Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-11
srcnrr n1sToRY OF "A EASTERN WAR.

bn
MORNING., APRIL IL, 1854.
y SECRET HISTORY OF THE EASTERN WAR.
70 ,r.h rs have the leisure to read the important dlplo-
n.,,. n,perp In the Enquirer Of THE morning, we need oiler
80 .poloey for publishing 90 oluminou a correspondence
on foreign affairs to tho exclusion OF matters OF domes'c
Ak,eres.. Never did any similar disclosure excite suen uni
sersal and intense interest, because none ever thro" $ "ue
'Yah, on the hidden motives and policy OF cabinets. mere "e
have tho secre, history Of the origin oil Inc dispute "".A :"
6bout0 Involve Europe 10 war; and we nave nero
hx Rich to determine the relative guilt OF tho parties u '"e
sirife, Blu, apart from the value OF tho correspondence as an
ih,.,o,,.,, document, II possesses extraordinary Interest for
n, revelation which IL makes of the character OF the Gar
md hs designs upon Turkey. Once begun the correspond
,pss will be read through with %unfaggins interest.
. !, would be &c Difficult, TO reconcile the publication Of
these papers BY the British government win Inc principles
~ eommon honesty az with The maxims OF common Sense
7, was understood at the time the conversations 'ooA p'ae'
,.,v.., tina Gar and the British Ambassador, that they
v,rs never TO be disclosed, and the dispatches OF OH HS"'
,I,on Ssymour bear on their face the character OF sec'eoy
and ,~onsdsnce. The hope OF gaining some advantage IN
~. on,n,on Of tho world, and OF turning the tide OF symPa'
,hv against Russia, induced the British government 10 viz
late the obligations OF honor aud 70 make Puon' u
Dental conversations between The Emperor ana '"e on'i'n
,,,,;,,er The dishonest arti6ce will not avail. Iho et-
feet of The disclosure will be 10 contrast, In the stonsee'
possible light, British per6dy and Russisn canu0f' !.
Emperor disclosed his purposes TO the BRUSH o'en" -
In the freest and fullest manner nsomuch - "' I
vas compimsnted by both the British Secretaries A"N
1oh, Rr.,sll s.vs, that "Her Majesty. upon this a. upon
fo,n.r occasions. |, happy 10 acknowledge the moaeTa'lo"'
the fronknsss and the fri~dty dspo'aHon Oh faS p'''
Majesty - and Lord Clarendon wrote 70 inc same eN'."
II sppesrs. indeed, that as early as 1884, on occasiou u ''
Emneror's ylsi, to England, that the British government wac
nm, 4, nosssuspn of his feelings and designs IN respect 10
IA aEact olApn
Tsrksv. The British government did not even anec' a'at"
=, ,nd;o,,,,op at the disclosure, bu, hattered the friendly
,o,adenee of the Emperor by an apparent assent 10 MS
v,,ws. II is true that the British Minister would not enter
,,,o an arrangement for the partition OF Turkey BE-
fora Its fall, Blu, no accepted the Cars proposition
for a concert Of policy after that event. AT that
time too the Gar was pushing his pretenslons al Con-
s,antinopls, and had explicitly informed Sir Hamilton Sey'
mour that il the Porte did not yield, be would resort 10
force. How did the British Government. receive this inti'
m,,ionf Did they tell the Car that his claim to the pro-
lection Of the Christian subjects of tho Porte was ground'e's'
and that England would interfere If be had recourse to COM
pulsIop7 Lord John Russell explicitly adm ts that the kus'
MAN n,otectorate over Turkey IL prescribed by duly and sonc-
.fon1d by treaty, and only the hope Is expressed thai Tho
Car will not hnd 1t nscsssdry TO chasilse Inc Polts INTO
.ubmisslon. ADD yet England now goes TO war against
kussla simply TO repel the Emperor's claim to the protec'o'
rate over the Christian subjects of the Porte-a right which
aha has conceded But this 10 not ell. When 4 Russian ar.
m advanced Into mOldQVld 10 support TIC "
Prince Asnschlkof, the British Governmen. affected the
u,moet indignation and alarm at the movement, pretended
a. entire Ignorance Of tho designs of the Czar. denounced
him a. the enemy Of the peace of Europe, aud concerted
measures with France for resistance. 10 his preposterous
claim to tho protection of the Greek Church.
The conduct of tho Gear presents the onshest Contrast eo
tho duplioIty and treachery of Eoglaud. He has not mani
fs,.sd any disposition to impair the integrity OF the ottoman
empire. He son. his army acros, the Pruth to give emphasis 10
n. demands OF his mbassador-dcmands which the British
ooyarumsut acknowledged TO be just. When the Western
Povsr, sought to know the signi6cancy of this movement
he frankly explained his purpose, and ofie'ed 10 "i1hota"
h.s troope II the Porte would come 10 terms. The Sultan
persisted in his obstluacy, and made preparations for driv'ne
IN, Russians ont Of the Ptincpalities. How could England
ioin n, alliance asaIus. Russia-Ene'and 'na' 'aa aeAno"
|sse.ssaA.->Af.h ia claim and was privy 10 his designs
prssens position sv In q, this msniescf The inconsistency In u"
-. a rS,.hn,.. xrn rm. nou,s ~ - -"ssa~-a-
as. NO. 10iro,sen the cold and %coutemptuous recogni
ton Of his paEvenu pre,euslons BY the champion of lie
silmacy. He 10 NOT content with The present bounda
riss of France, end he msdita.es the overthrow o.
the settlement of 1916. He has everything 10 gain
and but little to lose by a war In Europe. The vary
Ing fortunes of the struggle will serve to amuse the popuiace
of Paris, who, II left Al leisure might seek excitement in pc.
litical speculation and social revolution. Between the alter.
naive Of an alliance with Russia or an alliance with France,
England could not but choose the latter. She has Ns
tie to %apprshend from the power OF Russis; but her coasts
would not be secure from ravags, nor her commerce from
spolIstiou, If tho immense aud effective fleet of France
were lot loose upon her. 1t has been manifest from the be-
ginning Of the Eastern complication, that Great Britain was
Reluctantly drawn along by France. The policy Of Napo.
leon has been straightforward and energetic; that of Eng.
land, tlmid and vacinating. The mission of Menschikof
would not have miscarrisd, but for the intervention OF
France, for England was willing to concede the demands of
Russis.
The reader will derive from this exposition of Russian
policy the highest conception Of the genius and energy of
the Car. Beyond all comparison, he is the foremost man
Of his rank In Europe. Hc is the exact representative of
bis race and country In their nobless quali,ies-in their vas,
physical development, In their religions zeal, in their cour.
age, their energy and their political sagacity. Marshalsd
and directed BY 4 monarch of such indomitable will aud go
great capacity, the resources Of Russia will be more than
adequate to the defence Of the empire against the lormi.
dablo alliance which assails it.