The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-05-05
Ct SICK MEM

"SICK MEN,"
"Turkcy Is a sick man-very sick" says
the Emperor Nicholas. We must dispose o.
him, somehow, before he dies on our hands
else we shall be ut the expense of buryine
him, aud perhaps, holding IN inquest over his
carcass"
Before the European war is over, Turkey
we apprehend will not stand alone. There
will be more sick NEIL Austria will be sick
Prussia will he sick, and We are not sure that
France and England also will not be sick
Prcmontory symptoms of serious indisposi.
ton are even now apparent. They are par
ticularly visible in the great parliamentary
debate which followed the Declaration of
War. The Earl of Derby, it is true, has seat
now on the anti. Ministerial benches-but he
uttcrs truths, nevertheless, with which party
considerations cannot be supposed to have
much TO do, when he says -
81 am apprehensive, my lords, that Her
Majesty's Government up to the lntest mo-
ment, have continued to hope against hope
that rs, up to the last moment, they have
spoken of peace when all around them BREATH
ed of war-so that, even ut the present mo.
ment, they imperfectly appreciate, or, to use
an American expression, they fail to 'realize'
the magnitude, the importance, and the prob.
able duration of that arduous struggle upon
which we arc now about to enter. fear,
too that the country has act its hopes and
expectations too high, with regard to the i'm.
mediate and direct success of the war which
we are about to enter. fear, that it under.
rates the resources-more especially for the
purposes of defensive warfare-of the great
antagonist whom we have to meet, that it
undertakes the difficulties which must be
thrown in the way of even the best combined
operations, of the most gallant armies, and
Of the most powerful fleets, from circumstan.
ces against which neither bravery nor con.
duct can secure those fleets and armies"
The Earl of Derby has found out that Sir
Charles Napier has gone with one of those
powerful fleets to the Baltic, IN one sense
only to "saw the air"-for the Car has no
fleets of merchant ships there, waiting to be
capturcd-no mighty ornaments to speak of,
waiting to give him batt'e-and to wake up
the world with some new Trafalgar, or n
Cape Vincent, or battle of the Nile. He
has ships of war, to be sure, but rs these are
neither numerous enough nor powerful
enough, to offer respectable resistance TO
tho British squadron, the Car is not going
to run any needless risks-and Of course We
need hardly expect that there will be any ma.
val engagements of consequence. There
will be an occasional skirmish, no doubt, but
the principal work Sir Charles Napier will
have on his hands, therefore, will be the bonn.
harding Of Cronstadt, Helsinfors, Revel, and
other points along the shores of the Baltic.
But suppose even these are captured-Rus-
sin is not brought to her feet. She is not
MORALLY wounded. When the fleet has done
all the damage it can do, it will be rather
hazardous enterprise to land the soldiers for
an attack on st. Petersburgh. 1t will be
still more hazardous attempt to get up there
by water. Invading Russian territory does
not pay-it never did pay, and it never will
rs long rs Russia il Russia. Charles XII
lost by it. 1t was the grave Of NIL Napoleon's
glory. II always made u good many "siek
men," Even the British Lion may not be
able to Withstand its consequences now-but
as he has made up his mind 10 face the mn-
sic, let us wait to see.
LEI The United States, whose arrival at
New Orleans on Sunday, was announced by
telegraph, brought California dates to April
list. The news is meagre. The markets
were excessively depressed. The British ship
Challenge had been seized for violation Of
the revenue laws.
Col. Watkins, of Walkers expedition had
been found guilty, but recommended to
mercy.
A due! had been fought between Mr..
Washington, one of the editors of the Times,
and Mr.. Washburn, of the Alta California;
The latter was badly wounded.
The Japan Squadron arrived at Loo Choo
in January-all hands well.
w lads! War is declared We are
TO meet bold and numerous enemy! Should
they offer us battle, you know how to dispose
of them! Should they remain in port, we
must try to get at them! Success depends
upon the quickness and precision of your fire!
Lads sharpen your cutIasses, and the day is
your owns
Such says London letter, is the address
of Sir Charles Napier to the British fleet. 1t
is short and sharp, not little affected, and
by no means equal in simplicity and terseness
to Nelson's celebrated signal at Trafalgar,
England expects every man to do his duty!"
~ 1t is whispered that the King of
Prussia, who has lately sunk into habits of
intoxication, will probably be compelled to
nbdicate. His brother, the Prince of Prussia,
is mentioned as his successor "by right di.
vine;;" but this man is as bad rs the other
only in different line. It would be q repeti.
ton of the old fable of King Log and King
Stork.
BANK OF MIDDLE TEKkEssEE.-Thisi is the
title of new Bank, just started at Lebanon,
under the provisions Of the Free Banking
LAW. Sam1 T. Motley, President, and C. w.
Jackson, Cashier. We have before us specl.
men of the notes which are gotten up with
good taste, and they are really beautiful.
~ In that department Of a newspaper at
which, from time immemoral, it has been