Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-04
CIRCULAR OF THE FRENCH MINISTER.

The Paris Moniteur publishes the following Cir
cular, addressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
to the different French Legations:
j PARIS, DECEMBER go 1853.
SIR The affairs Of the East assume turn too
for not at the when circumstances mnose
fresh duties on the Government of his Imperial Majesty
to remind you of the efforts which have never
to make in order to prevent the complications with which
Europe is so seriously threatened.
The question Of the Holy Places either badly presented
or wrongly understood had excited the alarms of the
Cabinet Of ST. Petersburgh endeavored to quiet that
uneasness by complete explanations given in good faith
1t had appeared tOus that while reservng the rights Of
the Porte discussion of this kind would better have
taken place at distance from the where began
Our opinion was not shared in by Russia and Prince
Menschiko received orders proceed to Constantnope
shall conne myself to remarkng that if we had enter
tanned the exclusive views which were attributed to us
that the vindicatop Of old and nconestabe pryi-
leges had not been supported with SO much moderation
the mission of that ambassador extraordinary would have
been Immediately the object of conflict which we have
known how to avoid The affair Of the sanctuaries of
Jerusalem having BEEN according to the testimony of
Count de Nesserode himself settled in satisfactory man
ner another difficulty Prince Menschiko claimed
guarantees for the maintenance of the privileges Of the
Greek church The Cabinet of St. Petersburgh did not
establish by any particular fact that these privileges had
been violated and the Porte the contrary soemny
confirmed the Gifts christian subjects
/ Animated with desire to put end to difference
which, If 1t on the hand concerned the sovereign
rights Of the Sultan the other affected the conscience
OF the Emperor Nicholas the Government of his Impe-
rial Majesty in concert with that Of her Britannia Ma
esty carefully sought for the means of reconcnp the
interests ct delicate and complicated which were
engaged in it. The Cabinet of St. Petersburrh cannot
have forgotten the zeal and the good faith with which
endeavored to fulfil this difficult task, can it deny
that the resistance of the Porte to accede to frat plan
OF arrangement emanating from the conference Of yen
ma has not given the sole of want Of
In the course Of these different negotiations grave facts
occurred Russian army crossed the Pruh and inya-
ded in full peace two provinces Of the Ottoman Empire
The squadrons of France and England made to ap-
proach the Dardanees and at that time if the Govern
ment Of his Imperial Maesty had desired it. its naval
forces would have anchored the waters Of CONSTANT
nope However, if it thought it necessary to establish
its right it was only it make it's moderation
more striking The nature of the relations between Rus
STA and the Sublime Porte Ind become such that it was
necessary Tor the state OF war to succeed the state Of
or to speak more correctly it necessary that
things should take their vertabe name and that the ag
gresson of which the Turkish territory was the object
should produce its consequences. This change in the
situation necessitated movement Of our feet and
on the demand OF the Sultan the French flag appeared in
the Bosphorus at the time the British flag How
ever, Monsieur - we had not abandoned the hone of
an arrangement and in accord with Austria and Prussia
as we previously were with England we continued to
pursuea pacific object New propositions for the sue
cess OF which we shall not to employ Efforts
have been addressed to the Porte by
Of the four Powers.
No treaty concluded with Russia interdiced the nav
CATION Of the Black Sea to vessels of war The treaty
OF the 18th july lS4l by closing in time Of peace the
of the Dardanees and the Bosphorus
to the Sultan the faculty Of opening them time of war
and from the day which his Hghness left us free &C.
cess to the Straits that of the Euxne was legally acouir
ed to u.s. The same motives which had detained us so
long in the Bay of Beska detained our SQUADRON in the
roadstead Of Beikos The Government Of his Imperial
Majesty had at heart to testify the end the sentiments
OF friendship which it processes for Russia and to reject
in the eyes Of the world the responsibility of an
ton Of the state of things which all crcumspecton
aenagements) had not succeeded in modifying It took
pleasure in believing BESIDES from recent dispatches Of
General de Castelbaac that the Cabinet of St. Peters
burgh satisfied with taking of possession which it con-
sdered as pledge, would not any where take the Often
sve in conflict which has commenced so unfortunately
for Turkey appeared to sufficient that the presence
ofour flag in the waters of Constantnope should attest
our firm intention to protect this capital from sudden
danger and We did wish that its premature appear
ance in spot nearer to the Russian territory should run
the risk ofpassing for provocation.
The state Of rendered doubt collision posi-
BILE on sea as well land between the begerent par
ties; but we were warranted in believing that
serve would be initiated by Russia and that her admiras
would avoid with the ours the occasions Of
rencontre by absainng from proceeding to measures
Of aggression within limits in which, if we could have
supposed the Cabinet of ST. Peersburg to be animated
with different Intentions feet would certainly have
exercised more active surveillance
The affair of Sinope, Monsieur -, took place con-
rary to all provisions, and this deplorabe fact also
modifes the attitude which should have desired to
maintain.
The accord which has recently been effected at Vienna
between France Austria, England and Prussia has
CnaTacter OF the ulnerence which
exists between Russia and the Porte The four courts
have solemny recognised that the territorial integrity
the Ottoman empire is of the conditions of their DO
litical equilibrium The occupation of Moldavia and wal
lachia constitutes fresh attack that integrity and
is not doubtful but that the chances of war NAV lead to
others. |
Count de Nesselrode months since the
invasion OF the Danubian princpaltes q necessary
compensation for what he then called our maritime occa
ton. In our turn, Monsieur - we think that it has
become indispensable ourselves to measure the extent
of the compensation to which have right both from
our title of Power interested in the existence of Turkey
and from the military positions already taken by the
russian army 1t is necessary that we should have |
pledge which will secure to the re-estabishment Of
peace in the East conditions which shall not change
the distribution Of the respective strength of the great
States of Europe.
The Government of his Imperial Majesty and that Of
her Britannia Majesty have in decided that
their squadrons shall enter into the Black Sea- and COM
bne their movements in such way as to prevent the
Ottoman territory the Ottoman flag from being the OBJ
ect of any fresh attack the part of the naval forces
Russia. |
Vice Admirals Hamen and Dundas will receive orders
10 communicate to whom it may the object of
their missions and take pleasure in hoping that this
straightforward proceeding will prevent conflicts which
we should see with the greatest regret The
OF the Emperor repeat has only object that of
trbuting to effect on honorable conditions reconca-
ton rapprocheen between the belgerent parties
and II circumstances should obge it provide for
doubaole eyentuaes it retains the confidence that the
CABINET OF St. Petersburgh which has given such
merous examples Of its prudence will expose Europe
scarcely yet recovered from the shocks
to trials from which the lofty of soveregns has
bee nh IN nrpse Hnr.