were of the same religion as
the Russians, and notwithstanding the intrigues of the
latter, had remained firm in their allegiance to the
Porte, and were more so now than at any former time.
It was true that fur some fifteen or twenty years they
had been anxious to introduce reform* into their insti-
tutions; and that desire, though not occasioned by had
doubtless received an impulse from the electric shock
communicated to all nations by the events of February,
1848. This had led to petitions, on the part of the
Moldavians, for reforms. The Hospodar, instead of
agreeing to them, threw the petitioners into prison, and
Russian troops then entered the territory. In Wallachia
a new constitution was adopted, with the consent of
the Hospodar, who, however, shortly after abdicated.
No violence was employed—no blood was shed—
no disturbance occurred; a Provisional Government was
! established and governed the country to the satisfaction
of the inhabitants for three months. Meantime a depu-
tation was sent to Constantinople. The Sultan ap-
peared at first to approve of what had been done,
but required some alterations in the composi-
lien , of tho iGovernment, which were immediately
assented to. The Emperor of Russia, however,
thought proper to interfere, and he declared to the
Porte that if she did not put down by force of arms the
new state of things in Wallachia we would. The Porte
appiled to England and France for advice, and was re-
commended to submit to the wishes of Russia. Turkish
troops were then sent into Wallachia, they entered Bu-
charest, accompanied by the Russian General Duhamel,
overthrew the Provisional Government, and
re established the former order of things, not-
withstanding that all pretext for further
interference was thus removed, a Russian army entered
Wallachia a short time afterwards. General Duhamel
proclaimed that he took possession of the province in
name of the Cztr, his master. This occupation was ac-
companied with circumstances of insult to the
Turks and oppression to the inhabitants. A Turk-
ish subject was arrested in the house of the
Turkish Commander-in-Chief. An English sub-
ject was dragged to prison. In spite of the
remonstrances of the British Consul, all persons obnox-
ious to Russia were thrown into prison—and, what was
worst of all, the Russian army, amounting to no less
than 60,000 men, was maintained at the expence of the
wretched inhabitants. When it appeared that the troops
were in danger of starvation, the Emperor generously
permitted the Wallachian Government to open a credit
at St. Petersburgh, thus saddling the country with
a heavy national debt, and preparing pretexts for
future oppression.—(Hear.) Towards the close of
the last session he had asked his Noble Friend at the
head of the Foreign Office whether it was true that
Russian troops had entered Moldavia; and his Noble
Friend had stated in reply that they bad so entered
without the authority of the Czar, and at the request of
the Moldavian authorities; but that that movement had
taken place solely for the purpose of restoring order in
the province, and that the occupation was not to con
tinue for any length of time. His Noble Friend, how-
ever, must since have found out that he had been
grossly deceived on the subject, for the Russian troops
were still there. But was there anything to justify
that interference on the part of Russia? He con-
tended that there was riot. In the treaty of Kainardji
adopted in the year 1774 it was declared by the
16th article, "The Porte consents, that according to the
circumstances of the two principalities, the Ministers of
the Imperial Court of Russia may speak in their
favour ; and promises to take into consideration such
representations conformably to the amity and
respect which it has for the Powers." But that
stipulation, which strongly contrasted by its moderation
with the arrogant tone now assumed by Russia, could
not give her that power of interference which she
claimed. Again, he found that in the treaty of Adria-
nople there wero stislatioia is favour of the Meldtt-

I vines; but thc..,,e slictilations had in no wad been vie.
Med; it was not ev(ii alleged that they ler.d.b !en vie)"
lite.i; and tlioi could not, therefore, jas;ify the course
which Russia had lately token. A guarantee, in order
to be periorni:d, must be claimed. There was no gua-
rantee on the pat of Russia in thee treaties, except
one, which was of so extraordinary a nature, that it
must excite the greatest surprise, as it certainly had not
been claimed. He referred to the stipulation by
which Russia guaranteed the prosperity of the peo-
ple of Moldavia and Wallachia. That was cer-
tainly a strange guarantee for any earthly power to give.
He wished such a guarantee could be given in favour
of Ireland, and the Right lion. Baronet the Member for
Tumworth might then give up his benevolent scheme
for the regeneration. of that country. There were,
it was true, some words intr.( duced in an or-
ganic regulation er statute in a hich Russia was termed
" the prot, ctoi" of those provinces, and Russia had en-
deavoured to procure the insertion of a stipulation that
the Constitution should not bealtered without her consent
—but the National Assembly refused to admit it; al-
though it was introduced into the official copy of the
Act, the Assembly having immediately and formally
protosted against it (and the protest may be
read in Martin's collection of treaties), it cannot
be considered as having any validity. It is upon such
pretexts that Russia has violated the territory of a neigh-
bouring state with an army of 60,000 men, and forced
the inhabitants to maintain them fcr more than
six months at their own expense, and Russia has
been eulogised for its moderation, dignity, and forbear-
ance, and which has received this eulogy from those wh o
can set no bounds to their vituperation of Charles
Albert and of the King of Prussia, for their inter-
ference in Schloss. ig-Hohtein and in Lombardy.
Let those who are so loud in their denunciation of Go-
' vernments whom they accuse of:disregarding the obliga-
tions of treaties, in order to assist and defend popular
and national rights, display equal indignation at similar
conduct when the object is to oppress and to trample
down such rights; or let them stand forth in their true
colours, not as the scrupulous defenders of good faith,
but as the friends of despotism, and let it be seen that
their pretended attachment to the faith of treaties is but
a mask to disguise their hatred of liberty, and of the de-
sire which lurks in the bottom of their hearts to put down
all popular rights, and to see mankind subjected to the
degrading yoke of arbitrary power. But such a circum-
' stance could afford no justification of the conduct of
Russia in violating the territory of a neighbouring
power. The preservation of the integrity of the Turkish
empire had always been considered an object of the ut-
most importance by our statesmen; and that was the
opinion which had been expressed by his Noble Friend
at the head of the Foreign-office, in the course of a de-
bate which had taken place on the 4th of February,
1834. His Noble Friend had said on that occasion—
" The Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) appears to
think very lightly of the importance of maintaining
Turkey in the state of independence which is yet left to
her. I must confess that I differ from him on that point,
for I consider it of the greatest importance to this
country, and to the balance of power in Europe, that
the Turkish empire, such as it subsists, should be main-
tained in all its independence and integrity; and it was
not without due consideration that this was pointed out
in the Speech from the Throne as a matter deserving of
the serious attention of Parliament." Now it appeared
to him (Lord Dudley Stuart) that the military occupa-
tion of these provinces should be looked upon as the
first step towards the dismemberment of the Ottoman
empire. The House should not forget that Turkey had
acted more liberally in her commercial policy than any
other country in the world.—(Hear.) It appears, from
official returns, that only three countries arc better cus-
tomers than Turkey—viz., Germany, best of all, Hol-
land, Italy, and the Italian Islands. France, though
our nearest neighbour, is on a par with Russia. No
' other country comes near. Russia is more than half a
million below Turkey. Prussia, Belgium, Denmark,
Sweden, Norway, all together, do not equal
her.—(Hear, hear.) Portugal, with the Azores,
and with Madeira and Spain, with the Balearic
Islands do not. reach her ; and even if our own
pees ssion, Gibraltar, which annually takes more than
half a million, be added, barely surpass her. His Lord-
;
, ship then called the attention of the House to the follow-
ing extracts from the Manchester Guardian, of the 24th
of August, 1848:—" Few Englishmen, few English ma-
. nufacturers even, are aware that the narrow passage of
the Dardanelles is continually traversed by fleets
; freighted with the produce of English looms, of English
mines, of English workshops, and of English colo-
nies; that this great stream of commerce, having
rived at Constantinople, and having suffered there
, such diminution as serves to supply the wants of that
capital and its surrounding provinces, passes on to
the Black Sea, where, dividing into two branches,
the smaller seeks the principalities of Moldavia
and Wallachia, through the mouth of the Danube,
▪ whilst the larger, reaching Trebizond, is again sub-
; divided, diffusing itself over Persia on the one hand,
and on the other stretching, by means of the great cars-
F Van lines, into the boundless east, as far as Caubul, Kho-
, kand, Bekhara, and Chive." "The ignorance which
prevails respecting its resources can only be explained
by the circumstance that it is carried on almost exclu-
sively by the agency of foreigners." " Yet this trade is
important on account of its present magnitude, and still
more important by the promise which its rapid increase
affords of an almost indefinite future development."
" The question is sometimes asked, what interest can
England, a Christian nation, have in the preservation of
the Ottoman empire ? When the facts which we have
just stated are. known the question admits of
, an easy answer." " Whilst countries, which
• boast of a higher degree of civilization, have vied wi h
each other in inventing complicated contrivances,
F having for their object the protection of native manu-
factures, to the certain injury and sometimes to the utter
destruction of their foreign commerce, the Turkish Go-
' vernment has adhered to its ancient maxims, and on
; this point as well as on some others has set an example
of liberality which has been little applauded, and still
k less imitated, by western Governments. Now, suppose
for a moment that any European power—Austria,
France, or Russia, obtained possession of Constantinople.
, would the manufactured goods of England be permitted
in that case to pass into the Black Sea, as they are per-
! mitted at present, on paying a small ad valorem duty of
, between 3 and 5 per cent.? Is it not more rational
to conclude that any European power, on gaining the
E command of the Dardanelles, would extend its present
i tariff to its new dominions ?—(Hear.) Now, the tariff.;
of France, Germany, and Russia are prohibitive el
' British manufactures, with the exception of the half
manufactured article of cotton twist, which is admitted
into the two latter countries as a great favour, at an ad
valorem duty of 30 per cent We must, therefore, ex-
pect, if the rapidly approaching frontier of the Russian
empire should ever reach the banks of the Hellespont,
not merely to see the increase of our Eastern, or Greek
• trade, as it is termed in Manchester, receive a sudden
check,
but we must be prepared for the almost total
annihilation of that valuable branch of our commerce.
Nor does this opinion rest merely on a calculation of
Li probabilities; it has received the confirmation of actual
experience.—(Hear, hear.) Up to the time when the
Russians took possession of Georgia, merchants from
' that country visited Constantinople in considerable
numbers for the purpose of purchasing English ma-
' nutactured articles; but a few years after its annexe-
' Lion to the Russian empire this commerce ceased, and
the Georgian traders have entirely disappeared from
Constantinople. The late Lord Grey is reported to
have said that the meanest arcizan in the kingdom is in-
terested in preserving the balance of power. The obser-
vation is no doubt correct; but the interest must in
many instances be somewhat remote. The interest, how-
ever, of the Manchester operatives in preserving the
dependence of Turkey is direct and obvious." It app ars
from the revenue and population returns for the year
1846—a year not the most favourable for his purpose.
but it is the nearest to the present time to which he had
access—that the trade with Turkey was not only large,
but steadily and rapidly inert acing. In a speech mad°
by him (Lord D. Stuart) in the year 1836, he showed
that the declared value of our exports to Turkey was in
the year 1827, 500,0001.; in ,1834, 1,200,0001.—i. e., the-
exports to Turkey had increased by 700,000/. Since
the last-mentioned period they had further in"
creased by 1,200,0001.—i. e., from 1834 to 1846
they have doubled; whilst from 1827 to 1846,
in twenty i years, they have increased fivefold-
Now, compare the progress of the trade of Turkey with
that of Russia. In twenty years, while our annual ex-
ports to Turkey have increased by 2,000,0001.. our ex-
ports to Russia have increased only by 500,0001. Twenty
years ago the declared value of our exports to Turkey
was less than half that of our exports to Russia. Now,
our exports to Turkey exceed those to Russia by more
than one third. But this is but an imperfect picture of
the relative value of the trades; we must inquire of what
the exports consist ; a large portion of those going to
Russia, nearly one-half, is composed of the half manu-
factured article of cotton twist, for the purpose of being
worked up into goods, and afterwards brought into com-
petition with our own. The value of cotton manufactured
goods exported to Russia is perfectly insignificant ; it
does not amount to 50,0001. The trade to_Teurvk2n- e
oer-
Bents an aspect precisely the reverse. Th
consists
cotton twist exported is small,
whole of our exports to that
we known
trade cotton
how much more valuable the
of cotton manufactured goods. It is
inll
Th's h
countrya nd
al
almost
ost
cottonwich has Ilatelyhas
been
e
well expounded in a pamphlet
goods is than than that in twist.
" Of course the greater the amount of labour and capital
published, from which the following were extracts:—
required to produce any manufactured article, the greater
is its value, in proportion to the value of the raw ma-
terial of which it is composed." " Out of the price of
plain and printed calicoes must be paid, not merely the
expense of the labour and the interest of the capital em-
ployed in producing the yarn, but also the labour ( f
weaving and printing, and the interest of the capital
employed in those processes; and according to the best
estimates which have been formed on this subject, whilst
the value of cotton twist is about double the valise of the
raw material which has been worked up in making it, the
average value of the plain and printed calicoes, of which
our exports consist, is about five times greater than that
of the raw material." "Deducting, then, on this account
one-half from our exports of cotton twist, and one-tittll
from our exports of plain and printed calicoes, we shall
find a residue of 1,424,5481, which must have been re-
ceived in the shape of profits and wages, by our capi-
talists and workmen engaged directly or indirectly in the
cotton cotton manufacture, on account of our exports to 'Turkey
in the year 1847; and the sum of 413,177/. only as ,tl-:
amount which they received in profits and wages, during
the same year, from cur exports to Russia." "As IL'.
as the cotton manufacture is concerned, the Turkish
trade is therefore more valuable to England than the
Russian, nearly in the proportion of five to two, and 11
this remarkable difference arises from the liberality of
the Turkish tariff, which is uniformly low for all Knape;
factured goods (from three to live per cent. on the actual
value), whilst the Russian tariff is almost as uniroreelY
prohibitive, it is probable that an examination ed the re-
lativee value a thy Turkish and glosiatt trades will I