The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-18 00:00:00

THE DREADED PEACE AT LAST 1

( From the Sycinell Empire of April 19.)
And so we are to have a peace ! There is little doubt
of it ' • but what a peace I Even now, when the Allies
have Russia in their power, literally in their grasp, wheys
she must be reduced to nearly her last rouble—end they
know it —they study her dignity before their own honour,
look to her support before the preservation of Turkey,
and in deference to her pay not the slightest regard to
the permanent tranquillity of troubled Europe. In the
spring of 1854 Baron Brunow, the Czar's ambassador at
the Court of St. James's, took his unobtrusive leave of
England, where the name of his imperial master had
become a byeword of scorn and execration to the
people. But ere two years have elapsed, after
whole hecatombs of illustr;ous warriors have
been sacrificed to his dreaded ambition, the same repress
sentative of his policy makes a triumphal entry into
Paris, and before " the points" are even discussed the
Russian ambassador's hotel there is defiantly illumi-
nated. The plenipotentiary of the arch-enemy of Europe
had outstripped all the envoys from the other Powers,
that he might first gain the ear of Louis Napoleon, and
digest with him a secret which the world will hereafter
wonder at. For this is not to be a peace given to the
conquered, but one suddenly coalesced in by him.. Its
propositions are thus far only vague and incomprehens-
ible. Yet, this we feel, that the legitimate proeosetion
of Turkey will, in the spirit of that term, be subse-
quently abandoned; and that, therefore, England has
spent her life and her treasure in vain.
Some one of the European Powers will be the gainer
by this mockery of amity—not, however, the Sultan.
Not only is not a w, rd said on the subject of disieurse-
menti by Russia to the Allies, but the expenses of the
war incurred by Turkey at the provocation of her here-
ditary foe are not even hinted at. The Emperor of the
French has paid the Ottoman Sovereign the doubtful
compliment of conferring upon his Highness the Grand
Cross of the Legion of Hcnour. But will that, or any
such flattery, shut the eyes of his Divan, to the nos
inerous loopholes contained in the five points which
would enable the Czarto easily pounce upon his prey at
any future opportunity? The Crimea is to be restored
to Russia ; the Eastern coast of the Black Sea is to be
dotted with her armed fists as of old ; and Nicolaieff,
with a rising navy growing rapidly on the stooks,
is not to be regarded as a port of the Euxine.
At any time, then, she may suddenly pour forth the
strength of her arsenals and dockyards, which, unnoticed
by the mariner on the neighbouring sea ; lie bidden on
the banks of its tributary rivers ; and she will do it. . So
that, if these points be acceded to, Nicholaieff and
Ktserson net being included amongst the ports, the
dynasty of Abdsol-eledjicl in six years will cease to- be
recognised in the coveted city of S'ameoul.
" All is n e geld that glitters." And Austria, the
solitary power to be 30 particularly benefitted by this
patched-up pence, may yet, and at no very distant
day, have to rue the contemptible part she has all
along played in her diplomatic transactions. 'With-
out a doubt, she has a right to plume herself
on the success of her adroitness in thus, with-
out having lost a single life in the great cause
at stake, bringing about a peace for her own
personal advantage, and the salvation from utter finan-
cial ruin of our ever-hopeful enemy. But in the doing
of this deed she has exposed her own fears, and. there•
fore weakness, to so great a degree as in turn to have
cast herself on the patronage, if not the protection, of
France. Will not Russia make her repent it ? Even
now, it is said, she is in dread of that union being ulti-
mately effected which the great Napoleon so strongly
recommended viz., a Russo-French allienese. But
there are cards yet to be played, and something
more to be won ; whence, "it is whispered that Aus-
tria has agreed to give her support to the Emperor
Napoleon should he demand the annulment of
that convention of 1815 which excluded the fa-
mily of Napoleon the Fir•t from the throne of
France. " She has the satisfaction of knowing that her
wishes have been acceded to, in that neither Prussia nor
any of the Getman States " shall be allowed to partici-
pate in the deliberations" about to take place. She has
also had her revenge against her old adversary- Colonel
Tubb, whom England permitted her to first judge and
condemn to death, and then, out of respect for the ap-
plication made by our Government in his favour, to
mercifully pardon. But, if we mistake not, Austria will
not much longer carry the bell.
The protocol expressive of the "willingness of the
belligerent powers to treat for peace," bas been already
signed by their representatives at Vienna ; the formal
preliminaries to it will be so at the meeting
of the Congress, which would take place about the 21st
February. No true Englishman, nitsr perusing the pro-
positions said to have been accepted, can fee exalted or
cheerfully satisfied with such an impotent conclusion to
all the fervour and glorious enthusiasm which was still
animating the whole nation to see justice done to op- -
pressed Turkey. This is the result—before the object
has been attained—of all our mighty preparations to pa-
ralyse, for half-a-century at least, the means in the
heeds of the Czar to profit by his neighbour's weak-
ness. The cause of Poland is shelved. We' shall hear
little more of Italy. If Hungary move, it will henceforth
be by the assistance of the Czar. And what of Sweden?
Will her alliance with the 'Western Powers be forgotten
by the Russian Cauinet ? Is she to be betrayed, and
in the next European embreilment lose Norway for that
anticipated interference ? There is something unholy
about this zontemplated peace which makes it rather
prophetic of pernicious than of fortunate results to the
nations concerned It holds forth no prospect of genial
durability. It seems but as an apology for shitting the
scenes of bloodshed, and changing the role which each
of the great actors has hitherto unsuccessfully per.
formed.