Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-02
Masbinatoa Sentinel.
Paris Correspondence Of the National Intelliyencer


the, order in western Europe. Notwithstanding
the warike views that every mail brings from
the east, diplomacy has not yet utterly aban-
doned the hope of anticipating by pacific So
luton the settlement which parties are prepar-
ing to make by force Of arms. The conference
Of Vienna is again in session. 1t hopes TO be
able to prepare another note, which will prove
acceptable to both Russia and Turkey. This
hope, it may be confidently predicted, will prove
to be vain, at least for the coming winter. The
Gar is too strong; and too assured of his
strength, and too resolved upon the steady pur-
suit Of the infexible Russian policy toward
Turkey, and too certain that his own reign is to
be illustrated by the final success Of that tradi-
tional policy, nicholas is only fftyseven
years Of age,l TO consent to any arrangement
that will have the appearance of being, in,
| consistent with his own Interpretation of the
late Vienna note. The Sultan, on his part, is
satisfied that the actual demands of Russia,
as evinced by her Interpretation Of the late
Vienna note, though they do not extend to
territorial dismemberment of the Turkish En-
pire, are presently yiolative of the Sultan's
dignity and sovereignty, and would infalli-
bly, afford the pretext and the means for effec-
tive territorial dismemberment in no distant
future. And he is, moreover, assured that
never, if the present crisis be allowed to pass
without serious and heroic efforts in defence
Of the honor and integrity of his Empire,
will he find himself in a position to make
successful resistance to Russian aggression.
The danger for him is SO great, that the militia
ry and religious enthusiasm of his people, now
thoroughly aroused, if not allowed to spend it.
self upon the Russian invaders, hereditary enc
mics alike Of the Ottoman Empire and Of the
stS llah
rage upon himself, produce disastrous inter
nal commotion, and perhaps hnrl him from
the throne, that we may be certain in advance
that any new note which shall not contain plain
" and expressly the guarantees demanded BY
the recent notifications suggested by the
Porte upon its refusal of the former note, will,
in its turn, meet with prompt refusal. Russia
and Turkey must fight That is to say, war
will be declared between the two powers; and
will probably remain declared, without any ex-
tensiye or decisive acts Of hostilities on either
side till Turkey, upon the brink of dissolution,
exhaustion, rather than conquered, will submit
to the actual demands OF her enemy; and then
a temporary peace will follow, and the Car will
forego immediate territorial conquest, and with
draw his troops from the occupied provinces,
unless, in the mean time, the rupture OF the
French and English alliance and the progress
OI eNGIitS Ill Tic WcSI SHUuIu pcTIllt tUC
diate realization of his projects against Turkey.
What, then, it may be asked, is the use Of
renewed negotiation by the conference of vi
emma? OF no use, except that it prevents for
the moment this war between Russia and Tur
key from becoming general European war.
1t gives to the negotiating powers pretext for
refraining to take sides with one or the other Of
| the belligerents in active hostilities. They
hope, so indisposed are all Of them at the pre-
sent moment to general European war, that
| the Sultan will soon be compelled to accept the
Cars present conditions, and thus adjourn for
| few years or few months the knotty ques-
ton Of territory. War, there can be no doubt,
though it is not officially known here, has been
formally declared by Turkey. The Sultan,
yielding to the pressure of public opinion, and
to the advice Of grand extraordinary council,
composed of three hundred of the principal
notabIes of his empire, has published the decla-
ration of war, and sent orders to Omer Pacha,
his generalin-chicf on the Danube, to peremp-
torily summon the Russian general to evacuate
the Danubian provinces within a certain day, or
hostilities would commence to compel that evac-
uation. The term. of grace allowed the invading
forces by the Sultan is variously stated: some
accounts say eleven days, some twenty-eight,
and some forty. In fact, the term is quite i'm
material, in whatever light it may be viewed,
for all accounts agree that the Sultan's orders
to Omer Pacha are not to leave his entrenched
positions on the right bank Of the river in at
tempting to drive the Russians from the prin-
cipalties on the left bank, but to await the
attack of the Russians. Now, when it is re-
membered that the long avowed intention
of the Czar is simply to hold on to what he has
got, and not to advance further into the Tur-
kish territory, one will hardly anticipate q very
a. Sk<~ 0f 4 &ha
Sultan's formal declaration of war.
1t is known that the representatives Of the
four powers at Constantinople operated earnest
ly, while the question of the declaration of war
was before the divan, to avert that measure, and
to induce the acceptance Of the first Vienna
note by the sultan; and this, Notwithstanding
the unanimous averment of the four powers
that the Cars Interpretation of that note was
different from their own, and justified the mo
difications y proposed and insisted upon by the
porte. Their efforts were fruitless, however.
The Sultan persisted in his determination. All
accounts, as well as all facts that have as yet
transpired, concur to confirm the correctness OF
the opinion | have hitherto expressed touching
the course that viii be pursued by the four
mediating powers individually. Austria will IN
no event take part against Russia. She Is dis
posed to remain neutral, and will remain so,
unless Snc SHOUIu peESeNS ltusots viei'
a view to permanent possession, portion OF the
Turkish territory; then she would advance
into Servia to seize that province, and perhaps
more. as her portion of the spoils. Russia will
not need Austria's assistance against Turkey
alone, but should France and England be
induced, in the course of events to declare for
Turkey by active naval and military opera
tons, then Austria will be compelled, at the
injunction Of the Car, to join him in the effi-
cient military invasion of the Turkish empire,
and in forcing the road to Constantinople.
As for Prussia, her desire to remain neutral
is even stronger than that Of Austria. She can
hope for no addition of territory at the expense
of Turkey. And she has no great commercial
interests in the east to protect or TO enlarge by
active participation in a war for the division of
the spoils Of Turkey. In common with Aus
tria, she has very strong domestic reasons,
founded upon the state Of parties in Germany,
for not wishing TO see the peace of Europe dis
turbed by general war; Prussia has, too, on
the waet hank of tho Rh;na copaiflerahla tor.