The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-17

1t is evident, from the decided tone of the
Czar's reply to the propositions contained in
the letter of the French Emperor, that but very
little hope now remains Of his being induced to
listen to any overtures short of the conditions
to which he has consistently adhered throughout
the whole of the negotiations by which it has
been attempted to bring the Eastern question
to pacific settlement. As the allied Powers
continue equally bent upon carrying out their
policy of Intervention, and as we have it now
officially confirmed in the speech of the French
Emperor that Austria and others of the leading
German Powers are about to commit them
selves to that policy, it would seem as if moth
ing could now avert the attempt to decide the
questions at issue by the force Of arms.
But will a war Of brief or long duration-for
it is impossible to foretell its limits-lead to
definite solution of the political problems which
have given rise to the present complication of
European affairs? 1t does not require any great
amount of political sagacity to foresee that its
speedy or remote termination, or its successful
conduct by either Russia or the coalition, will
leave the real principles at stake in precisely
the same position in which they now stand.
The war is with Russia religious and organic
movement, imposed upon her by more powerful
will than that of any human ruler, and she
cannot if she would resist the influence that inn
pels her forward Progression and expansion
are the conditions of her destiny, and she will
overleap all the barriers that the conventional
policy of the old and effete governments of
Europe may attempt to oppose to their fulfill
ment. The youngest and most vigorous
amongst the nations of the Old World, she alone
possesses the vitality necessary to carry forward
the work Of human progress. 1t is her mission
to break down the artificial restraints by which
Christianity and civilization have been for CEN
turtles confined within narrow limits, and to
difi'use their blessings over regions that have
either relapsed into barbarism or that have
been hitherto unconscious of their influence.
Formidable as is the coalition organized
against Russia, she has perhaps less to appre-
bend from the consequences of protracted
struggle than any Of the Powers leagued
against her. Impregnable in her territorial po-
sition, like arock against which the pillows lash
themselves in harmless fury, her policy is to keep
within her territories, and to allow her enemies
to exhaust their force against her in impotent eff
forts She has only to maintain her footing in the
Principalities, and to secure her frontiers and
seaports from surprise, and then to wait pa
tently the course of events. To any other
Power such policy would be ruinous To her
it would be acertain means of gaining her ends.
The enormous sacrifices which protracted war
would entail upon the coalition would in them
selves soon suffice to break it up; but besides
this she has another powerful arm in reserve
which would at once shatter it to pieces. What
is to prevent Russia from welding in her turn
the revolutionary element, and, by declaring
Italy and Hungary Independent, laying the
already tottering fabric of the Austrian mon
archy in ruins? Once the flames of revolution
were kinded, who can foresee where they
would stop? Are the political systems of
France and England so congenial to the people
of those countries that their rulers areAikely to
enjoy immunity from a conhagraton which
would soon sweep over the whole surface of
European society?
The position assumed by the allied Powers
Is in truth an unnatural and fictitious one, and
Is pregnant with consequences to which they