The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-20

in Turkey, but in Eur e generally, would have
been discouraging in he extreme. It's proba-
BILE influence may be judged Of by the exultant
and triumphant ton, cf the English journals,
which attach degree Of Importance to the
success Of this orer zion which it cannot with
justice be said to deserve. Every one was pre-
pared for the immediate reduction of the place,
and we ourselves, long before the event took
place, pointed to this event as likely to iDau-
gurate the commencement of serious hoetktes
on the part Of the allies. The Russian Emperor
had, in fact, SO little expectation that Odessa
would be able to hold out, that he took care to
effect the removal of the greater portien of the
immense stock of grain of which it formed the
depot, and to leave only q small and unimpor-
tant portion of his feet to aid in it's defence.
That the reduction Of Odessa is advantageous
to the coalition in SO far as it operates as stmu-
lus to popular enthusiasm in England which
already begins to shew signs of waning, can
not be denied; but thai it will produce any con-
trary tendency in the minds of the Gear and of
his people, as some journals are disposed to
the publicly declared anticipations Of the for
rmer, or with the fortitude and courage with
which the latter sustained themselves under the
infinitely more disastrous and trying reverses
of the campaign Of 1872 The possession of
Moscow was deemed by all but perhaps Napo-
quest of that vast empire; but those who in
dulged in this sanguine anticipation soon found
that they possessed but an imperfect knowledge
of the character Of the people and of the nature
of the country against which the hitherto in
vincible armies Of France had to contend. They
forgot that semi barbarous people like
the Russians, are not swayed by the same
opinions and influences that govern the
masses in countries in which the representa-
tive form Of government prevails. In despotic
systems, where all the machinery Of govern
ment is centred in the person of one man, and
where the advocacy of sectional and party in
terests is not allowed to interrupt and impede
its. operations, degree of unity and force is
impaired to it, which, in emergencies such as
that in which Alexander found himself, renders
it capable of greater efforts and sacrifices than
a people accustomed to representative institu-
tons, and having no strong dynastic attach
ments, would choose to make. There can be
no more striking illust ration of this view than
the contrast between the devotedness displayed
by the Russians towards Alexander throughout
the whole Of that trying campaign, and the
manner in which the French abandoned Napo-
leon on the entrance of the allies into France
Had the positions Of the two nations been re-
versed, the Russians would have died to I. man
before they yielded up their monarch tc the
vengeance of his enemies
When, therefore, in presence of these facts
we find the organs of the coalition exul.irg
over this their first success, and indulging in
sanguine anticipations as to the future, we
cannot help calling to mind tkat the same proud
and confident hopes heralded the greatest mill
tary disaster Of modern times. and finally led
to the overthrow Of the most powerful throne
in Europe. Whilst the lesson inculcated by
those calamitous events seems 80 have been
entirely overlooked in the excitement OF a TEN
porary triumph, it is bnt right that we, who are
far removed from their influence, should give
it its proper weight in the consideration of the
events that are now occupying the attention
of the world. We say again, as we have fire.
quently said before, that it is not the reduction
of Odessa, Sebastopol, Crenstadt, or even of
St Petersburg ITSELF nor the annihilstio of
the whole Russian feet, that will advance by
day the solution of the question that has led to
these unhappy complications. 1t is on land
hat the colossal power and strength of Russia
must be combatted and checked; but up to
The present time we see no prospects of a com-
bination sufficiently sincere and united in its
action to hold out a prospect that any effectual
restraints will be imposed upon her ambition.