The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1850-01-30
The Turco-Russian Question,


pie state, that the question Of extradition,
raised between Austria and Russia and the
Sublime Porte, has been definitely settled,
and that treaty, duly signed by the rep.
resentatves OF these Powers, has been sent
to Vienna and St. Petersburg for ratfica-
ton, and that no doubts are entertained
that it will be ratified. The stipulations
concerning the Hungarian and Polish refu-
gees are as follows: The Hungarians who
have sought an asylum in Turkey are not
to be delivered up. or allowed TO be entre-
ly at large either; but are to be restricted
to some province at distance from tho
frontier, for term not exceeding one year.
Those who have been furnished with for
eign passports are to be at liberty to leave
the country Immediately. and in case OF
failure TO do so, will be dealt with as the
others are to be. Q fcaB
The Poles who have embraced the Ma
hometan religion are not TO be liable to
expulsion, but are 10 be removed from the
frontier provinces, where their presence
might be dangerous to Austria. The Hun
garians are to be sent to Syria. it is said,
and the Poles 10 be assigned 10 residence
near the capital. E
Thus Turkey seems to be safe for tho
present from all Austro- Russian invasion;
but this new treaty is one only of post.
ponement-nothing more than kind Of
stay of execution in favor of the Porte; for
the true cause OF the Cars complaint is,
that he covets and intends to have Con-
stantinople, as necessary 10 the symmetry
and rounding off Of his empire, and as q
stepping stone to the British East Indies,
which he will threaten; il he does not at
tack, before he dies, most probably
Nicholas is as ambitious as Napoleon was,
but possesses more prudence and forecast;
and though his projects are as gigantic.
they are better concealed. He has not
the same genius, and he seems to recog-
nize the existence of word in the Russian
vocabulary which Napolian said was not
French-impossible. Like Sam Patch,
who was ambitious also-for his vaulting
ambition overeaped itself at last-he
knows that, though some things can be
done as we'll as others, yet that there are
things, too, that cannot be done, or that to
be done must be approached with great
caution. He knows that without first hav-
ing Turkey at his feet, he cannot reach
the British East Indies; and he knows that
he cannot make himselfmaster of Constan-
tinople, as long as the Sultan has France
and England for his allies, as he had late
ly. But he will wait until time, or other
political revolutions, or political combina-
tons, shall leave the Porte without the
countenance and protection of powerful
allies, and then he will find or make q
cause of quarrel again, declare war, and
march to Constantinople; not stopping At
Adrianople. about 400 miles from it; as his
brother Alexander did. He is different
sort of man-is stern, Immovable, inexora-
BILE, implacable. Alexander-the "Deliv.
erer," as he was called-had neither the
the talent nor the fxedness of
purpose that Nicholas has-which cast Of
character leads him to grasp all that he
can. and to hold all that he grasps. If
once master Of Constantinople, he will die
master of it, and from that starting point
he will march eastward. stopping no man
can tell where perhaps not this side ofthe
Ganges. He may yet reasonably calcu-
late upon fifteen years of active life, and
as great things as the conquest Of Con-
and the East have been done
within that period. Alexander the Great.
julius Cesar, Tamerlane. Napoleon and
other conquerors, did more in much less
lime; why, then, may not Nicholas do as
much!
All this may have the appearance Of
vague and visionary speculation, and it
may be nothing more: we LAY claim to no
prophetic or oracular gifts; but what with
us is mere speculation, is to the British
Cabinet matter of serious absorbing, and
apprehension. They fear Mich
olas and they fear him on account of Brit
sh India. This accounts, and nothing
e 50 can account for the unhesitatng
alacrity with which the British Ambassa-
dor at Constantinople backed the Sultan
in his resistance to the demands of Nlcho.
las He well knew that his Government
would approve his course, and why. II
could not do otherwise. or to do otherwise
would have been the ne plus ultra of min
sterial iniatuation and imbecity 'oi
There is another pregnant fact connect
ed with this most grave question, and an
'minous one for English statesman, which
S. that the French squadron was ordered
rom the Dardanelles TO France rather
hastily and unexpectedly; from which it
has been inferred, that President Bona
,arte has turned the col d shoulder to the
rurco-Britsh alliance, and will. in the
event of a rupture. be found either on the
side ofthe Gar or at least neutral. With.
,ut doubt, his feelings and predictions
are with him; but the French nation is an
i-Cossack, we think. and this may check
nate the President in the game he is about
% play or has played with his allies, a.
hey fear. The French army would be
delighted to visit Moscow again, not as :.
friends and allies, but as deadly enemies,
burning to wipe out the blot from the ma
IL Il Al