Polynesian., 1853-10-01
Che polpnesian.
Russia and Turkey.

The most important question with all the go
vernments OF the world, especially those of Eu-
rope, Is, at present, that between Russia and Tur-
key. Much doubt has been expressed of the for
eign policy of the Emperor of France, by writers
both in the United States and Europe. No occa-
sion had offered for practical test of that policy
till this great question originated. The following
official note of Monsieur Drouys de Lhuys, by or
der of the Emperor, has been most favorably COM
mented upon in the newspapers of Europe and
America. 1t IS certainly very able document,
alike honorable to the Minister and his master-
1t places France in an attitude of much dignity
before the world.
THE TURKISH QUESTION.
Important Diplo matte Note from France.
PARIS, July Is, 1853
SIR: The new despatch Of Count de
Nesselrode, which the Journal de st. Peters
burg published on the day following that of
its transmission to all the legations of Russia,
has produced on the government of the En-
peror an impression which His Imperial
Majesty has commanded me to communicate
to you frankly.
We cannot but lament to see Russia, at
the very moment when the efforts of all the
cabinets to bring about a satisfactory solu-
ton of the present difficulties afford proof of
their moderation, assume an attitude which
renders the success of their negotiations
more uncertain, and which impose on some
of them the duty Of rejecting the response
bility which has vainly attempted to be
attached to their policy.
l have no desire, sir, to resume discus
sion which has been exhausted, but as
Count Nesselrode still alleges, in support of
the pretensions Of ST. Petersburg, the offence
which the Porte committed against it by
disregarding the promises made to the Rus
sian Legation. at the period of the first set
tement Of the question of the Holy Places n
1852. | am bound to repeat that the
frmans issued by the Sultan, after the mis-
sion of Prince Menschikof, have removed all
foundation for that sole complaint; and that
if there be any government which has right
to express well grounded complaints, it is
not that of His Majesty the Emperor Nicho-
las.
In fact, on the 10th of March last, Count
Nesselrode, who had just received de-
spatches from the Russian Ambassador at
Constantinople, congratulated himself and
General Castebajac on result which he
had regarded as happy termination OF the
question of Holy Places. NJ Ksseloff in
Paris, made a similsr declaration to me,
and everywhere the agents of the cabinet of
st Petersburg held the same language.
The demands subsequently put forward by
Prince Menschikoff, when the principal OBJ
lect of his mission had been attained, and
when his return was already announced, had
no connexion whatever with those demands
whose acceptance he had already obtained
from the Porte. These latter constituted
new question indeed-a difficulty of a graver
kind which was raised at Constantinople,
and at the very moment when Europe, for
moment alarmed, was told by Russia herself
to re-assure itself.
Taken in some sort unawares by exigen-
cies which they had no reason to expect the
existence, the representatives of France,
Austria, Great Britain and Prussia, at Con-
stantinope, honestly and Loyalty directed
their efforts to prevent a rupture, the conse-
quence of which might be so fatal They
did not advise the Porte to resistance Of a
nature to expose it to the most serious
dangers, and while admitting unanimously
that the demands of Russia too closely
affected the freedom of action and the sove-
reignty of the Sultan for them to permit
to give an opinion, they left to
the Minister of his Highness alone the re-
sponsibilty of forming decision. There
was, therefore, on their part, neither pres
sure nor inter-meddIing of any kind, and if
the Ottoman government, thus left to itself,
declined to subscribe to the conditions al
tempted to be imposed on it, it is clear that
it must have found them totally incompatible
with its independence and its dignity.
1t was at such a coniuncture, sir, that
Prince Menschikoff quilted Constantinople,
and broke off all diplomatic relations be-
tween Russia and the Porte, and that the
powers, bound by their traditions and their
interests to maintain the integrity of Turkey,
had to trace their line of conduct.
The government Of his Imperial Majesty
in accord with that Of Her Britannia Majesty
considered that the situation Of affairs was
too menacing not to be closely watched;
and the squadrons of France and England
soon received orders to proceed to Besika
Bay, whittier they arrived in the middle of
the month of June.
That measure being one merely Of pre-
caution, had nothing Of hostile nature
towards Russia, it was mperiously called
for by the gravity of the circumstances, and
was amply justified by the warlike prepara-
tons, which for many months past were
being made in Bessabia and in the the roads
of SebastoPol.
The motive for rupture between the
Cabinet of St. Petersburg and the Porte had
as it were disappeared; the question which
might be suddenly raised at Constantinople
was that Of the very existence Of the Otto
man Empire; and the governmental His
Imperial Majesty will not admit inter-