The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-05 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1853.

It was fortunate that the House of Commons
took so correct a view of the question last night
ventilated by Mr. GLADSTONE. The very decisive
majority of 178 has removed the difficulty that

might otherwise have impeded the operations of
our diplomatists at the new Parisian conferences.
We have happily induced France to take the same

view of the important subject as ourselves. There

is "a perfect identity of sentiment and of policy,

in the widest and truest sense," between these
great powers ; and when they are agreed, and
Austria, Turkey, and Sardinia are favourable to
the same course, it requires no extraordinary
powers of vaticination to say that it will be
adopted, and that the interested designs of Russia
will be defeated.

The former conferences at Paris left the ques-
tion open, a most unfortunate legacy to future
diplomatists. The difficulty could easily have
been surmounted, the enigma solved, at the time ;
but each party thought that they could ultimately
carry out their own views, and they got rid of
the troublesome topic by leaving it over for future
consideration. It was an ad captandunt argu-
ment, to say that the wishes of the inhabitants
should be consulted ! But how were these wishes
to be ascertained ? how could it be known what
were the real desires of the great body of the in-
habitants? It was certain that extraneous influ-
ences were to be brought into operation, and that
no efforts would be spared to falsify the lists, and
make it in accordance with the policy of Russia.
The result of the first election for Moldavia
was completely adverse to the union. That was,
however, objected to, on the ground of alleged
abuses and corrupt practices, on the part of the
Ilaimalcans, a very severe pressure was put on
Turkey, in order to induce it to annul the returns,
and consent to a new appeal to the Moldavians.
This was accordingly granted, but not until the
representatives of several nations had struck their
fags, and there was as imminent danger of a sus-
pension of diplomatic intercourse, with all its in-
conveniences. The second election was just as un-
fair on the other side, and, in fact and truth, the
one may be properly set off against the other, so
that the result is nil. Besides, on such a point, the
interests of Europe must be taken into considera-
tion. It would, indeed, be injudicious to create a
slumbering volcano, that might explode at any
moment and occasion terrible mischief in the

eruption.
From the very commencement we pointed out
the perils that must necessarily attend on the
Wrion of the Danubian Principalities under either
* native or foreign Sovereign. It would bo
to create a second Greece north of the
Danube—a petty kingdom, subservient to
%Milli whose titular Sovereign would be but
a mere creature—a modern satrap of the Cz trs.
Besidei it would reverse the policy for which the
itte war was undertaken, would destroy the integ-
ray of the Ottoman Empire, to maintain which
to. any and such serious sacrifices were submitted
Great Britain would join in the division of
the sick man's assets, not for its own benefit, but
for the aggrandisement of Russia, and the eitab-
light:merit of aMuscovite viceroy on the banks of the
Dan'abe.