Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-01-13


considerations which actually lmpel
their action. The efficient cause may
be some selfish interest. but the pretext
must have the color OF Law or Right
The war waged by England against tho
French Republic, after the revolution
Of 1903, was ostensibly In defence Of It's
Independence, and Of the liberties Of Eu-
rope--the real motives was to prevent
the spread Of revolutionary sentiment.
and bolster up the institutions Of Mon
archy and Aristocracy. The Admins
tration of Mr.. Polk declared that war
existed by the act of Mexico; when the
fact was, Mexico was acting in defence
Of her soil; and there wonld have been
no hostiities between The two countries,
but for a determination TO enlarge our
borders, and obtain new fields for slave
lubor.
The real cause Of the Turco-Russian
war IS, the graduation Of Russia TO the
Mediterranean. An empire, occupying
a large portion of Northern Europe and
Asia, of vast power and resources, con-
troled by Despotism, absolute, far-see-
ing, sagacious and systematic, has for
its full development, free access, by open
seas. TO the commerce Of the world
The most convenient and accessible
point is Constantinople, on the Mediter-
ranean, the capital of another empire,
half Christian, half Mohammedan, the
offspring Of a past era, yet laboring,
with only partial success, for adaptation
10 this era. Suppos, our own country
sustained relations like those held by
Russia to Turkey, it is easy to see what
would be the policy Of our Government.
What would the great Mississippi valley
have bee, had the mouth of the Missis-
sippi continued under the control Of
Spain. aud did the Atlantic States con-
stitute a separate Confederacy. In the
STRUGGLES of the West, in the beginning
of this century, for the possession oil
Louisiana and Flori ia, we may detect
the very element which lies now at the
bottom OF the war between Russia and
Turkey. The unwavering policy OF
Russia has been to secure position on
the Mediterranean, either by subject NC
the Porte virtually TO vassalage, or by
extinguishingit its nationality. A dispute
having arisen in respect to the custody
of the Holy Places of Jerusalem, be-
tween the Latin and Greek Churches
Nicholas, claiming to be the Protector
of the Greek Church, thought il favor
able occasion for interfering in the af.
fairs of Turkey, so as to'secure a more
direct influence over the twelve millions
of Greek subjects to the Sultan. BY
the tact OF Louis Napoleon, acting in
behalf. of the Latin Church, the affair
was amicably arranged, the Porte secu.
ring to his Greek subjects all that they
had ever asked. But Nicholas was mo-
to be baified in his scheme of establish.
ing a Russian Protectorate over tn,
Greek Church. Through n solemn
mission to Constantinopld, he demand
ed Convention, guarantying rights ant
immunities to the Eastern Church
, (Which it was not now pretended wer'
withheld. or were in jeopardy thereb,
giving him the prerogatiye Of interfe
renee with a large portion OF the Sui
tan's subjects. And this demand wa
/ urged oh the ground that his honor wa
I
essary, as an atonement for past viola
tons of the rights of the Church, whc
had already been redressed by the Porte
, The Sultan, indisposed TO share his EN-
pire with Nicholas, returned decide
negative to the demand.
: The Russian ambassador left Cor
I, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. tlreutvnrd-tli
, Western Powers negotiated, and recon
mended forbearance. Meantime, Nicb
olas ordered his armies to take posses
sion of the Principalities on the Danu
be belonging to Turkey; not, he SAID
in an offensive sense, not aggresslvely
, not as an act Of war, not with view {
permanent occupation-but that h
might hold them as pledge of goo
conduct on the part of the Sultan, til
he would consent TO the very reasona
, BILE demand he had made upon him! II
, a word. he intended to place himself j
position where he could negotiate
with some prospect of success. TIL
act was an act Of war-it was MS If tn
United States should take possession o
+ Canada, with an announcement tina
they would hold it till Great Britain
would consent to throw open her fisher
les to the Yankees. The sophistry b,
which Nicholas attempted to mysiiIy
} Europe, in relation to the real motive o
the act, was an insnlt to common sense
The Porte would have been iustiiie
in considering this act as cdeus betii
Such were the declarations Of England
and France; but these Powers, in con
A junction with Prussia and Austria, dread
ing war, importuned the Sultan to for
bear hostilities till they had made on
| more effort for satisfactory arrange
meut of the controversy. They agree
upon note, without obtaining the sens
of the Sultan upon it, treating him, !
effect. as a vussal of Russia, and submit
ted il TO the Gar, who at once assente
10 Il, constituting il so as TO embrace a
that he had demanded, and announcing
that he would reject any modification
that might be proposed by the Sultan
II was then submitted TO the Porte
I who, holding that he could not consen
q TO Il without parting with his Sovereign
~, declared that he could accept u on
~ with certain notifications. AsNicl
oIas would not agree to these, all nc
, gotatons stepped, and no course wa
A left 10 the Sultan but war, to vindicat
, hts sovereignty and the integrity OF hl
empire, by dispossessing the Russians Q
the principalities. War was then de
clared. and II ever there was riehteou
Declaration of War, IL was that al
nounced by the Sultan,
During the brief campaign that la
Just closed, the Turks have been to
certain extent successful; but nothn
decisive has taken place. Had ih
Western Powers assumed, in the be
ginning of the controversy, firme
more decid, tone, admonishing Russ
, that the occupation OF the Prime ipalitiC
would be regarded as an act Of war, |
resis which they would feel bound
aid their ally, that fragrant step woul
hardly have been ventured upon. But