Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-07-21

Peaee or war
That's the grand question, which for the present
overrides all Others There is not farmer in Virginia
with uHsoA wheat whose voice is not loud for war,
l. c. war in Europe, not here-and who does not re-
gard it inevitable. Being in that fix ourselves, VIC
incline to that opinion and feel greatly strengthened
in the conviction by the Of the last steamer
We are indifferent about the for wars sake-but
are strongly in favor Of 81 bushel for wheat For
many years, the advance in the price Of wheat, has
generally taken place after most Of the farmers had
sold. But this time, they are admonished in season.
Luckily fer them, the Emperor Nicholas began to
grow restless about that key Of the old Bethlehem
church, before they had got ready to deliver their
wheat; and in aid Of his warlike demonstrations,
France has been deuged for two months to the ser>
damage, if not failure, Of the grain crop. These
transatlantic disasters very [opportunely for us
What with the immense outlay for guano, and the
great loss by fly and joint worm, the Virginia far
mers never stood in greater need Of a good round
price for their wheat to repair past losses and pro-
vide against future We arc, therefore, decided
ly in favor of continued Russian demonstration, or
its equivalent, 81 bushel for wheat.
With respect to the Danuban principalities-the
occupation of which by the Russian forces is to be
the immediate provocative to hostilities their posi-
ton towards the contending powers is anomalous and
peculiar. Since their subjugation by Trajan, they
have been less under foreign dominion. For
while they acknowledged the supremacy Of ilunga-
ry. Early in 1900 they placed themselves under the
sovereignty of Turkey. That court placed over them
Constantinople Grceks-which excited the hatred of
the native mobiles and led to long continued domestic
discord Finally in I'LL, Peter the Great of Russia
Al.
induced Turkey to sacrifice its Greek ruers-but not
until Russia had obtained pretty firm foOthod in the
country From that time to this, the Gar has been
gradually extending his iniuence-and though the
sovereignty of the country is acknowledged to be in
Turkey the substantial control Of the Provinces is in
the hands of Russia. The great body of the popula-
ton belong TO the Greek church, and ruled abso-
lutely by Greek priests The staofiic RS of the ar
my Muscovitc-and the Hospodars are mere
vioc-gcrcnts of Russia
These pr Ivinces have been a of jealousy he
tween Austria and Russia for than a hundred
years. They lie contiguous to the dominions of both
Hungary is on the Danube just above Waacha, and
Pennsylvania is hroadsidc of both Wallachia and Mol
davs. Moldavia il bounded on the north by Russia
and Russian province extends along the Black Sea-
its eastern border to the mouths Of the Danube.
IL is said that the Empress Maria Theresa in l772
to prevent Russia from sezing these provinces con-
scented 10 the pan tition Of Poland. The Emperor
Alexander, from 1904 to 1912, with the hope of ac-
quirng them consented TO Napoleons ambitious pro-
ects, aud particularly to his deposition of the Span
sh Bourbons- And it was in 1919, that he seized
upon Bessaraba, the eastern portion Of Moldava-
The telegraph informs that Austria though of late
regarded little than province of Russia has
had her an cit mt jealousy kindlcd anew by the Rus
sian occupation of these Districts and has signiied
her determination TO cooperate with England and
Frame in resisting that occupation.
These provinces by their POSITION are nearly equal
~ desirable to both Russia and Austria-while to
Turkey, separated by the Danube from all her other
European possessions, they quite useless In the
hands of Russia, they would place her nearer tc
Constantinopleor her province the mouths of the
Danube is equally near; but they would place her
near that great goal Of her ambition in greater force
and they would round of her Southern frontier and
protect it by the dark rolling Darube To Austria
they would impart no additional military strength
for Russian BcSSarabia would still cut her off from
the Black Sea.
The country is said to be very fcrte-but it is very
badly cultivated, by people, whose moral an ply,
steal condition is worse than that of the scrs Of Rus
sia The population amounts to about four millions
and consist Of waachians, who call themselves Ro
mans, Bohemians Gipseys, and Jews The Clip.
sizes slaves the Jews are the merchants. tn,
nobility and the clergy are very numcrous-posscs,
most Of the land, and all political po yer and pay Nc
taxes.