The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-15

"'o"oeu colilslon. Great Britain has, IN point VI
fact' committed herself to the support of Turkey
In the event ofa war. France, 100, is qualfedly
committed on the same side, and both nations
have strong fleets in the Mediterranean, commits
stoned to act the moment the Car undertakes to
follow up bis menaces with blows.
"Ihe question it stands, therefore is one that
has deeper interest for US Of the United States
than may appear on frat view. Our relation
ship with Turkey, it is true, is not very close
one, either in a commercial or political sense and
the issues involved in her quarrel with the north
ern colossus are not of character to specially
enlist our sympahies yet, for II that, should the
ultimo ratio regnum be resorted to, we could not
remain dsinterested spectators of the struggle
that must ensue, all of the first rate mari.
time powers of Europe being engaged. This
contingency is one SO imposing, yet one which the
best informed of the London journal seem to
think 80 imminent, that it ia worth the while re-
captivating the train of events which have led to
state of things threatening such results.
''The Gar of Russia claims to be the head of the
Greek Church. There are some twelve millions of
that class OF religionists-that many Greeks-in
Turkey, and to these, the Russian government de
mands,' shall be extended all the immunities and
privileges granted to Christians of other denomina-
tons Also, that the Russian Ambassador at Con.
stantinope, and the consus and agents of Russia
elsewhere, should have the right to protect the
Greek Church against all kinds of persecution
and oppression on the part of the Turkish authori-
ties That the cupola of the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre Gin the Sultan's dominione) be rebuilt
under the inspection of the Greek Patriarch, and
that what lie termed the priority in the tomb of the
Church of the Virgin be assured to the Greeks
Another demand was that church and monas-
terry be constructed at Jerusalem, in which Rus.
sian monks shall oticiate. In order to obtain
these concessions, Concessions however It'll said;
which had been made at other times to the men,
oers OF the Greek Church at the holy places of Je
rusaem,) the Emperor of Russia early in the spring
despa ched Prince Menschikoff, especially commits.
stoned to inform the Sultan that he had had &C.
caslon to complain that former concessions had
been either withdrawn CT materially modified by
certain orders given by the Sultan in February.
last year, and that it would be necessary to have
some security that those orders should not be con-
tinued, or the concessions withdrawn What the
nature OF that security was to be the Russian gov
eminent, as is usual in diplomatic transactions,
did not state specially to any foreign government.
The Russian Ambassador arrived at Constantine.
pie, and certain circumstances which there occur.
red, 1t will be remembered, induced the Grand
Vizier to feel very considerable apprehension as to
what was about to take place, and he asked for
the presence of the English fleet near the Darda-
neles. The English fleet did 60, or started to go,
but in the interim affairs took an apparently peace
fol turn, and word came then that the difficulty
was all settled, Russia accommodating matters to
the acceptance of the Sultan; but latterly the Rus
sian Ambassador, ii seems, saw fit to renew in all
their original odiousness, the demands of his mas.
ter; and now giving them the character Of an ,lti-
matum, the Porte was informed that eight DAYS
would be given him to make up his mind. The Porte
did make up his mind, on the ground that to comply
with what was demanded would place the twelve
millions OF Greeks now acknowledging the Turk
sh rule under species OF Russian Protectorate
not at all consistent with the Sutan'e ideas of
independence. Menschikof now leaves in high
dudgeon, and, while he is on his way home the
Russian ports of the Black Sea are crowded with
the munitions of war, and the heights above
Odessa covered with the tents of an immense
army, daily receiving accessions. On the
banks of the Pruth we assured the pontoons
are already made, and the vast army collected
there wait but the signal to enter the principal
ties. or course, all eyes are now turned to ST. Pc
tersburg, to see how the Russian Bear bears the
rejection of his demands, and the somewhat ig-
nomlnous return OF his Ambassador; things made
all the more unpalatable by the, fact that, but
for the volunteered assurances of England and
France, the Sultan would have conceded every
thing. Peace or war; them depends on how he
may make up his mind.
"Now, the moral of the whole transaction, so far
as these three powers-England France, and Rus
sia arc concerned is, in undiplomat tic English,
just simply this: Nicholas wants to obtain in the
Mediterranean what Napoleon wanted every
where-ships, colonies, and commerce. and, to
obtain them, he would break his way through the
Bosphorous any day, did not the British Lion and
the fleets OF France stand in his way, avowedly
ready to drive him back. These quarrels with
Turkey are but modified manifestations of this
covetousness; covetousness that has been the
growth of ages, and the expected fruits of which
make up the dream every Russian Emperor has
been dreaming since the days of the great Cathe
rine. The time may come when that dream NAV
wake up Europe to arms; but the odds against
him just now are too great, we imagine, for the
Emperor to risk. As for the jealous friendship of
England and France for the Turk, it is not worth
much. A transparent selfish motive is at the bot
tom of it all. Not that they love Turkey, but that
they hate or fear Russia, is the secret spring of
their active sympathies; but if that se6shness pre-
the nationality of the Ottoman Empire little
while longer, and keep Europe in peace, perhaps it
ought TO have the hopes of the rest of the world on
its sido.''
In the British House of Lords on Friday, the
9th Of May, the following debate took place:
The Earl Of MALMEssuRY, who had two notices
upon the Notes.-The first of which related to the
succession tax-thcn rose He said My lords.
must beg pardon of your Iordships for proposing to
transposc the order of the notices which gave
your lordships for this evening, believing that it
will DO more convenient to my noble friend oppo.
site that should commence the business OF the
night by putting the question to him which stands
upon the votes with reference TO the negotiations
now pending between Russia and the Porte. Your
lordships, in common with the public, must have
been for the last fortnight well aware of the import
ncs Of the affairs now said be going on at Con.
stantinopIe. We have heard that negotiations Of