The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-17 00:00:00

OUR COTE

--This Mornin

THE EASTERN QUESTION.
The reply of Lord Granville, the Times remarks, which
was despatched on the 10th of November, and which, in all
probability, has already reached Priuce Gortschrokoff, will
leave no doubt as to the determination of the British Ca-

binet. RUSSift has of her own mere motion repudiated the

Treaty which her Plenipotentiaries signed only 14 years
since, and this repudiations if applied to one, does really
extend to all its provisions. For, as Lord Gs inville has
ably pointed out, the Treaty must stand or fall as a'
whole ; its clauses represent only various phases of the
same agreement, and it is obvious that if the Czar can re-
lease himself from one he is bound by none. Indeeel, so
far as we underst and the Circular the whole Treaty is at
an end ; but the Russian Government is willing to
enter into new negotiations for the purpose of re-enacting

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some of them. Thus, on the most flimsy pretences, a
recent and solemn compact has been contemptuously
broken, and a moment chosen for the act which clearly
shows that Russiahas hitherto not been bound by her own

plighted word, by respect for her neighbours, or by a re-
gard for the general peace, but solely by fear of the united
strength of the two Western Powers. To such an act
there could be but one response on the part of England—
to protest against the insolent manner in which the treaty
has been denounced, and to declare, without entering
into the merits, that we still hold Russia bound by all
the provisions of the Treaty of 1856, and reserve to our-
selves the right of acting according to circumstances.
Europe might have been ready to hear her grievances had
she been reasonable, but Russia must not think that
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because France has been visited by sudden calamity she
can therefore fly into a passion and tear up the Treaty
which she solemnly signed. Should the Russians put
ships of war into the Black Sea in contravention of their
engagements, Turkey would be able to sweep them off the
Euxine; but even were this out of her power, England and
the other parties to the Treaty would be in duty bound to
take the most effectual means of enforcing the settlement
of 1856.

The Standard is of opinion that Russia by the course

which she has preferred to take has given evidence to all
the world that it is pot the mere pacific revision of th•
Treaty of 1856 which she desires, but a release by
violence from all guarantees which were taken from
her to keep the peace towards Turkey. She has
proved that she is still at heart the Russia of
Nicholas the First—that she has changed in nothing from

the arrogant, unscrupulous, and overbearing Power
which disturbed the peace of Europe in furtherance of
its own sinister ambition sixteen years ago. She has
learnt nothing—she has forgotten nothing. The
spirit which shines in Prince Gortschakoff's circu-
lar note of the 19th October is precisely that
which actuated his predecessor Prince Menk-
chikoff, during the early days of the quarrel of 1854. The
pretences which hare been put forward in excuse of the
violation of the Treaty of Paris are as shallow and

hypocritical as any of those which were used in defence of
the claim to the guardianship of the Holy Places. We are
carried back, in fact, at once, by this act of Russia, to the
era of Nicholas the First. Who will believe in a Treaty any
more as a solution of the evils of war ? What is to be the
end of the existing war if it is understood that any treaty
which is made should be observed only so long as it is
convenient for either Power to observe it ? The Russian
example, in its audacious contempt of public morality, in-
troduces nothing but chaos into all the affairs of Emopc.
It promises us an endless series of war and troubles, and
is for England at once a direct challenge to come out of
these blissful dreams of perpetual peace in which she has
been lulled, and a provocation to battle. The existence
of no English Ministry is worth a week's purchase that
dares not give the right answer to this most insolent
cha►lenge.

The Daily News remarks : The reply which Lora
Granville has promptly addressed to the Circular of
Prince Gortschakoff represents the attitude which the
nation, having had time to consider the matter
in all its details, will inevitably assume. The
declaration of the Emperor, in its present form, is prac-
tically a challenge which England cannot overlook,
.unless she wishes at once and for ever to abandon her

position among European Powers. She is one of the
guarantors of a Treaty which Russia, in the most arbi-
trary language, announced her resolution to abolish. We
have already stated our opinion that there may be con-
ditions in that Treaty the alteration of which Russia has
a right to demand ; but there is a vast difference between
a Power appealing to the co-signatories of a treaty
to lessen the stringency of its provisions, and
the same Power apparently taking advantage of an oppor-
tune moment to blow the whole thing to pieces. Russia
has observed the stipulations of the Treaty of Paris for
fourteen years. She now expressly disclaims any inten-
tion of re-opening the Eastern Question. Wemay admit,
too, that it is not consonant with the dignity of a great Power
to find herself placed under permanent, disabilities, which
recall with too painful accuracy the circumstances of a
bygone defeat. All these things can be said for Russia.
We will even add, that there has been in this country a
growing feeling of respect for a nation which has of late
been busy with internal reforms—developing her resources,
and conferring freedom upon the more hardly used of
her population. Probably the first feeling among
English people on hearing that Russia wished to be free
from the Treaty of 1856 was that she had some claim to be
freed. England, also, has found the advantage—nay, the
necessity—of departing from treaties which in their day
were the safeguard of European freedom. There is, we
must repeat, no finality in treaties ; for as nations grow
strong or weak, their old relations with neighbouring
Powers and their old conventions must be revised.
But Russia, in her present declaration, advances no
such plea. She expressly claims for herself the right,
on her own decision, to renounce the Treaty in
whole or in part, as it suits her —a course of action
which, as Lord Granville says, would result in
the entire destruction of Treaties in their essence. If
Russia maintains that she can now, without the consent
of the co-signatoriess of the Treaty of 1856, with-
draw from its stipulations, of what avail can any
Treaty be?
The Telegraph, in commenting on Gortschakoff's "im-
perious " circular, and Earl Granville's " dignified, calm,
conciliatory, but resolute " reply, says :—lf we are obliged
to condemn the matter and purport of the Russian
circular, we must condemn with equal emphasis the occa-
sion of its publication. It is a specimen of sharp practice
which Europe will not soon forget. We shall not
speculate on the probabilities for or against a
private understanding between Russia and Prus-
sia. Count Bismarck is far too wary a diplomatist to
commit itself, except under the pressure of some dire ne-
cessity, to a written engagement ; but to us, at least, it
has been no secret that an amicable understanding, in
view of certain contingencies, has existed between the two
great Northern Powers since 1867. Very possibly the
Russian Minister may find, when it is too late to repair
the blunder of his easy confidence, that he, too,
like some other diplomatists who thought themselves
clever, has been made a tool of by the craftiest statesman
of the day. Prince Gortschakoff's ill-advised move
may serve Count Bismarck well at this particular junc-
ture. France is not quite so helpless as she seemed
a while ago, and the forcible annexation of Alsaco
and Lorraine is likely to turn out a more diffi-
cult task than Prussia expected. The public feeling of
Europe, too, is gradually but surely veering round to the
conviction that Prussia is bent on pushing the rights of
the conqueror beyond the bounds of equity. Under these
circumstances, a diversion of the political interest of the
day from Paris to the Bosphorus may be acceptable
enough to Count Bismarck. But where is the gain that
Russia is to derive from this untimely resus-
citation of ,the Eastern question ? The hands of
Prussia are sufficiently full at present ; and even if Paris
were to capitulate to-morrow, and a peace were signed the
day after, Germany is not likely to rush into another
great war, of which the advantage to her would not be
very apparent. On the other hand,has Prince Gortschakoff
been simple enough to persuade himself that England
would sit quietly by while Russia pursued unchecked her
career of ambition in the East ? If he was indulged in
any such illusion, he is destined to experience a very rude
awakening. Lord Granville states that England,
in concert with the other parties to the Treaty
of 1856, will listen to any fair representation on the sub-
ject; but from the same excellent authority Russia learns
that England will stand firm to her Treaty engage-
ments. The Imperial Chancellor has probably also
learned, ere now, that England will not stand alone.
The Manchester Examiner observes :—Such a note as
that of Prince Gortschakoff cannot pass without grave re-
monstrance. So much is absolutely due to decent regard'
for the sanctity of a treaty only 14 years old, and for the
obligations of international morality and fair dealing.
But when that duty has been discharged it will remain to
deal with the question, not according to the
unfortunate and most censurable mode in which it has
been raised, but on its•real merits. When that has been
done, and when the indignation which has been called
forth by the brusqueness of Russian proceedings has sub-
sided, it will doubtless be admitted that there is no call
for action on our part. That we have a right to treat it as
a emus belli is indisputable, but it does not follow that it
is either our interest or our duty to Bar,