Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-04-08
LORD }. RUSSELL TO SIR O. II. SEYMOUR.
(Seere. aud Copfdentiall

FOREIGN oTTIcE, Feb. O. ls5s
.a. "a nave received and laid before the Queen your
ana eonhdentiA despatch of the 22d Of January
her majesty, upon this as upon former occason, Z.
apPy 10 acknowledge the moderation the fapknesa ana
'nS friendly disposition Of his Imperial Majesty.
If mas directed me to reply in tie same spirit
OF temperate candid, and amablo dscussion. - f
The question raised by his Imperial Ns;sstv =; v.,x
serious one E suPPosing tho contingency Of the dis
OF tne turkish empire TO be probable or even i'm
minent, whether IL better To be n,ov;do5 h.o
hand Tor contingency than to incur the chsos onr
ana ne uncertainty Of European war all of which must
spd the catastrophe II it should occur une spectedly
ana before some uteor system has been sL etched this
point said his Imperisl Msjesty "to which am d;ons
'h1t you sh uld call the attention Of your Goyernmenp
IN considering this grave question the first reflect ION
i nI oecurs 70 der hejestys Government Is that no
erss has occurred which renders necessary aol
non oil the vast European problem Disputes haze s;.s
respecting the Holy Places, but these are ,hnn, ,h
o ine internal government Of Turkey and concern
RUSSIA aud France rather than the Sublime Porte som.
disturbance OF the relations between Austria and ,ha
Forte mas been caused by the Turkish attack on Monte
negro ou! this again relates rather to dangers affecting
zoe Ionuer OF Austria than the authority and safety Of
he Suiani 80 that there no sufficient ease for
ng 10 TIE sultan that be keep peace AZ home or
preserve e. @ friendly relations with bis negSbOrs.
IL occurs further to Her Majestys Government IN "a
mark that the which Il contemplated Il NOT dsGn
" fixed in point oftme. When William Ill and Loni.
~ disposed by treaty OF the succession Of Charles H.
not DO far or The iofrmes OF the sovereign OF spain
and the certain end Of any human hfe made the conn
gency in prospect both near Tho death Of the
spanish King was in way FASTENED By tho treaty Of
partition The thing may be said of the proyision
made 10 the last century, for the disposal OF Tuscany
upon the docease Of the last Prince Of the honse Of ue
but the contingency Of the dissolution Of tho Ottoman
Empire Is OF another kind Ii may happen 90 so or loo
years hence. = wv
In these circumstances IL would hardly In oocio,.,
with the friendly ceilings towards the Sultan which sbimsts
ae Emperor OF Russia no less than the Queen Of Great
Britain to dispose beforehand of the nrovucss ds "a
nomlnton Besides this consideration however Il must
be observed that agreement made In sueh s.ss TEND,
very surely TO hasten the contingency for which Ia in
tended 70 provide Austria and France could not In fair
ness DC Kept in Ignorance Of the transaction nor would
snch conceament be with the end OF prevent
ing an european war Indeed such couccament cannot be
intended by Ills Imperial Majesty IL s 10 be Inferred that
az soon as Great Britain and Russia should have agreed on
the course TO be pursued and save determined 70 enforce
" they should communicate their Intentions the great
Fo"cEs OF Europe. An agreement thus made, and thus
communicated would not be very ong secret; and while
would alarm and ALLEVIATE the Sullan the knovedRo Of
hs existence would stimulate all bis enemies TO increased
violence and more obstinate conflict They would 6eht
with the conviction that they must ultimately triumph
while the Sutans generals aud troops would feel that no
immediate could savo their cause Eom final over
throw Thus would be produced and strengthened ,h.,
very anarchy which s now feared and the rsslsht o
the friends OF the patient would prove the cause a nj,
! death. - ~
/ Her Msjestys Government need ss.rssl, s,,,,ss q,
inc dangers attendant on tie execution Of any smi
Convention. The example oG The Succession Wsr {
enough TO show how te suSh agreements arc yssoeets
"heh pressing temptation urges thsig violation Ths
position oi the kmprtot of Rusia depostisry bui No,
poPheor o Coustantnople, would he espos ed 70 bun.
oetles haStrjs both hom the long ehsrahsd snitIon a
ht own nation, aud the jsloUses Of Europe The uitI
male proprietor whoever he might be, would hardly b