The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-25
THE PEACE PROPOSALS OF RUSSIA.

The announcement which we made few DAYS
ago, that the Court Of St. Petersburg processes its
readiness to accept the four points Of the 9Th Of
August as the basis Of negotiations for peace il
now confirmed in more positive manner and no
doubt remains that an official communication to
this effect has been made by the Russian govern
ment to the German Powers. The effect Of this
intjmaton on the two Cabinets of Berlin and Vienna
ia Characteristic of the policy and position each Of
thcse Courts has assumed. No sooner had this
faint and imperfect overture become known at
Berlin than the official organ Of the Prus-
sian government was made to declare that
gotations had arrived that all the s,hemes which
have taken their origin in this war for the
regeneration Of Europe are to be regarded as vi
siops of cOnspirators and fanatics, wholly unsuted
to the preaent condition Of the world that the
Western powers cannot expect to bring about
state Of things In which the will of Russia il to be
Of no account, to dissolve q mighty empire ex-
tenoing over two quarters OF the globe and to dis
perse great nation united by the ties OF religion;
that the object Of the military operations under
taken blythe belligerent States was to extort the
assent OF Russia to these propositions; and that,
as this consent has now been freely and unreser-
vedly given, it is impossible to euppose that the
Western Powers will turn aside from such an offer.
Such is the language Of the Prussisn Government,
ever eager to give currency 70 every fraud Which
the astfces or sudacity Of Russia Inay attempt 20
Iass of on Europe and to exhibit lis own shallow
wilful credulity 10 the world
The language of Austria in her note OF the 9th
~ November shortly before the alleged acceptance
OF the terms by Russia was made known, is wholly
dissimilar. In the negotiations viii d had been
carried on between the German Slater, Prussia had
urge Austria to desist from all plans OF hostility
and from her proposed alliance with the Western
Powers Russia nted to negotiate ON The basis
of the -four points, To this request Austria replied
tbst her duties to her own empire and her position
10 Europe did not allow her to promise that in the
event Of Russia declaring her readiness to negotiate
on the four points no further demands should in
any case be made upon her. On the contrary,
che added that guarantees generally Acknowledged
TO be such, and genuine conclusion Of peace, can
alone satisfy the policy of Austria; and that she
cannot recognise rs imposing any obligation on her
future resolutions mere offer Of peace made on
one a6e land rejected on the other. Such we're
the dec'ai atoms by which the Cabinet of venna
Cured. ar il has sho~n disposition to place any
particular relHnce on this Russian overture unless
IL be accompanied BY guar anfees which It docs not
APPEAR in any way to p1esent
II ia scarcely necessary to remark that both Of
the Western Powers VINO stated la the notes Ut the
9Th August the conditions which they regarded %
indispensable pyeIiminaries TO any negotiation for
peace reserved their entire liberty oil action with
reference 10 all the circumstance which might
ice out Of tne state Of war aud even Austria made
n similar n servatioD In the evrnt OF her being in
volved in actual hostilitiee. No parallel can be
drawn between the stale Of affairs in Europe on The
Ssh of August, month before the expedition to the
C'mes had sailed and the present condition Of the
Leligerent parties. who have saked their military
ard naval reputation on the success o. an enterprise
vhich is the essential condition of thai security
tich they would give the EaSt against tue agRres
sons OF Russia. The more we know OF the strength
Of .seteetapol oe che vsst foriidcatiens thst eur
q nod il like ar intrerchsd camp, ofthe depth and
eecv,ty a its hafbos, add Of Che Enormous accumu