Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-25
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 90, 1854.
THE WAR AND THE EASTERN QUESTION.


XII 4ssi -- ttst ts @
We of America, separated by nearly two thou
sand leagues of ocean from the theatre of the war;
having no direct and interests dependant upon
its issues, no national propre at stake,
love of glory to be gratfed by its victories, have
some advantage of position other nations for the
formation Of sound opinions with regard to the
Hict in which the leading Powers Of Europe are
now engaged. It may be safely assumed that no
intelligent observer, whose mind is not biased by
natonal prejudice, can have failed to conclude that
ssstosll tho belljgerRts Isnk l1 prosept
MI i19f 3coi 5ot {6 1ilpfemacy, TOR Aommar
sl ana naval prspondsfahcc, 81 that Old bone Of
contention and fruitful source Of European war the
-fs balance Of power in other worus, national ag
grandizement, irrespective of the rights of others
and of the general interests Of humanity, whi in
infinitely varied FORMS have been the burden q
tory since history has been written recori and
which will continue to be SO, there reason fear
till history shall its function. For aught that
now appears and it is with deep pain as Americans
that we giveutterance to the apprehension
in civilization, the ameliorated condition Of the
masses, improved social Institutions assured civil
rights, and large political liberty destined rather
to operate change in its mode Of manifestation
than to extinguish the principle apparently nsepa-
rable from our nature, impclling nations to war
Popular passions and so-called national interests
take the place Of prncely passions and dynastic in
terests, and the scourge of war is inflicted upon
poor humanity with as little scruple now as when
unmitigated feudal oppression weighed upon Eu-
rope, or, at remoter epochs, when heathensh dark
ness brooded over the world. This instinct of ex-
pansion indicates, we think, one Of the most promi
nent dangers threatening our own Republic; and
the Democratic element among US is showing itself
as eager as Kings have done for war as its agent.
Having said thus much by way of establishing
the impartality Of our judgment, we may proceed
with more bodness to expose what seem to US the
real motives Of the parties to the present war; and
express incidentally some of our views relative to
the Eastern question in general.
We hold that France no more than England,
nor England more than France, nor Russia more
than either in position to invoke the sympathy
of the world, spectators Of the contest and challenge
admiration as being engaged in the magnanimous
and unsefsh support Of the essentially just cause.
Turkey alone Of all the begerents exctes interest
by the intrinsic merits Of her case She personifes
right struggling against might She draws largely
upon our sympathies by her position as weak ma
tion fighting for national existence as the weaker
party insulted and wronged by a powerful neigh
Dor, who is pursuing her to her ruin. She com
mands, too, to certain extent, our respect by the
actual strength and energy displayed in her de-
fence. We had thought that the day for the dis
play Of such vitality as she has recently exhibited
was long since past for Turkey. But we were
reading later than yesterday of serpent, whose
head had been actually severed from the body,
placing itself COIL and ercely striking its bloody
neck in the face of man who rudely trod upon its
tail. Perhaps it is such vitality that we now
witnessing in Turkey. The man thus struck was
represented as fainting and falling beneath the
harmless blow. The Imagination Of the Gar, we
believe, will be found to be less impressible.
Russia has stronger nerves. But, some may be
disposed to ask, what is there, apart from the con-
siderations just alluded to, that should enlist dis
Interested observers in the Turkish cause, and in
duce men who take only cosmopolite views of the
Eastern question, studying solely its bearings upon
humanitary interests and the concerns of the world
at large, to form wishes for the final and complete
triumph of the Turkish arms ? Turkey, they alege,
is Mussulman and Ottoman that is to say, she is
ignorantly bgocdly, fanatically, nvinebly opposed
to the propagation of the Christian religion, to the
introduction Of Western civilization, so magnificent
In its results already obtained SO brilliant in its
promise. We know, indeed, how difficult of access
Turkey is to modern reforms and we fear that up to
this time Mohammedanism counts more converts
from Christianity than Christianity from Moham-
mechanism yet we hesitate to range ourselves with
those who say that the Turkish Empire in Europe
has lost its vital principle and must speedily dis
solve; who rejoice in anticipation Of this result,
and would even precptate it, thinking it better for
the worlds interests that the Mussulmans be dis
possessed and their admirable territory occupied
by any Power, whether English, French, German
OF, Russian, that would make it the seat of the
Christian religion and of modern civilization. We
are no theologians we do not profess to be pro-
phets or the sons Of prophets we will not, there
fore, adopt this bold solution. But who knows,
after all whether Providence does not mean to bring
about the promised unity Of all nations in the re
aion Of the Cross By he ertinction Of some well
a by the conversion Of others? See what is taking
place before our eyes upon our own continent Of