Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-13
REPLY OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO THE
RUSSIAN NOTE

| The Minister of Foreign Affairs of France on
DRoUYN DE LHUYs) has issued the following cir
cular note in behalf of his Government in reply to
| the second note Of Count NEssELRoDE. 1t is this
| note of the French Government TO which the Mi
mister of Foreign Affairs in the House of Lords
alluded when he said that the British Government
had issued one in strict accordance with it
PARIS, july Is, 1853.
SIN; The new despatch of Count NEssELRopE which
the Journal dc 81 Peersborg published the day follow
that OF its all the Legations of Russia
has produced the Government of the Emperor an i'm
preston which his Imperial Majesty has commanded
| to communicate to you frankly.
We cannot but lament to Russia, at the very
ment when the efforts Of all the Cabinets bring about
satisfactory solution of the present difficulties afford proof
OF their moderation, assume attitude which renders
the of their negotiations more uncertain and
which imposes on some of them the duty Of rejecting the
responsibility which has been vsnly attempted to be at
| tached t. their policy.
have no DESIRE sir, to discussion which has
been exhausted but Count NEssELRoDE still alleges
support ofthe preteDons of ST. petersburg the offence
which the Porte committed against it by disregardng the
promises made to the Russian Legation at the period Of
the first settlement of the question of the Holy Places i'm
1882 am bound to repeat that the rmans issued by the
Sultan, after the mission Of Prince MRSsonIKofr have
removed NIL 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 NICHOLAS.
In fact the 10th of March last, Count NEssELHoDE
who had just received dispatches from the Russian
bassador at Constantinope congratulated himself and
General DE CAsrELBAJAc result which he regarded
happy termination of the question Of the Holy Places
NJ kIssELEfR in Paris made similar declaration me,
ana every where the agents of the Cabinet Of ST. Peters
burgh held the same language
The demands subsequently put forward by Prince MEN
scHiKoFf when the principal object of his mission had
been attained and when his return already announced
had no connection whatever with those demands whose
acceptance he had already obtained from the Porte.
These latter constituted new question indeed, difficult
ttnf LII, .l.
| and at the very moment when Europe for moment
alarmed was told by Russia herself to itself
Taken IN some sort by exigencies which they
had no to suspect the existence of the representa-
tyes OF France AUSTRIA Great Britain and Prussia at
Consantnope honestly and loyalty directed their efforts
prevent rupture the consequences ofwhch might be
so fatal They did not advise the Porte to resistance Of
nature to expose it to the serious dangers and
while admitting unanimously that the demands Of Russia
too closely affected the freedom Of action and the
regnty OF the Sultan for them to permit themselves to
give an opinion they left to the Ministers of his High
ness alone the responsibility of forming decision There
WAS therefore, their part, neither pressure
termeddng of any kind and the Ottoman Government,
thus left to ITSELF declined to subscribe to the conditions
attempted to be imposed it. it is clear that it must
have found them totally incompatible with its indepen-
/ dence and its dignity.
1t at such conjuncture sir, that Prince Mensch
kof quilted Constantnope, and broke off all diplomatic
atons between Russia and the Porte and that the Powers
bound by their traditions and their maintain the
integrity of Turkey had their line of conduct
The Government of his Imperial Majesty, in accord
with that of her Britannia Majesty considered that the
situation Of affairs menacng not to be closely
watched and the squadrons Of France and England
received orders to proceed TO Beska Bay whittier they
arrived in the middle Of the month Of June
That measure, being merely Of precaution, had
thing Of hostile nature towards Russia; it was mpe-
rousy called for by the gravity Of the circumstances and
amply justified BY the warke preparations which,
for many months past being made in Bessarabia and
/ in the roads of Sebastopol.
The motive for rupture between the Cabinet of ST.
/ and adj wer dSappoared
the question which might be suddenly raised at Constan
nople that of the very existence of the Ottoman
Empire; and the Government Of his Imperial Majesty
will not admit that interests vast shall be at stake
without at claiming the part, both to influence
and action which properly belongs to its power and its
ran. in the world To the presence Of Russian army
upon the land frontier of Turkey the French Government
had the right and the duty reply by the presence of its
naval forces at Beska in bay freely open the ships of
all nations and situated within those limits which treaties
prohibit the passing in time OF peace.
i For the rest the Russian Government about
to take upon itself to explain the necessity for the
ment of the two squadrons; for the Slst Of May,
when 1t impossible know at ST. Petersburgh where
the only arrived the 18th of june the resolution
that might be adopted by France and England, Count
Nesserode sent to the Porte in the form of letter to
Reschid Pacha, final ultimatum, with brief delay,
and which contained very clearly expressed threat
approaching occupation of the Danuban Principalties
When this decision had been to, with solemnty
which no longer permitted Government jealous of its
dignity to modify it, when by circular dated June H.
his Majesty the Emperor Nicholas caused his resolution
to be announced Europe if render its execution
irreyocable squadron yet at Salamis, and
that Of England had not left the port Of Malta
This simple comparison Of dates sufices, sir, to show
from what quarter proceeded that Initiative sought
to be denied while the responsibility of is thrown upon
France and England; 1t is also sufficient to prove that
between the communication made to Paris and London
of the proposition made directly to Constannope by
Count Nesserode, and the re lection Of that umatum,
time materially wanting for the Governments of his
Imperial Majesty and her Britannia Majesty to exercise
their influence at Constantinople way the other.
No, SIR say it with al the force of conviction, the
French Government in this grave debate has nothing
reproach itself with repudiaes from the depths Of its
conscience less than before Europe the responsibility
imputed to it and, strong in its moderation appeals in
its to the judgment of the Cabinet Setting aside
the different objects of the demonstrations there
perhape sort of analogy between the respective
situations when the Russian army the left bank
of the Pruth and tho English and French fleets cast their
anchors at Besika The analogy has disappeared since
the passage of the river which forms the limits of the
Russian and the Ottoman Empires. Count Nesscrode
to admit this when he supposes the squadron to be
already within sight of Constannople ITSELF and repre-
scnts the military position taken up the Russian troops
on the banks Of the Danube compensation for what
he calls our g maritime occupation
The English and French forces do not by their pre-
outside the Dardaneles, infringe existing treaties
The occupation Of Walacha and Moldaya the contra
ry constitutes manifest violation Of these very treaties
That Of Adranople which determines the condition Of the
Russian protcstorate explicitly states the in which
that Power be permitted to interfere in the Prin
cpaiies it in their privileges should be dsre
garded by the Turks.
In 1913, when these Provinces occupied by the
Russians, they prey to revolutionary agitation
which equally threatened their security that Of their
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