The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-31
VOL. TX,

AhO Vu'""AN POiANJ VI A'uSSld may be =,
med up briefly as follows Suppression Of b
dictionary Movements; Maintenance ofLsrt
macy; Supremacy Of Position in E,,roD. !,
Asia; Territorial Aggrandizemem By d.
macy and Conquest. Can the TriJuae 4
this? Is there chapter of Russian b,,
since the era of Peter the Great, which A
not confirm the truth of our representa-,
In its whole career, what scheme Of
ward policy has it devised, what outs,I
act has it done, to humanize any portion f.,
Family of Man? I
AS to what it has done to degrade and
slave Humanity, let Poland the Holy AIi,..
Hungary, Italy, Turkey, and the indomi,s
mountaineers of the Caucasus, bear witpe.,
On the other hand, Britain, badly oors..
as she was in past times, corrupt and olipa,
ical as her Administration is now, did no,
member Poland; did sympathize with r.
gary; did not aid or abet the subiuga,or
Italy; has not, at least since the time of u,
leon Bonaparte, engaged in any war AGA,
liberal opinions or movements; has not labo,
to maintain Legitimacy or Absolutism; h
been anxious to maintain the independepc.
the various Sovereignties of Europe. Res
In her immense commerce, she has acted ..
great Civilizer. These States, now among
first Powers of Christendon, were once {,
MES, the offspring of her outward pol;..
which has further shown it, humanizing on.
ton in the establishment of the Canadas vi
free institutions, and in planting the same H.,
of institutions in the Continent of Austral;,
1t is easy to say that in all these resrs ]
she has been actuated by selfinterest. ys.
hkely-Governments are not philantbr-
agencies-the Government of England do,l.
less is controlled by paramount regard to h.
interest of England, but, in pursuing this d,
terest, it has adopted an "outward pole,
which, on the whole, has been humanizr,
its tendencies.
What the Tribune says in favor Of Rus,a
the ground of its having rejected Free Trj
will not find many supporters. English F..
Trade has not blighted this country. hv1
puzzle the farmer to comprehend how he i, i.
jured by England admitting his breadstuH b
her ports, duty free; and our manufacture,
will have to study a long time to unders,ar
how the market for their wares is to be bepef
ed, by the closure of the ports of Russia A,
Turkey against them. 1t would be go
thing to have the Allies Inundated. becs..
English Free Trade is tending to break do,.
all commercial restriction, and we should h,
the triumph of Russia, because her protect.
system would shut us out from Turkey as NJ.
as her own dominions That is a queer d
losophy.
There is no danger to Europe, says the Ht
une, from Russian growth, but it is impor.r
to us to have her as a counterpoise to Enga..
and France, which may attain position /.
dictate to the world. No danger from III,
growth of an Empire, which commands North
ern Europe and Asia; has already pwl
lation equal to that of France and Englar:
combined; has been steadily advancing in ts;
ritory, wealth, and power, for the last seventh
five years; is recognised as the great bu.
wark against the spread of Liberal Opinions
and the success of Revolutionary Movements:
and is now engaged in war provoked by ls
determination to usurp the protectorate o7s
Turkey, just as the Turks assumed proteae
rate over the Greek Empire, before they say
proper to take actual possession of Constant.
nople! No danger from the growth of Pow
er, whose career has been one continued a,
gression upon Europel
The notion that England and France ma
attain position to dictate to the world,
itself chimerical." No one who has read h
histories of these countries, who compreheni
the relations between them, who underStanl
the public sentiment, the institutions, and DE-.
TIMES of both, can imagine a permanent al
ance between them, to control the affairs
the world. In the present crisis, they are or
for common danger, common interest, BIZ,
them together. But let the war be terminus
by the defeat of Russia, and the imposition
just restraints upon her aggressive tendencie:
and they will be but too glad of an opportunig
for repairing damage, renewing their energies
relieving themselves of exhausting burdens, t
involve themselves in bootless contest for tn
supremacy of the world, which, even could the
accomplish it, would serve only as an apple 0
discord between them. There can be no Join
partners in the dictatorship of the world. Ii
mour could not bear to share the soyereignt
of Asia with even brother Mahometan, an
so he carried Bajazet captive in his triumpha
march. Let the war be terminated, and Eng
land would as soon think of cutting her owl
throat, as joining France in crusade agains
the United States. Our position is such that
it must be the interest of both France and
England, especially the latter, always to main.
tain amicable relations with us, and abstain
from any kind of dictation. This talk about
danger from England and France we could
iT General Cass, and his tribe 0
Alarmists, or the Washington Union, and it
gang of Propagandists, but it is utterly dis
cordant with the character and position of tn
Tribune
We cherish no antipsthies to any nation
we are the partisans of none. We are not pre-
JUDGED against Russia, but her Government i
a Despotism, her Institutions are despotic; she
is founded on Principles and upholds Doctrines
directly antagonistical to the Principles and
Doctrines of this Republic. These facts mas
not be deemed Objectionable by the Slavery
Propaganda of this country, but they must
prevent all true Americans from sympathzing
with it. On the other hand, whatever of Free
Institutions exists in the Old World, in such
form as to be effective and command respect
finds its home in Old England. Democracy
does not exist there as it does here, but it has
root, and is growing it is too strong to be pro-
scribed, potential enough to have secured
Hraa Eraas and the PrincinIa of pors1lar Sui