The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-01-20
KossUTn ON nE;sTATE OF AFF-
AIRS.

arge meeting lalely held at Glasgow:
No. 81 ALPHA ROAD, REGENTS PARK,
LONDON, Monday, Nov. 81, ls63.}
DEAR Sin: have the pleasure to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter Of Nov. 10, in
'iting me, on behalf of a Committee on the
Eastern Question, to attend meeting at
Glasgow, on Wednesday next, in favor of
Turkey, in her just, gallant, and glorious re-
sistance to an insolent encroachment upon
her Independence and territorial integrity.
That cause, Sir, is highly deserving, not
only of the warmest sympathes ofevery Just,
honest and upright man, but also particularly
of the most energetic cooperation Of the
people Of Great Britain at large, and of every
exertion of its constitutional influence upon
the course Of British policy; 50 much SO, that
any neglect, any wrong direction, any irreso-
luton, or half resoution,in that regard, must
be followed by consequences mischievous to
the world, but nobody more than to Great
Britain herself.
There is naughty afectation in some
quarters Sir, which would like to place any
possible British assistance to Turkey in the
light of mere generocs favor to the Sultan;
and still that is not the case. Private individ-
uals may act from sympathy-Government
never do. lis important to rectify that af-
fectation of generosity, because it does harm
to Turkey by placing her in the unbecoming
situation of protected State! No, Sir; il
Great Britain would assist Turkey, it would
do SO, not from generosity, but from the ne
cessity of taking care of hor own future and
her own interests. 1t is England's future
which is at stake in the East, not less than
that of Turkey. The chief principle to be
decided there oy force of arms is"the sovereign
"independence of every nation to manage it's
own domestic concerns" That principle,
violated already in Poland, then in Moldo
Wallachia, and then in HuDgary-always by
Russia and her accomplices-is now intended
to be finally overthrown in the East; and that
done, no nation can further deem herself in.
dependant. Moreover, it is that balance Of
power by which European artiice has repla-
ced the rule of right and of law which is at
stake in the East. Russia, successful in her
encroachment upon Turkish independence,
either by direct conquest or by hypocritical
treaty-more deleterious than even direct
conquest could be-and the despotic Car Of
oppressed Russia will be the master of the
world, at least Of Europe and of Asia.
America may yet for u while resist, until her
turn shall come; but, you certainly cannot,
being, as you are, vulnerable both in Europe
and in Asia. The position of q first-rate
power is not an absolute but a relative one.
A tirst-rate power is that which is second
to none. Permit Russia to take hold of di-
rect or indirect dominion over Turkey, and
,uin nj hat al ,oh
nance over and above every European power,
that in comparison to her you needs will
! have lost your position OF a trst-rate power,
ard must become dependent on the good
pleasure of the omnipotent Gar, at least in
some OF those political, social, and CONNER
cial relations, upon the compound of which
your position OF first-ra;e power is based.
Britons, do you like to lose that position,
| If not, do mind in time the Oriental question;
your own future 10 thore trembling in the
scales, and your own battle is fought on the
battletields of Turkey.
! Iwoud like, Sir, to take up, point by point,
the consideration of each of your material in
terests, and feel confident of fully establishing
that assertion. But neither time nor occa.
sion permits; and, therefore, speaking to
intelligent Britons, will only say that each
of your material interests, from your political
standing in the great family of nations, across
your Indian concerns where-and let that
word well be minded while there is yet time
to mind it, all the millions of your Mahom-
medan subjects recognise the Sultan of Con.
stantinople their religious chief-down to the
very price Of your daily bread,i involved in f,
the struggle between Turkey and her ene-.
mics.
| Mind, while it Is yet time to mind it, was
my word; &,in fuct,as no living man on earth
can feel more deeply interested in the success
of Turkey than myself do--as we'll by ma.
tiOnul concerns as by personal grati,ude--I
have great pleasure in seeing that there is a
general disposition in public opinion here to
mind that cause. But, unfortunately, l see
great hesitation about the practicle course to
be taken to that effect.
That hesitation, Sir, is caused by the con.
stant exertons of some mismanagers of pub.
lie opinion to lower the great question at
issue into the miserable proportions of per-
sonal dispute between the Car and the Sui.
tan. Thus they have, until now, succeeded
in checking public opinion to arrive at an
cUSIBy WuiSh 10 CoilillleHsuTdle 10 tDe imports
ance of the case, since it never can be reused
to full activity but by the highest motives OF
national interests.
Those mismanagers Of public opinion
speak to you constantly Of the honorable en-
deavors of your Government for maintaining
the blessings of European peace. Why, Sir,
the time mas come for Pronouncing itin the
most emphatic manner, that it is bitter.
sarcasm and hypocrisy to designate the mis-
rule ofvolence with the name of "order,'"
g. to style the suppression of nations "peace"
II such condition be the aim, Sir, for which
the influential exertions Of Great Britain are
to be used, then let Great Britain at least
conserve the merit of frankness, if it has re-
solved upon forleitng its reputation for liber~
aIty.
Those mismanagers of public opinion 60
further, S r; they consider the presence of