The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-23
The Turkish Question,
From the London Times, June 8

The fact which we were enabled to state yester
day in third edition, that courier had been de
spatched from St. Petersburgh to Constantinople
with demand that Prince Menschikoff s last pro
posal should be accepted by the Porte within eight
days, is, on several accounts, of great importance
and 1t is, we think, less unfavorabe to pacific so.
luton OF this dispute than it might at first sight an
pear to be. In the first place. it proves that the Rus
sian government has not proceeded on the first in.
telligence fPrnce Menschikoff's failure to adopt
belligerent measures, either by sending the fleet
from Sebastopol to the Bosphorus, as Mr.. Dsraeli
and Lord Hardwlcke had anticipated, or by direct
ing the army of Bessarabia to cross the Pruth.
On the contrary, the despatch of another courier
is fresh proof that the system of temporzation
and hesitation, which Prince Menschikoff had be-
gun, is still pursued by the Emperor Nicholas him
self If his chief object had been to pick quarrel
there would be no need to prolong these preIimi
ignorant that every week and every day that pass
es is an immense loss of its opportunities and
influence. while it Increases the confidence of Tur-
key in the combined support of the rest of Europe
But 1t appears further that this courier is to insist
on the acceptance Of Prince Menschikoff's last pro-
posal. That proposal, we believe, s not identical
with the convention so haugbtily demanded on the
9th of Mays on the contrary, subsequently to that
date, and just before leaving ConstantnopIe, the
Russian Envoy addressed a last communication to
Redschid Pasha considerably less Objectionable in
form, though still not acceptable to the Turkish
COVER ment in substance.
If, after all, the demand made upon the Porte
can be satisfied by declaration of good will to-
wards all its Christian subjects, and if this declara
ton be addressed, not to Russia alone, but to all
the great powers which are interested in the wei.
fare of the East, there is reason that such
declaration should not be made, for it would fur
Their establish that policy which the Turkish gov
eminent has already resolved to pursue, and it
would demonstrate that Russia has no peculiar
claim whatever to be considered the guarantee or
security of the immunities of the Christian popu-
latiOn.
AS the question has now again assumed the form
of diplomatic negotiation, we think it by no means
improbable that some such mode may be found to
enable the Russian government to escape from the
consequences of its arrogant pretensons and its
recent defeat. We are further corroborated in
this opinion by the circumstance that Count Mes.
selrode (tbe same, we presume, who accompanied
in London and we take this occurrence to be
strong additional proof that the Emperor Nicholas
is, on all accounts, much more disposed to have
recourse to negotiation than to arms.
Meanwhile, the language held by all the other
governments of Europe is firm. united, and ener-
getic; that of Austria more than we had VEN
tured to anticipate, though not more SO than her
peculiar position requires; that of France, temper
ate and consistent with the general interests and
decision Of Europe. Upon the whole, therefore, we
are confirmed in the hope that this crisis will sim
ply recol upon it's authors, and, unless some fresh
cause of dissension should arise, it seems not i'm.
probable That the Russian government will, under
the show OF Insisting on it's claims, accept such
terms as Turkey may offer in conjunction with the
other powers of Europe. They, on their side, are
interested in not adding to the difficulties of the
question; and it is due to Lord Stratford de Red.
cffe to express our conviction that, while he has
supported Turkey against attempt to bully her,
he has been not less anxious to find some expedent
which may restore peace without too deep hu-
initiation to the honor of either party.