The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-20

From the London TINES Inn. }


Menscnikon at Consta q tinople, and an abrjdgmept
OF me notes and draught conventions which have
REQ 70 'ne interruption of diplomatic relations be-
tNeeh tue russian Envoy and the Porte. This
a1'einen'' puolshed by the most important polii
cal Journal Of France is SO entirely conceived in
tue russian interest that must be permitted to
uouoe whether the materials of which it ia CON.
posed were all derived from Constantinople. The
pinclpai documents quoted or described in it are,
ho"eVer, authentic and correct, for they corre-
spond With the version OF the same papers forward
60 10 ourselves; and il is for this especially
that we lay them at once before our readers since
they throw more light than any thing that has yet
Oeen made public on this transaction.
lt Will be recolected that on the 9Th Nav Prince
MenschlkoH obtained from the Porte the two fir
mans which satisfied his demands with reference
10 tne holy Places. But no sooner that affair
brought to a satisfactory conclusion than the Rus
sian Envoy proceeded, in a note of the same date,
TO lay great stress third demand which had
hitherto been left in the background. This de
mand was for convention to guarantee the pri
ylleges Of the Greek church in the Ottoman EN-
pire; II was then represented as the most important
ooJect OF the mission; and an answer required
within hve days, "nasmuch the ambassador
could only consider longer delay as a want of
respect TO his government, which would impose on
MN the most painful necessities" Such was the
conclusion OF the note. The convention annexed
10 1t consisted OF six articles, the first of which is
the cause of ali that has since occurred 1t pro-
vlded "that no change whatsoever should be in.
winch have been enjoyed and are now possessed
40 antique by the churches. the religious institu
lions, and the orthodox clergy of the Eastern
church, IN the whole extent of the domnions of the
ottoman Porte, whichis pleased to secure to them
all such rights privileges, and immunities on the
strlct basis OF the status quo snow existing" Such
ls the tenor if not the exact text of this celebrated
proposition, which comprises the essential portion
OF the Russian demand. The other articles of the
convention stipulated that the Greek church should
constantly be placed the footing of the most ia
vored Christian nation, and should participate in
all favors and privileges granted to other churches
that at jerusalem the relation of Greeks and Latins
should remain unchanged; that the two last frmans
granted to Russia on the Holy Places should be
confirmed by the Sultan, and placed under the
sanction of thi, treaty; and that leave should be
granted to erect Greek church and hospital at
Jerusalem, TO be served by Russian priests These
propositions were acceded 10 by the Porte with
the exception of the first. The rejection of that
article was the express ground of Prince Menschi-
koff s departure.
1t will De seen that, as we have more than once
observed, the Russian demand did not include any
change in the nomination of the Patriarch, nor any
overt authority over the clergy, nor any interie.
renee with the temporal allegiance Of the Greek
population to the Porte. On all these points here
has been good deal of exaggcration, which, of
course, places the against Russia on a false
and insecure foundation. The phraseology of the
Objectionable article is, in fact so mild and guard
60, mat without the experience we have of the
vi prosecuting the East, It's eueCts
would not be at once apparent. Turkey is call
ed upon to promise that change is to take place
adverse to the rights, privileges, and immunities
OF the Greek church in her domnious. She would
PROBABLY not hesitate to give that assurance to the
whole world; and the policy which can alone pro-
long her existence as a government is to extend
those rights, and to raise her Christian population
10 De the servants and the supporters of the empire
But when that promise is demanded by Russia
alone, when it is accompanied by threats and
converted from free gift of liberation into Dip
lomauc contract, the Turkish ministers recoil from
the snare. However mild in form, Russia knows
that TINS article II conceded, would suffice for her
purpose; and the argument derived from the SEEM
ing innocence of the proposal is lost in the vehe
nence and the threats by which il was supported.
II II were true that such a concession were too
slight matter for Turkey resolutely to refuse it
would also be true that such dema nd is u absurd
and untenable ground OF a diplomatic rupture
which has brought two empires to the brink of
hostlliies. We differ, therefore, from the infer
ence which the Journal dss Debats draws from
these papers, when il argues that the difference ia
too slight to lead to serious consequences
But the French journal makes further allega-
ton, which materially affects the case, and would
even throw doubt on the consistency of the Brit
len government. An attempt ia made to show that
this proposal was originally put forward on the
22d Of March, including the draught of a treaty,
and that Its existence must, therefore, have been
known to Lord Clarendon when he stated in the
House OF Lords on the 18th of April, that the Brit
assurances that had been given to all Europe and
especially to ministers upon the word of honor
OF the Emperor Nicholas. This part of the case
requires some further explanation, and it will be
found not to support the inuendo which the Jorrna!
dss Debats rests upon it. Itis true that earlier
period OF his mission, Prince MenschikofT did nut
forward scheme OF a convention; and that one of
ms nrst acts was TO endeayor to prevent the Porte
by lhlmldatlon, from communicating the pending
negotiations to the ministers of France and Eng
land. In this, however, he failed; and on the ar.
rival OF Lord Stratford and NJ. De la Cour, they
found that something had been said of such a con
Venuon, which extended even further than that
subsequently proposed on the 9Th of Nav and in
cluded, we believe, the nomination or inyestiture
OF the Patriarch of Constantinople. But no sooner
WAS this fact known to the British ambassador than
ne demonstrated against such a project as incon
sstent with the promises given at ST. Petersburgh
and with the independence OF Turkey. The con-
sequence was that Prince MenschikoH tDitkdrep,
ms first demand and led his diplomatic colleagues
70 believe tnat ne had abandoned it, as, in fact,
be had IN that form; and it must have been
under the impression that such a project had
never been seriously entertained, and was at
once abandoned on their remonstrances that
the ltIsh government repeated its declara-
ton OF confidence in the assurance of Rus
sla, Taking into account the time which elapsed
between the withdrawal of the first convention
proposed on the 23d of March, and the arrival of
the courier VINO reached Constantinople on the 4th
OF May there is strong ground to conjecture that
Interior structions after his first check and re-
celyed them at the later date in the form of the
last convention The note which accompanied it
expressly declared that ''t had undergone GLtera-
lions, IN compliance with the objections urged by
Rilaat Pasha - and added that the new dTaupht
was annexed in the hope tEat ''the expectations of
the Emperor would not this time be deceived" III
these alterations bad been those of Msnschikoff
himself, he would not have required nearly elk
weeks to revise his proposition; but the DELAY con-
slderaoly augments the presumption that refer
ence was made to St. Petersburgh. While there
lore, the foreign ambassadors were lulled by the
oellei that the demand which bad been made and
Withdrawn was definitely abandoned, the Russian
Envoy was only preparing to return to the charge
IL Is entirely erroneous to assert or to ipsinuate
mat the scheme, If known to the British govern
nent or ambassador, excited any thing but it's
strong reDrobalon; and the fact that the first
scheme was modified and abandoned NAV have
been regarded additional proof at tbat
Tune, OF the sincerity OF the Russian government
we connne ourselves, On the present OCCASION
to statement of these communica tons as we be,
heye them to have been made, and we shall only
remark that the delay which took place between
the first and second Russian propositions seems to
exclude the possibility of Prince Menschikoff's
having acted without full instructions and autho.
rly the 5th of May, and it also renders it more
improbable that the Emperor Nicholas will desist
from professions which he thought fit to advance
IN such form and after full deberaton.
The Wool MARKEr.-We were out among the
farmers last Friday and Saturday. We went on
the new and direct railroad, "a substantial and