Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-05-13
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
SATURDAY MORNING.. MAY ID, 1854.



sent position of the Eastern war, and present
several points of interest which we will brief,
review. They differ toto eoeio from similar sur
veys of the ground by the opposition press,som
of which are predicting the most gloomy and dis
astrous Inauguration of the war. The Times
in the first place. contrasts the holiness tha
characterised the Menschikoff mission and tbs
seizure of the Principalties by Russia, with the
subsequent indeeision which has since character
ised the movements of that power. Having com
mitted an act of lawless aggression which reused
all the other States of Europe to resistance and
hostility, Russia stopped short ON the Danube,
either for want OF the means or Of the resolu-
ton to take advantage Of her superiority at that
moment. She had already done too much for
the maintenance of peace-she did too little for
success in war.
In the meanwhile Turkey has assembled a large
army, and improved her military position on the
Balkan, while the allied powers have been taking
possession Of the Black and Baltic Seas, and the
war has begun to assume ON the part Of Russia
defensive character. Can Russia now advance
upon the centre of Turkey in Europe, in the
presence of the forces collected in the strong
places OF the DHnuDe, WIFI Tut ~
hostile fleets and the certainty that an Anglo
French army will arrive in time to land upon the
flank of the Russian line of march To Russia
this is serious question. Yet more formidable
obstacles present themselves in the attitude of
the German powers. According to the Times
Nicholas has failed 10 obtain either their co
operation or their neutrality.
Austria has assembled powerful army on the
frontiers of Waaohia; she has prepared herself
TO take the field at a moments notice; and from
her command of the Upper Danube aud of the
passes of the Carpathians, she can pour with r
resistble force on the rear of the invading army.
As long as Austria keeps that position, and add
heres to the language she has used throughout
this discussion, she holds the advanced guard of
the Russian army in check even though not an
Austrian soldier crosses the frontier The posi-
ton of Russia becomes not only one of defence,
but of danger; and the entire plan of the campaign
is changed by the variety of the attacks 10 which
she may be exposed. Her lines of operation J.
gainst Turkey are obvious enough long
Europe is neutral; but with the Anglo French
fleets and armies on the left, and the possibility
of an Austrian movement Oh the right "a ad-
vance on the Balkan would be an act Of infntua-
ton; and even to hold the prnoipnlites is cause
of weakness and embarrassment, since her line
of an Austrian corps on Jassy, of an Anglo
French army operating in Bessarabia.
While Russia is thus driven 10 contract her
preensions, and to fall back ON the defensive, af
ter having threatened the Porte with her summary
vengeance, the policy of the Western powers,
whlchwas strictly defensive Mt first and is still
defensive IN principle, has gradually led them to
resolve upon more offensive operations. To re-
duce Russia 10 accept terms of peace consistent
he nfE nj bn
safety of the Turkish territories, England and
France are compelled TO attack her, and to in
filct upon her subjects in the Baltic and the
Black Sea a portion Of those evils which Rus
STA has unrelentingly inflicted on others. 1t
is, indeed, stated in Paris--we know not with
what truth-that formal offensive and defen-
sive treaty has at length been signed between
the Western powers. BE this rs it may, it is
certain that England and France cannot lay
down their arms until they have effectually pre-
vented the possibility of repetition of these
outrages. Had the King of Prussia signed the
Quadruple Convention when IL was proposed TO
him, such an engagement might have had the eff
feet of limiting operations to the objects CON
templatea by that instrument, and the secret al
hes of Russia would, Of course, have used their
influence and position TO blunt and restrain the
keenness and force of the attacks to which the
Emperor Nicholas is Justly exposed But, as
that Convention was defeated by the inrigues of
the Court of Berlin, are perfectly FREQ TO
take such view of the case our own policy
suggests, and the success of our arms may JUS.
hfy. AT present all these causes, partly militia
ry and partly political, tend TO prolong for a
while the suspense which hangs like thunder
cloud over Europe. Tomorrow the cloud may
fall and the first results of the war will clear a.
way all that is still indefinite and obscure.
These are the views of tho leading English
journal. Without calling in question the aocu-
racy its statements and differences, il is natu-
raj TO conclude that accounts received through
British sources, of the progress of the war and
the results of engagements, colored by the
interest on the one hand and the prejudice on
the other, which result inevitably from the rola-
ton which the Times bears to the parties con
cerned-an interest more apt to blind people
so stubbomly proud and peryorsely selfish as
the English, than any other. 1t is most unpro-
pitious 10 an impartial view, and correct under
standing of affairs, that we have to look at them
through British eye glasses.
The other aspect of matters, referred to in tho
caption, is contained in two letters published in
the Baltimore Times. They are written by the
special correspondents of that paper--stationed
at Constaniinople--one an American and the o.
Their Frenchman, and they concur in giving the
gloomiest accounts of the Turkish cause. A
postscript TO the letter of the American reads as
follows:
just as was closing my letter for the mil,
learned that special courier from the Danube
brings the intelligence that the Turks under
Omer Pasha had been completely routed by the
Russians in two separate engagements with a
loss of 5000 men that Matchin, with all its can
non and munitions of war. had been captured by
L