Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-04-21
EmgIand's Declaration of Wnr.
[From the Supplement to the London Gazette, March
A ID

the failure of her anxious and protracted pnJnces
to preserve for her people and for Europe the bol
ings of peace.
The unproyoked aggression of the Emperor ofp.
STA against the Sublime Port has been persisted s
with such disregard of consequences that afr. IN
rejection by the Emperor of Russia of terms ,rL:Te
the Emperor of Austria the Emperor of the Fran"hn
and the King of Prussia as well as her Majesty l'
sdered just and equitable her Majesty is comno5
by of what is due to the honor of her Co
the interest of her people, and to the ndependenn
of the States of Europe, to come forward in defsoe
of ally whose territory is invaded, and whose a.;
nifty and independence assaulted.
Her Majesty, in justification of the course she
about to pursue, refers to the transactions in yb
her Majesty has been engaged.
The Emperor of Russia had some cause of com
plant against the Sultan with reference 10 the sptt
ment, which his highness had sanctioned of the con
tctlng claims of the Greek and Latin churches ~
portion of the loly places of Jerusalem and is na0b
borhood. 10 the complaint of the Emperor of Rpss;
on this head justice was done, and her Maestv'sam'
passador at Constantlnople had the satisfaction Of
promoting an arrangement to which no excention
was taken by the Russian government
But, while the Russian government repeatedly as.
suled the government of her Majesty that the mission
OF Prince Menschikof to Constantinople was eyclu
slvey directed TO the settlement of the question Of
the holy places al jerusalem Prince Menschik off him
self pressed upon the Porte other demands of q e..
more serious and important character the natura of
sibe, to conceal from her Maiesty's ambassador
And these demands thus sudiously concealed Affected
not the privileges of the Greek Church at Jerusalem
but the position of many millions of Turkish subjects
in their relations 10 their sovereign the Sultan
These demands were rejected by the spontaneous
decision of the Sublime Porte.
Two assurances had been given TO her Maiestv
one that the mission of Prince Menschikoff only re-
garded the holy places; the other, that his mission
would be of a concatOry character.
In both respects her Majesty's Just expectations
were disappointed.
Demands were made which, in the opinion of the
Sultan extended 10 the substitution Of the Emperor
OF kussia's authority for his own over large portion
of his subjects, and those demands were enforced bv
threat; and when her Majesty learnt that, on an.
nouncng the termination of his mission, Prince Men.
schlkof declared that the refusal of his demands would
impose upon the imperial government the necessity
OF seeking guarantee by its power, her Majesty
thought proper that her fleet should leave Malta and
in cooperation with that OF his Majesty the Emperor
of the French take up lis station in the neghborhood
of the Dardanelles.
So long as the negotiation bore an amicable char
acter, her Majesty refrned from any demonstration
or force. But when, in addition to the assemblage
of large military forces the frontier of Turkey
the ambassador of Russia ntmated that serious con.
sequences would ensue from the refusal of the Sui
tan 10 comply with unwarrantable demands, her Ma
jesty deemed it right in conjunction with the Empe-
OF her determination to support the sovereign rights
of the Sultan
The Russian government has maintained that the
determination of the Emperor 10 occupy the prnc
paltles was taken IN consequence of the advance OF
the fleets OF England and France. But the menace
of invasion of the Turkish territory conveyed in
Count Nesserode's note to Redschid Pacha, of the
18th (31sD of May, and resated in his despatch to
Baron Brunow of the Goth of May, (lst of June)
which announced the determination of the Emperor
ties, if the Porte did not within week comply with
the demands of Russia.
The despatch to her MaJeSty's ambassador at Con-
stantnople authorizing him, in a certain specified
contingency, TO send for the British fleet, dated
the list Of May, and the order sent direct from Eng
land to her Maestys admiral to proceed 10 the neigh
borhood OF the Dardaneles dated the ID of June
The determination to occupy the principaties was,
therefore, taken before the orders for the advance OF
The combined squadrons were given.
The Sultan's minister was informed that unless
he signed within week, and without the change of
word, the note proposed to the Porte by Prince
Menschikoff on the eve of his departure from Con-
stantnople the principalities of MoIdava and Wal
lachia would be occupied by Russian troops. The
Sultan could not accede to so insulting demand
but when the actual occupation of the prncipalitieS
took place, the Sultan did not, he might have done
in the exercise of his undoubted right, declare war
but addressed protest to his allies.
| Her Majesty, in con- junction with the sovereign8
of Austria, France, and Prussia, has made various
| attempts to meet any Just demands of the Emperor
of Russia without affecting the dignity and ndepen
dence OF the Sultan and had it been the sole object
of Russia TO obtain security for the enjoyment by
the Christian bjecs of the Porte of their privileges
and immunlties, she would have found it in the offers
that have been made by the Sultan. But, as that
security was not offered in the shape of special and
separate stipulation with Russia, it was rejected
Twice has this offer been made by the Sultan, and
recommended by The four powers once by note
originally prepared at Fienna, and subsequently
modified by the Porte once by the proposal of bases
OF negotiation agreed upon at ConstantnOple the
3lst of December, and approved at Vienna on the
18th OF January, as offering 10 the two parties the
means of arriving at an understanding in a becoming
and honorable manner.
1t is thus manifest that right for Russia to inter
fere the ordinary relations of Turkish subjects
their sovereign and not the happiness of Christian
communities in Turkey. was the subject sought for
| by the Russian government. Io such demand The
Sultan would not submit; and his hghness, in self
defence, declared war upon Russia, but her Majesty
nevertheless in con- JUNCTION with her allies, has n5
ceased her endeavors to restore peace between the
contending parties.
The time has, however, now arrived when the
advice and circumstances of the four powers having
proved wholly Intellectual, and the military prepare
tons of Russia becoming daily more extended, it Is
but too obvious that the Emperor of Russia has en-
tered upon course of policy which, if unchecked
must lead to the destruction of the Ottoman empire
In this conjuncture her Majesty feels called upon
by regard for ally the integrity and independence
of whose empire have been recognised essential to
the peace of Europe, by the sympahies OF her people
with right against wrong, by desire TO avert from
her dominions most injurious consequences, and 10
save Europe from the preponderance of power
which has violated the faith of treaties and dehes
the opinion of the civilized world 10 take up arms
in connection with the Emperor of the French, iH
the defence of the Sultan.
Her Majesty is persuaded that in so acting she