The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-06-14

continue its efforts to bring the cause of the
Allies into disrepute, prejudice the Ameri
can People against them, turn the tide of their
sympathes from unofending Turkey, to ag,
gressive and despotic Russia. 1t replies by
abusing England and France, avowing its
| sympathy with Russia, and endeavoring to
prove that Russia in Constantinople, the alb
sorption of the Ottoman Empire by the Gar,
would do more for the cause of Civilization
than anything else "that is at all likely soon
to happen"
In the whole of the long article of the Trib
une as in many others that have lately appear
ed, the question is disposed of, without the
slightest reference to the Right or Wrong Of
the controversy! Suppose that we should pick
q quarrel with Santa Anna-and our record is
not exactly clear one-it would be easy for
the speculative philosophers of the London
Daily Ne,cs to show how the absorption Of
Mexieo-inhabited by race, stagnant, effete,
incapable of progress-by the robust American
Union, would tend to the promotion of Civil
cation; but, what would a just man think Of
the morality that could be induced, by such
considerations, to overlook the wicked am.
bition, overlapping, in its greed of foreign ter
ritory, all laws, human and divine? The fore
sight of good that may be educed from wrong
doing, should not abate our Indignation against
the wrong-doer, or detestation of his act.
Whatever our speculatons, let us. keep our
sense Of Justice clear and unerring.
| There is Question of Right and Wrong in
| the Eastern War. Russia intends no good to
Turkey, but the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of her own
Power. She is the gigantic aggressor-Turkey
acts on the defensive. Most unwillingly were
the Governments of France and England drawn
into the conflict but the safety of Europe, the
preservation of Turkey, their own material
interest and public sentiment, at last con-
strained them to step forth to the rescue OF
the Sultan. They did not provoke the war
they even humbled themselves to prevent it.
Russia is the Monster Criminal-her ambition,
pride, and cupidity, have broken the peace of
the world. The New York Tribune knows
this--it will not deny that the representation is
true one. We have on hand file of that
journal for the last two years, and we shall
prove that, little more than one year ago, it
took precisely this view Of the war, agreed
with the Era, in its denunciations of Russia,
labored to arouse Public Sentiment against it,
denounced the Allies for not resorting sooner
to belligerent operations, disparaged the mill
tary prowess and diplomatic skill of Russia,
praised the Turks, extoled their field opera
tons, and hopefully predicted their success
in word, was just as Anti Russian, as it is
now Pro-Russian And yet, like ourselves, in
specializing on the consequences that might
result from the overthrow of Turkey, it tried to
find some consolation in the assumption that
they could not be evil without mixture of good.
Like us, however, it held that no results could
mitigate the criminal conduct of Russia.
We stand just where we stood when the con-
troversy commenced. Russia provoked the
war, and we would rejoice to see her over.
whelmed with defeat, disaster, and disgrace
for we like retrbution. The Tribune, which
sympathized with US on this point fourteen
months ago. now thinks the best thing for Tur-
key "woud be for Russia to swallow her up"
Norember 23, 1853, it spoke of our warm
sympathies with the Turks, in the righteous
war" against Russia, but could not conceal its
apprehension that, after all, the day was ap-
| preaching for the submission of the Ottoman
Empire. 1t then proceeded to console itself
| by looking into the future to see whether good
| might not be educed and closed it's survey with
| the remark:
In this way, the conquest of Turkey, like
every other enterprise set on foot in hostility 10
the ,coyld's welfare, cannot fail at last to defeat
the ambitious purpose for which it was under
taken, and to crown with grander triumph
those very principles of Liberty and Democ.
racy it ,cas intended TO destroy'
Here is a recognition of the wickedness OF
the policy of the Gear, with a foresight of good
that may, after all, grow out of the intended
evil. But, this view was not suffered to pervert
the Tibune's sense of right, as we shall see.
| December lst, 1853, it called attention to the
| formidable schemes of the Car for extending
his empire in all parts of the world-at the
| Sandwich Islands, where his intrgues, the
Tribune claims, it was the first to expose-in
the Chinese and japanese waters, where. his
fleets were represented watching, with nc
friendly intent, the movements Of Commodore
Perry, &c. "Should Russian perfdy," bravely
remarked the Tribune, !" create any difficultie:
at the Sandwich Islands or at Japan, the com
bined fleets of Putaitine, with his saltwater
marines, will prove scarcely mouthful fol
Commodore Perry"
1t is rather remarkable that the Hibua
should have manifested so much hostility t.
the extension of an Empire, so "humanizint
in its outward policy"
In those days it could not bear to motto,
even what was praiseworthy in Russia, withou
dealing her side thrust. December 3, 1853
commenting on benefcent association in St
Petersburgh, it said:
"Antipodal as we are, IN ecery respect t.
the present state Of Russia, notwithstandin,
the glorious protective system was then il
full blast-Ed. Era, deep and absolute as ar
our convictions as to the final .fatility Of al
tie efforts of despotic Government to foste
the real reltare of a nation, still we greet witt
pleasure every attempt at improvement" &c.
} Eighteen months after these deep and abso
iutc CouNicuoHS, IL ihioTiHS US, tn&t sine
Russia has adopted the protective policy, I'll
l8l6-Ed. Era, her industrial means hav
improved to wonderful degree, and her onwar
course of civilization is patent to the world,
: its "deep and absolute convictions of the fno
.fatility of all efforts of a despotic Government
to foster the real welfare of nation" to tn
contrary Notwithstanding
December III, 1883, it longed for the Turk