Washington sentinel., 1854-04-12
THE WAR IN THE EAST.

THE WAR IN THE EAST.
Up to the present moment there can be no
question that the entire public sentiment Of the
United States is in favor of the Sultan of'Tur.
key, in his present contest with the Emperor of
Russia. Many causes have conspired to for
bid that similarity Of religious belief should
form at once the motive and the basis Of mill
tary and political alliances. Every intelligent
reader of history must know that the time for
religious wars. has passed away. Yea, every
intelligent man must know that for decades
and centuries, reaching back to the time of Gus
tayus Adolphus, the national friendships and
national hostilities have been fixed BY politi-
cal considerations--by motives of selfdefence,
or purposes Of forcible aggrandizement For
many years past religious sentiment has been
evoked in vain to stir up national animosties
and to give and to direct, and, at the same time,
to impart virulence and poison to national con-
ficts.
The time Of religious wars has passed away,
and we trust has passed away forever. No
contests are so fendish and relentless; none
present such shocking instances of cruelty,
depravity, malignity and blasphemous infdel.
ity. An outraged world, as if from common
feeling of adherence and disgust, changed the
theatre of national contest and conflict from
the arena Of religious controversy to that of
political hostility. Since then, Catholics and
,fc 81 ~ Il.
Protestants and Catholics united against Pro-
testants. The increased value Of personal pro-
perty and the growing Importance of CONNER
cial exchanges have accomplished more than
the sword could accomplish. The almighty
dollar" has effected wonderful changes; and
henceforth we can only anticipate the action of
nations by studying their pecuniary interests.
Now we see that tho whote of Christendom-
we mean of enlightened Christendom-sym
thizes most earnestly with the Turk, in his pend
ing contest with prince who pretends to wage
war in the name of Christianity. Down to the
time Of Charles ", and Francis l., such state
of things would have been looked upon with
astonishment, because it would have been con-
sidered to be impossible. But we see the
phenomenon plain and distinct before our eyes,
Seeing it, we do not start as if an unnatural
spectacle had appeared to us; on the con-
trary, we look upon it calmly, as upon an OBJ.
ject we had expected to meet in our daily
walks.
Down to the present moment the sympathies
of America have been strongly in favor of the
Turks, and for the cause in which they are
engaged. But our minister to Constantine.
pie committed most terrible blunder in
his presentation speech. If he acted under
instructions, then the responsibility must rest
on other shoulders than his; if he acted in
obedience to his own impulses, then his own
impulses carried him very far from the true
line. Without any adequate motive, he made
statements which hew not required to make
statements which might epbarrass American
calculated to hazard the position Of neutrality
which the United States occupies at the pre-
sent time, and which the United States ought
to continue to occupy towards the powers en-
gagged, or which may be hereafter engaged, in
the eastern struggle.
We have already said that the sympathies Of
the American people are strongly enlisted in
behalf Of the Turks. The Ottoman is without
doubt struggling to support a just cause, for he
is fighting in selfdefence. But England and
France care nothing for Turkey. They would
devour it if they could, as Caesar Borgia wished
to devour Italy-lke an artichoke, leaf by leaf.
Those governments have united in giving aid
to Turkey in order to protect their own inter
ests, and to carry out their own views. Whilst
the alliance confines itself to its proper and
legitimate objects, all will be well; but there
is o possibility that they may become presump-
tuous on the strength which the sympathy for
the Turks gives to them. 1t is not, therefore,
impossible that there may be great revulsion
in pRblic sentiment in this country. The real
interests Of the United States do not de-
mand that Russia should be overthrown and
if England and France insist upon doing more
than to maintain the integrity Of the Ottoman
empire by checking the aggressive policy of
Russia, a nesc question riH be presented for the
consideration Of the american people. The
Turks ought to be sustained, because they are
right, and are fighting in the holy cause OF
selEprotection. 1t is right that the English
and French should aid the Turk, because the
fall Of the Ottoman empire would be most fatal
to them. But the alliance must cease when it
has accomplished its rightful objects IF the
alliance shoes an aggressive purpose, or dis.
position to ertend its operations, then the United
States may be forced to make and Sustain an
other declaration as to the western hemisphere,
or TO change her attitude with regard to the
eastern continent.
THE HARDsHIPs OF FRONTIER SER
VICE AND OF EXPLORATIONS.
The bordoh.po dapparo ar1 ,r;ro4.o,.