The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-22 00:00:00

GREECE AND RUSSIA.

VIENNA, JAN. 8. '
The war between the Greeks and-their ancient'
oppressors has continued nearly two years ; and far from hay.
ing lost any, it has gained interest by the generous efforts of
this indefatigable people. On this point the wishes of all

Europe arc agreed ; but there is another which attracts
.no
less attention ; anti on which, however, opinims differ very

much. It is the conduct of Russia towards the Greeks. The

diversity of opinions on this subject arises out of the dif-
ference of appearance which this Power presents according
to circumstances. For two years the Cabinet of Russia, Pro-

tens.like, has been changing* its• form ; but it has never

changed its
.principwl. object, which is the conquest of the

, .
last. Well known that from 1770 to 1700, the Greek in

• •
Suirections were severally excited by Russia in the Pe!open,
nesus, in Epirus and in she Archipelago. The Russian
Cabinet, after having made use of the Greeks for Its own
advantage, abandoned them to all .the.futLY and vengeance of
the Turkel. Even under_ the reign- of the Emperor Alexander,
the Cabinet fomented, in 1004, the revolt of the Servians, by
the instigation of Prince Constantine Ypsilanti, filcher of Alex-
ander Ypsilanti; who being then Governor. of Wallachia, the
province adjoinins to Servia, assisted them with every species
of supply. Russia caused this insurrection to be followed by
that of the Greeks in Thessaly and the adjacent provinces, in
1007. In this last, the intrepid Chief, Emchymes Blaclutvas,
who armed the inhabitants of Pindus, Olympus, Osse, and
Orthoyx, in seven days, after ninnerous traits of heroic courage,
cruelly expatiatedhle credulity and trust in Russian provinceii.
Notwithstanding the positive de,clitratlons of the Holy Ale
Hance, which pretended to create a new era for nations, the
Russian Cabinet has, since the year 1818, changed nothing in
its policy but the outward form ; and tenth, invariably to the
same end, though by a more circuitous route. Since the
catastrophe which beret the, French armies in the snows of
Russia, this Empire hes found itself more unassailable than
ever ; and If the intentions of its Cabinet were as pacific
as it is pretended they ere, *it would diminish its armies,
which the peculiar state cif its finances renders very bur-
thensome.—But Russia, fa; front imitating the example of
other countries whose finances ars in a better state, has since
1816 bilged and trebled its armies. The fact is, that no
empire has ever armed to A greater degree than Russia, and.
while many other States have been occupied during this long
peace in 'Wing off a part of the debts which they had con-
tracted during the last war, Russia has' contracted new debts
to support its new armies. Short-sighted apologists are en-
deavouring to excuse these measure ; but they may say what
they please:--en empire will never choose to ruin itself for
the pleasure of preserving foreigoStates menaced by pretended
disorders.
Aussie concluded, in 1812, a treaty with Turkey. Having
victoriously come out of the, streggle with Napoleon, she im-
mediately reproached the Porto wah the nun-execution of the
Treaty of Bucharest. She even insinuated that, until complete
satisfaction was given, site regarded her situation towards Tor,
key as merely that of a. suspension of arms. Since the este-
blisluuent of the Holy Alliance, she has more loudly raised her
voice in pretended complaint against Turkey; anti her two
Ministers, ,Prince Italinski end Baron Stroganoff, have not
ceased to carry on• bitter discussion* on these subjects. It
is also to be remarked, that her complaints have generally
been confined to subjects which did not really. fall within
her .province. One of the objects of these diecussiops wee the
amelioration of the. political state of those same. Servians whom
-she- abandoned in 1812, • This object . afforded her a double
interest. In the.first place it furnished a new pretext against
the Porte. In the next it conciliated the affections of Ser-
via.: Experience had taught the Russian Cabinet that the
credulity of an unfortunate people is never exhausted. The
Greeks, whom she had four times successively sacrificed
repelled by
.all the other Christian Powers. raised afresh tn.:
wards Russia their supplicating hands. The Servians- were
not more happy t could they be wore suspicious ? Discus-
sions were slowly carried on- at Constantinople; and Russia,
who had no interest hi terminating them, and who only waited
for the favourable moment, was well satisfied with this state of
things. At length, the Porte, well advised by its- friends,
wished to come to a decision. It must be remembered that it
Commission was established for this purpose; the Russian Mi-
nister, on -the one side, and Prince Callitnachi on the other,
were to .conduct the negociations. The; Porte seemed very
willing to put-an end to these futile discussions; even by the
sacrificed some of it rights, when Prince Ypsilanti came from
the Russian. Suite*, and suspended the.negociations. ,
Itueela and her partisans have tried every means to pal-
liate this interruption:which came from the centre of her cut-
pire, but they, have not succeeded in finding dupes. It is
_known that the Iletarist Union, at the head of which was
Ypsilanti, was formed in HIM in the midst of the Russian
,States, where it was cradled to the end. In 1819 and 1820 the
Hetariets no longer made a mystery a the nature of their So-
ciety in Russia. It was spoken of at the Exchange of Odessa
as one speaks in Paris of Ouvrard's Loan. Could the
Government alone be ignorant of the existence of this
-Aaeociation ? Why did it not then destroy that SOciety.
which it now condemns ? The reason is obvious. It is that
the Hettiristo were to sacrifice Greece to 'Russia ; while
the Greek Oevernment has broken up that party and proclaim-
ed the independence of the nation. Far from taking the oath
of fidelity to Ruseia, as they did in 1770 before Orloff at Cala.
mats, the Greeks Have this time decreed, in two articles of their
Conetitetion, severe penalties against any one who shall attempt
to infrine their national independence.
But if-such are the intentions of Russia, why does she ap-
pear to shrink from the war ? The reason again is obvious—
In the numerous wars which she has undertaken against Tur-
key, since the time of Peter the First, she has constantly found
herself arrested by other Powers. At the end of every one
of these wars, it appeared. as if Constantinople receded be-
fore her. Instructed at length by long experience, she has
changed her tactics. Since 141 a, she has occupied herself in
preparation*: for this great enterprise, and only, waits for the
favourable moment. If she succeed in engaging in a war with
Spain-those Powers who head her aggrendizement, she will
proceed, without obstacle, with her fleets and lief immense ar-
mies to occupy Constantinople. She may then hold towards
those Powers the language which elle had the appearance of
addressing to-the Congress of Vienna with respect to Poland :
" The country of which you so much envy me the possession
is at present occupied by my armies : to dispute it withlze to
any purpose you must begin by driving them out.

The Regency had some days since retired from Puyeerda to
Llivia, where it was surrounded and inclosed on all sides by
the French territory, and therefore completely protected. Hay-
inglecome a little more confident in consequence of these
precautions, the Regency passed the night at Stavare, a French
village only a short distance from Llivia. In the morning it

Icturned to Llivia, to re-assume the government of Spain, and
to reviva,the courage of its army. On the nth of November
it was understood that Mina's advanced guard wits marching
on Puycerda. Thereupon the Regency retired altogether into

France, and established itself in a barn at Sallagousa. The

Army of the Faith,.it is said, applied to the French Generals to

know whether it would be allowed an Asylum in France. This

was anticipating defeat at a very early period, and if the fact
be true, as it is solemnly asserted, it would seem that the sol.
dim of the Faith were so accustomed to defeat, that they ex.
pected it even before the battle commenced. The reply which
was given to the application of the troops of the faith was that
which might naturally have been anticipated, namely, that the
French territory was open for the reception'of ail fugitives, pre-.
sided they were unarmed. Under those circumstances the sol-
diers of the Faith resolved to sustain the siege ivith which they
were threatened.
Pilyeerda, whose walls are fit only to enclose a green garden,
could, not certainly. make a Very vigorous resistance; but three
.thotisatad men, possessing the advantage of a high position,
Wight doubtless defend themselves for a long time against an
army of six thousand enemies or more. True fanatics, as
we have seen, could even do much more than this with less
numerous forces, and under much more unfavourable circum-
stances than those in which the heroes of Urgel were placed.
The streets of' a town are the most desirable field of battle for
rebels become desperate ; and whifst the besieged have win.
Bows from which they can tire, roofs of houses from which they
can hurl missiles on the enemy, and know that they are fight-
ing for the altar and the throne, one cannot conceive hoW they
can ever be compelled to yield. However, this was not the
case at Puycerda, and it would seem that the Insurgents, acting
under the impulse of charitable feelings, chtlse rather: to abau-
don'the field of battle than to cover it with the bedles of their
enemies. About nine or ten o'clock in the morning of the 28th
orgovember, Count de Linati, a Piedrnontese officer, who
formerly served in the Imperial , srtny witit much distinction,
and whose wife was lately cruelly treated at Prides, pre-
sented himself on the borders of the Segra with a thousand
or twelve hundred men. This was only the advanced guard
of Mints, who remained behind with the great body of his
army. The French rimy had been under arms since an early
hour in thomortiing, along the opposite bank of the little river:
It consisted of about 4,000 or 4,000 troops of the line and
some hundreds of lancers. With colours unfurled and matches
lighted, it awaited the' result of the approaching engagement.
The Count de Linati divided his few tmops into three corps,
and proceeded straight upon Puycerda. The soldiers who
were present declare that not more than It, or 20 muskets were
discharged. The. Constitutionalists, Who Were accustomed
to fire very little, but to drive the rebels before them, fixed their
bayonets, and entered Puycerda without experiencing any re.
sistance. The defenders of the Faith fled before the implotis.
Constitutionalists, and not one of them felt desirotts of dying
gloriously for the holy cause in which he had enlisted. Some.
of them fled with their wives, children, and baggage, aloog.the,
neutral road to Llivia; other 24, who had riot d&red to draw a
trigger in Puyeertia, took' refuge behind the French ranks in
order to fire from thence In safety. Some French soldier* who
Were thus placed between two tires were slightly hurt by spent
balls. A serjeant was wounded in the head, but not seriously,
for he mounted guard_ some days after. It has been supposed
that it was the intention of the soldiers of Urgel to coMpromise
the French army, h'y exposing it to the fire of she Constitu,
tionalists ; it is certain that they reckoned upon such an event,
and the dissatisfaction which they afterwards expressed proves.,
that they had been led to hope for it.. Count du Linati hastened
to put a stop to the firing, and caused the French Conerals to
be informed that it was not his intention to insult the French
territory, which he had received the strictest orders to respect ;
but he expected to see a like friendly disposition on the part of
the French Commanders, and therefore he hoped that they would
immediately order the rebels who were intrenched behind the
troops tei be disarmed. This was in fact done immediately, and
by the French soldiers, svhoerecated their task with very little
ceremony, and were not sparing of their expressions of contempt
toveardi the troops of the Faith: It was upon this occasion that
one of the soldiers of the Faith, refusing to be disarmed,
charged his Musket into the breast of a French soldier anti killed
him on the spot. We related this circumstance before.
Llivits still remained to 'be taken, where a perty of rebels bad
taken refuge. Count de' Linati descended from Puycerda to
the borders of the Segra, where he allowed his little troop to re-
pose for a short time in the presence of the French line*• kill
aoldiers paid militaiy /MOUS to the French array, and after
playing some very beautiful tunes, they marched forward to
Llivia. The taking of this town was not more difficult than that
Of other places had been. The Constitutional army had only to
entefiad take possession of the place. (;earn de Linati dis.
patched fifty horse soldiers in pursuits of the fugitives over the
whole extent of the Spanish territory. Some were put to the
sword, but almost all found shelter in France. We have be-
fore observed that the territorial line is very uncertainly de-
fined, and that itisi difficult to know where it commences and
where it ends.,, French sentinels were posted from distance to
distance to prevent the pursuers 'from proceeding beyond the
limits of Spain. When a horseman shot out beyond them, he
was instantly informed of it, and he would return without re-
sistance Oahe Spanish territory. It is even said, that on one
occasion cSpanish horseman, hot in pursuit, and not under.
standing the' cry of the French sentinel, continued his cowrie,