The Sun.
London, England, 1834-01-06 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Journal des .Debats seems to be of
opinion that Russia will yield to the remon-
strances of Great Britain and France, backed
by their preparations for hostilities, and will
consequently relinquish the immediate execution
of her designs upon the Turkish capital and its
neighbouring posts. We have no doubt that
the maritime preparations of England, and the
mixed ones made by France, might, though un-
accompanied by any formal remonstrances, have
a better effect than merely modifying or sus-
pending the realization of the aggressive schemes
entertained by Russia ; provided the latter Power
could be convinced that the preparations of this
portion of Europe were real armaments—that
they were calculated for purposes of actual
resistance, instead of being what are com-
monly called "demonstrations"—menaces got up
for the sake of intimidating an enemy, and, failing
that object, to be at once laid aside, and followed
by humble acquiescence. There is nothing so
silly as a "demonstration" which bears upon the
front of it that it is a demonstration, and nothing
more. Wiser by a great deal to do nothing,
for in the latter case we save all useless ex-
pense, and leave our resources in that respect
undiminished. The Tories, combined with the
low Radicals, through their daily and weekly
prints, are labouring to persuade the people of
this country that the period has long since passed
at which itwould have been possible for England to
interpose any serious check to the march of Rus-
sian encroachment,and with consistent wickedness
they flatter the Autocrat, not only that he is
too strong to be resisted by this country, but
that his designs are just and meritorious, and
such as he ought not to abandon. This is of
a piece with the factious treachery which has
encouraged the stubbornness of the King of
Holland during these two years, and advised
him to hold out against the pacific endeavours
of England towards the settlement of the dis-
pute with Belgium, " in hopes that something
might turn up," either on the continent through
a war, or by a change of Ministry and the re-
turn of Tory Councils here in England. We
do not deny that in days of yore some exam-
ples of the like spirit may have been found to
actuate the movements of persons who were not
Tories. The memorable instance of Oczakow
cannot in common justice be overlooked, when
an opposition embassy was despatched to the
Empress Catharine, and assurances held out to
her that by a due degree of obstinacy she would
defeat the plans of the British Government of
,that day—a counsel on which she had cunning
to act ; and the consequence was, that Mr.
Pitt's resistance to the project of the female
Autocrat miscarried, although the other half
of the factious undertaking failed, for the Mi-
nister retained his office. Why do we recur
to these crimes of another generation ? To
condemn them—to give weight to the stigma
with which we would persuade the people of Eng-
land to visit the present iniquities of the ultra-
Tory junta, as manifested in their Dutch, their
Portuguese, and the Russo-Turkish counte-
raction (it is all but treasonable) of the measures
adopted by the King of England for the main-
tenance of British interests and honour. The
attempts to keep open the discord of the Dutch
and Belgians, in which the English Tories have
so largely shared, have hitherto served in no
small degree to distract the ears of this Govern-
ment and of the French 'from the affairs of
Turkey, and to weaken their joint opposition to
the A utocrat in that quarter. But the rapid
growth of the danger is, we trust, helping out
the remedy. We have said that a demonstration
once discovered to be a demonstration on the
part of these two Governments, is worse than
none ; of little value, moreover, is a remonstrance
carried on in words, and ending in resignation.
Russia has so deep a stake in the game she is
now playing, that she laughs at the murmurs,
and not less at the threats of other Governments,
as she will at their noisiest preparations for war,
if she have any solid reason to suspect that, after
all, no war will be ventured on by the parties
making them. So great, besides, is the object
aimed at by Russia, and so keen and intense her
passion for realizing it, that if she suspend her
work to-day, she will resume it to-morrow, en-
tailing on England an incessant course of watch-
fulness, and extreme uneasiness on the whole
Eurorean world. The maritime flee of this
country, therefore, ought to be maintained on a
highly effective footing, and not a moment lost
in the presence of an enemy so unremitting in
his activity, and so powerfully impelled towards
the accomplishment of his fatal design. It is
rumoured that Austria has given pacific " ad-
vice" to Nicholas, which may induce him to
desist from this odious undertaking. Austria is
the China of the west. Stupid and immoveable
in the dotage of despotism—hating all know-
ledge, because dreading all change— Austria
" advises" Russia. But will the Czar,
untouched by the angry remonstrances of
England, be shaken from his purpose by
Austrian advice ? England must take counsel
from her own courage and foresight—they are
the sole safeguard of individuals and nations.
We see that M. Pozzo di Borgo on Wednes-
day last complimented the French King in de-
corous terms, and delivered, some vague prog-
nostics favourable to the continuance of tran-
quillity. It is the policy of Russia, as of al'
mediators of aggression to cover ambitious pur,
poses in the garb of peace. The representatives
of the French people are, however, at their post.
M. Dupin, President of the Chamber of Depu-
ties; thus expresses himself to Louis Philip—
.; Peace, as far as it may be possible; but
such a peace as you can alone desire—a safe
and honourable peace, worthy of the nation."
These are not words which indicate any deep-
rooted confidence in the phrases of M. Pozzo
di Borgo. The winter season for the present
paralyzes all movements, but half the winter
season has gone by.—Times.
The " happy" effects of the protocol system
in settling the affairs of Belgium are exemplified
by the present condition of that country, with its
-unemployed artisans, its bankrupt merchants, its
perishing manufactures, and increasing standing
army. The optimist of the Treasury Journal—
the Globe—after having found all its repeated
predictions touching the immediate settlement of
the Belgico-Dutch question falsified, discovered
that Belgium was placed in a better position by
not having any settlement of her dispute with
Holland, and that the Dutch suffered more by
the non-ratification of the treaty than the Bel-
gians, who were actual gainers by the delay ! It
was strange enough that our Ministers should
have not made this discovery before, and that it
should have totally escaped the sagacity of
their quicksighted retainers of the press.
The sleepless nights and laborious composi-
tions of Lord Palmerston might have been
spared—the wasted stationery of the Foreign
Office might have been saved—the expensive