Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-04-27
THE DECLARATION OF WAR.
From the Supplement to the London Gazette O
Tuesday, March %.
DECLARATION.

1t is with deep regret that Her Ma
iesty announces the failure of her anx
ious and protracted endeayors to pre-
serve for her people and for Europe the
blessings of peace.
The unprovoked aggression of the
Emperor of Russia against the Sublime
Porte has been persisted in with such
disregard of consequences, that aftel
the rejection by the Emperor of Russis
of terms which the Emperor of Austria,
the Emperor of the French, and the
King of Prussia, as well as Her Majes-
] ty, considered just and equitable, Hel
Majesty is compelled, by sense of what
is due to the honor of her Crown, to
the interests of her people, and to the
independence of the States of Europe,
to come forward in defence of an ally
whose territory is invaded, and whose
dignity and independence are assailed.
Her Majesty, in justification of the
course she is about to pursue, refers to
the transactions in which Her Majesty
has been engaged.
The Emperor of Russia had some
cause of complaint against the Sultan
with reference to the settlement, which
His Highness had sanctioned, of the con-
flicting claims of the Greek and Latin
Churches to a portion of the holy places
of Jerusalem and its neighborhood.-
To the complaint of the Emperor OF
Russia on this head justice was done,
and Her Majesty's ambassador at Con-
stantinople had the satisfaction of pro-
noting an arrangement to which no ex-
ception was taken by the Russian gov
eminent.
But, while the Russian Government
repeatedly assured the Government of
Her Majesty that the mission of Prince
Menschikoff to Constantinople was ex-
clusively directed to the settlement of
the question of the Holy Places at Je-
rusalem, Prince Menschikoff himself
pressed upon the Porte other demands
of far more serious and important
character, the nature of which he in the
first instance endeavored, as far as possi-
BILE, to conceal from Her Majesty's Am
bassador. And these demands, thus
studiously concealed, affected, not the
privileges of the Greek Church at Jeru-
salem, but the position of many millions
of Turkish subjects in their relations to
their Sovereign, the Sultan.
These demands were rejected by the
spontaneous decision of the Sublime
Porte.
Two assurances had been given to
Her Majesty-one, that the mission Of
Prince Menschikoff only regarded the
Holy Places; the other, that his mission
would be of concilliatory character.
In both respects Her Majesty's just
expectations were disappointed.
Demands were made which, in the
opinion of the Sultan, extended to the
substitution of the Emperor of Russia's
authority for his own over large por-
ton of his subjects, and those demands
were enforced by threat; and when
Her Majesty learned that, on announc-
ing the termination of his mission,
Prince Menschikoff declared that the
refusal of his demands would impose
upon the Imperial Government the ne
cessity of seeking a guarantee by its
own power, Her Majesty thought proper
that her fleet should leave Malta, and,
in cooperation with that of His Majesty
the Emperor of the French, take up its
station in the neighborhood of the Oar
danelles.
So long as the negotiation bore an
amicable character Her Majesty re-
Trained from any demonstration of force.
But when in addition to the assemblage
of large military forces on the frontier
of Turkey, the Ambassador of Russia
intimated that serious consequences
would. ensue from the refusal of the
Sultan to comply with unwarrantable
demands, Her Majesty deemed it right
in conjunction with the Emperor of the
French, to give an unquestionable prooi
of her determination to support the
sovereign rights of the Sultan.
/ The Russian Government has main.
tanned that the determination of the En-
peror to occupy the Principalities was
taken in consequence of the advance Of
the fleets of England and France. But
the menace of invasion of the Turkish
territory was conveyed in the Coun
Nesselrode's note to Redschild Pasha o
the 18Th (3lst) of May, and re-stated il
his despac ch to Baron Brunow of tb'
Goth of May lst of June which an.
nounced the Emperor of Russia to ordel
his troops to occupy the Principalities
if the Porte did not within week com
ply with the demands of Russia.
The despatch to Her Majesty's Am
bassador at Constantinople, authorizing
him in certain specified contingencies t.
send for the British feet. was dated th,
31st of May, and the order sent direc
from England ID. Her Majesty's to pro
ceed to the neighborhood of the Oar
dannelles was datedthe ed of June.
The determination, to occupy tn
Principalities was therefore taken befor
the orders for the advance Of the com
! bined squadrons were given,
I The Sultan's Minister was informe'
J that unless he signed within week
. and without the change of singl
! word, the note proposed to the Porte b.
: Prince Menschikotf on the Eve of bi
, departure from Constantinople. th
0 PFincipaGties of Moldavia and Wallacbi