Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-04-29
From the London Times Of March the p.


THE TURKISH QUEsrroN.-The opinions We
have expressed on the present condition and
! future prospects of the Ottoman Empire do
not coincide with the views entertained by Lord
! John Russell, communicated by him to the
House of Commons. They differ from the
course of policy which this country has pursued
in former times and on several occasions, and
they are entirely at variance with tie system
which large numerical proportion of the Lon
don press is attempting, not very brilliantly OF
successfully to defend. The reason of this
difference of opinion is a very simple ont
We look at this case with no prepossessions, and
no predsposition to delude ourselves and our
readers as to the real state of it. 1t may be
very well to argue that the Ottoman Empire
ought to be inviolable and independent; thas it
is a great State, whose disappearance mus:
cause a formidable perturbation in Europe, and
that it is probably not nearer utter rhin at
this moment than it was after the battle of Ne
lib in 1929 But we have to deal with the facts
as they are We have no power to alter them;
we have no art to convert impotence into vigor
or decrepitude into youth. Diplomacy may sus-
mend the blow from without which Will one day
shatter the hollow trunk, but it is already sap
less. leafless. and decayed. And we must ven
ture to say that it implies some penury OF re-
sources in modern statesmen that, when they
have to deal with a question which involves the
the civilization of great provinces, the restora-
ton of Christianity itself to that supremacy
which it once enjoyed in all parts OF Europe
and the progressive welfare of millions OF human
beings, the only expedient on which they can
agree is to dress up Turks head IN turban
and agree to treat it if 1t were still-a symbol
of force and empire.
The danger does not even now arise from the
aggressive propensites of the northern courts
half as much as from the defenceless condition
of State which would hardly be able to resist
with effect any resolute antagonist, At this
moment the ships of war which constitute the
Turkish feet are laid up in winter quarters
unnamed. Between Constantinople and Mol
davia there is no Turkish force that could resis.
with success the march of hostile column, and
the slender military resources OF the Turkish
Government have Just been wasted and impair
ed by the absurd campign against Montenegro.
For years past the Turkish Ministers have en-
ploved their precarious tenure of office in en-
riching themselves by the plunder-the Grand
Vizier Redschid Pasha-waS dismissed from
office for peculation, and the examination
which has takeu place in his affairs discloses
an amount of corrur ton and ROBBERY unequaed
even in the annals Of Turkey. As the natural
result of such NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., the treasury
Is empty anu the PItoeHI du'lSCAS VI 'AC O
tan have effectualy destroyed the possibility of
an appeal to foreign credit These circum-
stances, and many more of the same kind, are
of course well known at St Petersburgh and
Vienna, and if the northern courts were dis
posed to press their advantage, the facilities at
their disposal are complete But, though we
are satisfied that nothing can exceed the weak
ness of the Turkish power, we still believe that
it is not the wish either of the Emperor OF
Russia or the Emperor of Austria 20 urge mat
tiers to eXtremites.