The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-27

respect and certain fear upon those who choose their
course with clear and deliberate foresight and when
chosen pursue il with answering and unwayerng deter
minatou who form their decisions cautiously and eonsd
eraey but refuse reconsider them difficult eonune-
lures TO abandon them before unforeseen obstacles We
have instructive feeling that such have within them
the qualities which command success and feel dis
posed to withdraw opposition to such resoute and stead
fast wills. But when rushing rashly into
enterprises without weighing the object counting the
cost and then unexpected difficulties present them
selves beginning TO undervalue the object and magnify
the cost toreseeing obstacles before hand but they
one by arise ready to reconsider rosond his
plans and ask himself again and again the question which
should have been asked first and all whether
the object of the enterprise be worth the price which
be paid for its attainment recognise glance
der OF mind which is certain and which ought 10 fail
IL is with nations with men, only in ten-fod degree
When engaged in action the rresouton that sways
backwards and forwards with the varying fortunes of the
hour an unworthy and ruinous characteristic To look
back after the hand has been put TO the plough TO de-
and to invite disaster and contempt This has
been the feeling Of countrymen and assuredy they
will not begin show it But it cannot be denied
that the unexpected difficulties and the grievous losses
sustained the Cre and the prospect Of further
and more prolonged efforts which is opening before us,
have encouraged those who always opposed the to
produce their representations in positive and exag
gera.ed shape and have induced who had as
clear idea they ought have had of the real object
we are fighting for question whether is
deed good and aim important and essential
we at first sight supposed Such doubters would
reconsider in the face of adversary and under the
pressure Of anxiety and gloom, decision which taken
slowly, deliberately, reluctantly, and in time of peace
which IL taken otherwise would have been a sin, and to
waver in which would be something and more
deplorable than folly.
We ourselves do not share in the respondent feelings
,la p1o Waa dnit thef of
the crisis Our troops have encountered degree Of des
perate and tenacious opposition which the immediate
cedcnts of enemy gave reason to anticipate We
are in position of unquestonable peril We called
upon exertions and sacrifices of magnitude which
did not perhaps fully foresee 1t is possible and not i'm
probable that the contest in which engaged may
enlarge dimensions and extend to duration at which
statesmen and citizens may wen look serious 1t may task
all powers of energy and Of endurance II may
prove the of that great and general conflict
between liberty and despotsm which Canning and Napo
leon alike predicted inevitable but which had hoped
to ward off distant date Nevertheless with all
these possibilities prospects fully and clearly before
mind do not for instant in the convc
tons formed and enuncated year agoviz that this
us righteous and necessary one that its OBJ
iect is one which worth any effort and any sacrifice to
attain which be attained, and which to recede from
abandon because it less easy Of attainment than
we thought would be weakness and wrong for which
the punishment would be prompt certain and
it would be richly Inerited
What are re fighting fors II is not Mr. Bright has
dared to represent to uphold filthy despotsm" 1t is
not to maintain decrept government, which may may
not be rapidly improving which may may not be able
to its vitality and renew its strength, but with
which have per very close or vivid sympa-
thies retain in the East of Europe that pot
cal and diplomatic influence which began to fear might
be oyeshadowed by the growing power of rival 1t is
not in word for any OF those ring or hollow purposes
for which too many Of former undertaken.
We are fighting for Turkey but for Europe We are
fighting not for MohAmnedan despotism but for Euro
pean freedom and civilization We are fighting for
Turkey but against Russia We doing what the very
difficulties show ought to have been done
long ago We doing that for which favorable an
opportunity may never occur again We are doing that
which, if not done now win in all human likelihood be
done never. We engaged in the task of control
ling and beating back power which already overshad-
ows half of Asia and threefonrths of Europe which
few years of supne inacton part and Of toe
rated encroachment hers may make absolutely rress
ibe and whom know to be the resoute instructive
conscientious of all that hold dearest and most
credof human rights of civil liberty of enlightened pro-
gress A little Sleep and little more folding OF the
hands to resa little pausng in apathy we have
been doing year after year. step after step conquest after
conquest-and Russia would have been supreme at the
Sound and the Dardaneles and the chance of saving
civilization and assuring freedom have been lost forever
This exaggerated language, though to those who
have not watched the past read the alarming indications
Of the present it may appear Look at the map of Rus
STA look the hopes and terrors of nearly every
court in Europe and in Asia At the accession Of Peter
the Great Russia confined to her original nhospabe
deserts and deary steppes She had access to sea-
board except the Arctic She had commerce.
influence, no name She scarcely more known or
more powerful than Boneo Cochin China See what she
is now Read how she has thus changed her position and
her destiny Every province of her vast dominons which
is of any value has been gained by conquest within
century and half The Lvonian provinces Finland,
Poland the Ukraine Bessaraba the delta of the Danube
the shores of the Black sea- all the spoils of recent
robberies and the further which project
ed and concealed. She keeps foot enormous
boasts that 100000 annually reach the military age,
and that he spend them all without encoachng the
capital of his population And the will which yields this
mighty force is hampered by constitutional limits or
parliamentary mpedments, and enfeebed and endangered
by no repressed aspirations after segovenment on the
part of his subjects.
very brief glance at facts will show how vast is the
indirect power which the Emperor Of Russia exercises and
has long exercised all the neghboring States We
have years felt the effects of his intrgues and the
potency of his name on the wild tribes and princes who
border on our Indian doninons In Persia notwhstand
ing our proximity and command over the Persian
gulf his influence Almost always predomnates
own The Shah has been able to retain scarcely any
exclusively and indspu,ably Russian. No other yes
a.. T,xI-x