The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-10-18
The Oriental Question.

The question Of peace or war would appear
| to be decided. The Sultan, standing alone,
| has CALAMITY thrown down the gauntlet, and
give utterance to the sentiment and the spirit
of people who prefer death to degradation
i III ora are those, however, who are stiII of
/ or;n;on that the question has not passed be-
van5 the reach of negotiation. and that the
combined influence of the four powers would
rreyent hostile collision. II cannot be long
before we learn whether this last faint ex-
,ectation of a fearful solution Of the contro-
versy will be realized. Certainly. If the five
| mowers intend to use physical force rs an in.
| strument of negotiation, the unfortunate
Turk will be compelled to "keep The peace
| But if they confine themselves to diplomatic
| notes, the probabilities of war are greatly
increased The contest cannot be long
one. Turkey win fall before the giant of the
North, and valuable portion OF her territory
&c to pay the expenses of the war. Already
that very Just and reasonable gentleman, the
Emperor Nicholas, has advanced claim for
a provision to pay him his charges in occu-
plying the municipalities The cool audacity
of the Car is sublime. He breaks into the
Sultan's mansion, and taking lodgings to him
self for some months, brings in bill for the
labor and time occupied in obtaining and
holding possession! What will the honest
gentleman claim, should it become necessary
for him to commit assault and battery, as well
as burglary, upon Turkey
- l. haf md
and France will stand still, passive specta-
tors of this fragrant iniquity! Nay, that
they will make themselves parties to it, and
compel Turkey to submit to it Such may
be the course of the English and French
Governments, and it will be as suicidal as
wicked, but the people of England, at least,
true to their instructive love of justice and
fair play. would call to morrow with one
voice for war could the question be submit
ted to their decision. They know that the
triumph of Russia in this conflict is another
encroachment upon free principles by Gov
eminent whose power, unless resisted at this
crisis by the liberal European Governments,
will soon overshadow the continent and
eventually bring England itself within the
midnight gloom of c total eclipse of liberty.
Not total, thank Heaven, to us of this
Western world. An ocean rolls between our
shores and the colossal despotism with which
we are one day to dispute the dominion of
this planet. Yet we cannot look without in
terest upon the war Of the outposts. If una
bic to send armies and monies, to the theatre
of the conflict, if contrary to our policy to
intervene in the affairs of Europe, we are,
nevertheless, every day strengthening our
selves by the arts of peace for that final mo-
ment in which the solid earth viii reel be-
meath the collision of the two great princi-
pies of Liberty and Despotism. Nor need
we, if our Union be preserved, fear the re-
suit If there is justice in Heaven, the last
page of the worlds history will see the re-
pacity and crime which absolutism has in
hicted upon the human race washed out IN
seas of blood.