The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-08-01
WHAT RUSSIA IS TfGHTING FOR

WHAT RUSSIA Is FIGHTING FOR.
The organs Of the allied Powers have man.
aged to befog half the world about the real
cause Of the present difficulties between Rus
IA and Turkey. They have assigned that
canse 10 IN unmixed desire for Territorial az
grandizement on the part of the Gar, with
which religion had nothing whatever to do,
except as pretence to cloak his ambitious
designs. 1t is difficult, if not impossible, to
get 1t the truth of the origin Of the Eastern
question from IN European source. We have
therefore perused with much interest an
elaborate historical sketch of the controver-
sy. from the psnof Bishop Soathgate, a high.
II intelligent American missionary, who pass
Cd fourteen years in the East who has had
every opportunity of observing and ascer-
tanning, from the most reliable sources, the
actual facts Of this complicated question, and
Who has no motive to give any other than
fair and unprejudiced statement of the con.
trovsrsy.
We shall endeavor. if possible, to give our
readers, in another number. condensed
view Of the facts and positions OF this very
observing and intelligent American, and
which prove. in our view, in a most satisfac-
tory and unanswerable manner, that the true
question at issue between Russia and Turkey
and which has led to the present wal, is pure
" . Christian question; that it is really
question between the Oriental and the Latin
Churches; that. in the language of Bishop
Sorfbno$o 20 fd;uocfod of ali collateral
sues) simply question whether Greek Chris
tianity shall have the same kind and degree
of foreign protection that is accorded to the
comparatively small number of those who,
remaining as before, subjects of the Sultan,
have seeded; or are the descendants of those
who have seeded from the Oriental Church
to the Latin Communion. 1.-THE demand is
simply that the Greek Church be placed up
on the same footing with the Latin Church.
France is the acknowledged Protector of the
latter. Russia demands q similar guarantee
for the former. Nay, though nearer to the
Greek Church, than France can pretend to
be to the Latin, her demand is less than that
which has been accorded to France. She
does not ask to be recognized as Protector
of the Greek Church, which France is &C
knowledged to be to the Latin This is
title that covers right to interfere, in any
manner or degree, and on any subject that
may have bearing, however remote, upon
the real or pretended welfare of the Roman
Communion. She asks only that the ancient
and Acknowledged rights Of the Greek Church
be secured by written guarantee. She does
not ask that this writing be in the highest
form of diplomatic contract, as has been
granted to France; but is willing that it be
of the lowest and least formal kind that is
known in international negotiation. She asks
the very least that can be supposed sufficient
to secure the Greek Church against the en-
croachments Of its great enemy" "My eve
ry feeling of truth and equity, convinces me
that the claim of Russia is just and mode.
rate, and that it ought to be sustained. The
Four Powers have virtually acknowledged
Is much in their Vienna note, which accord
cd to Russia substantially what she had de-
sired. They have acknowledged the recti-
ttide of her cause, in the note which they re-
commended to the Porte to adopt. and with
which Russia declared herself satisfied, as
answering sufficiently her demands