The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-25

Power, ma ks new and more complicated
phase in the Eastern question. The precise
character md terms of this instrument will not
be known until a ter its ratification, and it is
therefore impossible to decide as to the cor
rectness of the different versions given Of it.
We learn from one source of information that
Russia is expected o accept peace on the basis
Of certain propositions to be presented by the
allies in con junction wi Austria; and that if
Austria will at once dec'ar wa against her.
A delay OF three months--sOme papers state of
only one-is, however, to be allowed for Rus
sia to signify her acceptance of them. Another
and later account, received from Vienna by
telegraph, gives, under cover Of reservation,
which throws great doubt over its correctness,
still more positive character to the treaty.
Without entering minutely into its separate
provisions, which VIII be found in another CO.
lumn, it is sufficient to state, generally, that
according to this version of them, Austria en-
cages herself to regard any further violation
Of the Turkish territory as declaration of war
on the part of Russia against herself-to REIN
force her army in the Principalities, SO as to
leave Omer Pasha free to act--and to forward
q contingent to Varna to be employed against
The Russians in the Crimea if necessity should
call Tor it; whilst, on the other hand, England
and France guarantee, under all circumstances,
the territorial possessions of the Emperor Of
Austria There is said to be a secret article at
tached to the treaty, the conditions of which
have not as yet been guessed at by those who
pretend to be thus far acquainted with its gen.
eral provisions.
Whatever may be the exact nature of this
document, there can be no doubt that it is the
immediate result of the late conferences held
in Paris between the veteran and energetic
statesman whose views have so long infu-
enced the foreign policy of Great Britain and
his political protegf and disciple, the French
Emperor. Austria, according to all accounts,
has been reluctantly forced into this treaty
in all probability by threat that her refusal
would be followed by the invasion of her terri
tories, the unfurling Of the revolutionary stand.
ard in Italy and Hungary, and the blockade Of
her ports in the Adratic. In fact, in the des-
perate crisis to which the allies were reduced,
by the continued failure Of their efforts in the
Crimea, nothing short of some extreme mea-
sure Of this sort could possibly have revived
the dropping spirits and depressed confidence
of their subjects. The adhesion of Austria was
of much more Importance to them in a moral
than in physical point Of view, inasmuch as
her suspicious attitude has hitherto paralyzed
all the operations of the war. Hence it is easy
to understand the excessive exultation dis
played by the English and French ministerial
journals at the accomplishment of an event
which has so much present Importance for them,
but which may yet prove source of as great
embarrassment as it is Of momentary advan-
tage Until we have the treaty before
us we cannot Of course tell the ex-
act extent to which Austria has bound
herself; but Of one thing we feel as
sured that the cautious and skilfnl states
men who direct her affairs have not failed to
protect her Interior action by reservations
which will in the end probably render this
treaty as valueless as so much waste paper.
lated the spirit of her last treaty with Turkey
by her arbitrary and treacherous conduct in
the Principalities, shows how little importance
she attaches to the faithful observance of
her engagements.
Admitting, however, the hypothesis that she
means to carry out seriously the undertaking
to which she is said to have bound herself by
this new compact, SO far from its simplifying
the present difficult state Of things, it appears
to us likely only to complicate them still
more. 1t will impart in any case, an entirely
new character to the war, and will raise q va
riety Of fresh issues, all of them of greater i'm
portance than that which originated it. Turk
ish interests will be in q measure lost sight of,
and the contest will assume all the i'm
portance and magnitude of struggle
in which the very existence of sew
ral European nationalities will be involved.
For the present it will probably resolve itself
into strife for ascendency between the lead
ing German Powers, backed on the one side by
Russia and on the other by the allies From
the heterogeneous elements of which her en-
pire is composed, Austria is likely to prove in
the end the greatest sufferer. She cannot be
insensible to this fact, and we are therefore
inclined to regard her adhesion to this new
treaty as dictated more by her present appre-
tensions than by any serious intention of hon.
estly carrying out its prospective objects.
In this conjuncture of circumstances, so op-
portune]y favorable to our Intervention. when
the Powers already engaged in the war have
become alarmed at the magnitude of its
consequences, whilst those who are about to
be involved in ii are equally trembling for what
the future may produce, it is to be hoped that
Congress will lose no time in giving effect to
the recommendations of the Committee of For
eign Relations, by sanctioning the project of
mediation suggested by Mr.. Clingman's resolu-
ton. If the present opportunity is suffered to
escape, it will be long before such another
presents itself. The question OF a peace,