The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-06 00:00:00

THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.

The Moniteur of yesterday publishes the follow-
ing article on the question of the union of the Prin-
cipalities, an extract from which appeared in The
Sun the same day :
The Government of the Emperor has always been

inspired on the question of Eastern affairs-with a
twofold desire. If it has aimed, as necessary to
the general political interests of France and Europe
in general, to insure the independence and main-
tenance of the Ottoman empire, one of its not less
constant pre-occupations has been the amelioration
of the state of thi..se Christian populations spring-
ing up under the sovereignty or suzerainty of the
Sultan. It regards as one of the most fortunate
results of its policy and its arms to have contributed
to relieve the condition of those numerous popula-
tions by obtaining for them equality of rights and
the advantages of religious liberty.
The Government of the Emperor was the more
strongly impelled to take this course from its con-
viction that it would thereby serve at the same
time the cause of humanity and civilisation, and
assist the enlightened and benevolent dispositions
of the Ottoman Government.
Among the Christian populations
i those of Ser-
via, Wallachia, and Moldavia were n a particular
position. In possession of their own institutions,
they also enjoyed ancient franchises and privileges.
It only remained, therefore, to insure the mainte-
nance of these advantages by placing them under
the guarantee of European law, and thence to ob-
tain now elements of order and prosperity for the
country.
It was with this view that the Congress of
Paris decided that the Moldo-Wallachian Princi-
pa ities should be called upon to nominate two
assemblies, or divans ad hoc, for the special pur-
pose of giving expression to the wishes of those
provinces, and of pointing out the modifications
which were considered necessary to be introduced
into their organisation.
One. of the most important of the eventual mo-
difications would, without doubt, be that of the
union, under one and the same administration, of
Moldavia and Wallachia. The Government of the
Emperor, therefore, embraced the opportunity
which the Congress of Paris offered to pronounce
formally in favour of that combination.
At the Conference of Vienna the plenipotentiary
of France had already expressed the opinion that
such a union was the best combination to assure to
Moldavia and Wallachia the strength and the con-
sistence necessary to become, on that side, a useful
bulwark to the independence of the Ottoman tern-

tory.
The Government of the Emperor had thus from
the commencement clearly expressed its -views
upon this important question. It has not ceased
to express them, and the exchange of commit aunicad
,-
tions which had lately taken place between n
the cabinets who think differently, on the occasion
of the measures to be taken at Constantinople for
the convocations of the divans, has only served to
confirm its convictions. It does not despair of
seeing them prevail in the councils of the powers,
for it is difficult to believe that the one of_tlheM
most directly interested in the question will not
acknowledge, when the time for serious deliberation
arrives, arrives, that the union of the Principalities,p
le a N'T,,h
,ndwill be a new guarantee for its own securityo
external independence, and for the people
fruit-
ful element of !prosperity, contains nothing which
is not in complete accordance withth
the e rightsSublime
hnoef
suzerainty at present exercised by
Porte over the Danubianrrincipalities.

The .Risorgintento of Turin of the 31st ult. states
that the Emperor of Austria, should he visit Flo-
rence, as has been stated, will assume the incognito
of Count of Istria, and that in consequence there
will not be any official reception or rejoicings.
A letter from Algiers of the 30th of December states
that the present winter will be long remembered in
e
Algeria. Some of the Arab tribes have lost hundreds
of oxen and thousands of sheep by the incessantw 1
followed by hail, wind, and a succession of. badtheeraetdbleicr:
Nothing positive is yet known respecting report in
tion of the Austrian army, but the prevalent_
military circles in Vainedrinsao,mies,2tsh,
sent to their homes, ON men will be
at 6 ,
000 horses sold.