The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-11 00:00:00

itself no princi

Dle of unity, no element of strength

but that is a poor excuse for running into the ()ther
extreme, and counselli

a resort to w

selves of it. War is at all times to be dreaded
as a frightful alternative for the settlement of na-

tional disputes, but we have now more reason than

ever to fear the consequences, with an incapable

Ministry, an exchequer with no available surplus,
and a people impatient of taxation. We cannot
afford to raise another national debt, if a blow
struck for Turkey should rouse all Europe to take

part in the struggle ; and we can less afford to
shut up the Black Sea, when our discontented con-
sumers are complaining of the price of bread : and
yet we must be content to bear both evils, should
Russia refuse to be frightened by our naval demon-
stration, and persist in holding the Danubian Pro-
vinces in spite of all attempts to prevent him. The
position of Turkey in the question is so far clear,
that none can dispute her right to take arms to

resist an aggression on her own territory, and by
so doing she may precipitate that downfal of her
empire which every one seems to anticipate as in-
evitable ; but the right of England to meddle in the
matter—other than as a friendly mediator for the

obvious purpose of preserving peace—is altogether
another affair. We have already agreed that the

SULTAN might sign the note drawn up

ference of Vienna without any compromise of his
dignity, and his refusal to do so in the face of
Russia's willingness to accept it has deprived him
of all claim on our assistance, except so far as con-
cerns a renewal of negotiations.

If we may believe the latest news, it appears
that the SULTAN, by the advice of his Council, has
signed a declaration of war against Russia. This
step has no doubt been taken in order to appease
the clamours of the war party, whose passions,
having been roused in defence of their faith, can
only be gratified by allowing them to battle with
their Christian adversaries. It will be, however, a
new phase in European politics, if in such a contest
England should be found fighting on the side of
the infidels, and we are, therefore, unwilling to
Credit it without better testimony than the false
reports disseminatedthrough the electric telegraph.
A formal declaration of war does not, however,
necessarily involve the commencement of actual
hostilities, particularly as it has been delayed until
the near approach of winter will have rendered
warlike operations difficult, if not impossible. We
may therefore hope that a renewal of negotiations
will yet be successful in settling the dispute with-
out a resort to the arguments of brute force, and
this result appears the more probable from the
evident desire of the Emperor of RUSSIA to with-
draw his pretensions, if he can do so without any
apparent humiliation.

The question has been taken up in England as
one for a popular movement, and on Friday a
meeting took place in London, at which the speakers
were of the lowest order of mob orators. It must
have been an edifying spectacle to witness an
assemblage of the least intelligent class of the
community listening to the vapid declamation of
men who knew little of the merits of the question,
and who were pretending to enlighten their hearers
on foreign affairs—a study requiring more thought
and attention than the individuals who composed
that meeting ever bestow on any subject. They,
however, cheered the speeches ; and, of course, all
the resolutions were carried unanimously. The
same party has often cheered as loudly and voted

as unanimously for universal peace and interna-
tional arbitration, but it suits the purpose of the
moment for Radical agitators who were getting
out of practice to raise a cry against the Emperor
of RUSSIA, and therefore the ministers are to be
goaded into a war in defence of Turkish infidels.
Little did, the sympathisers care for the conse-
quences, for they never recruit the army or navy,
and they have thrown the burden of taxation on
the holders of real property and those who are
liable to the income tax; but men who can in any
degree appreciate the horrors of sanguinary strife
would be slow to counsel a resort to so frightful an
alternative.

THE Quarterly Accounts of the National Re-
venue are made up to last night, and will be
published this morning in London. From the
metropolitan papers which profess to be in the
confidence of Government, and therefore able to
anticipate official documents, it appears that the
year's account will show a large increase arising
from almost every item, but more especially from
the Customs and Excise. The quarter's account,
it is said, will also show an improvement in the '
same items, but somewhat qualified by reductions
under the head of Stamps and Assessed Taxes,
arising from recent changes. Such a result, sup-
posing it to be realised, was to be, anticipated,
when the great increase in Imports and Exports is
taken into consideration. We shall give the actual
figures in our

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SECOND EDITION,
and reserve any comments which a perusal of
them may suggest until next week.