The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-10-19
A PRO-RUSSIAN STATESMAN ON
THE FALL OF SEBASTOPOI.

THE FALL OF SEBASTOPOL.
Under this head the New York Tribune
publishes the very remarkable letter, which
will be found below, touching the consequen-
ces TO Russia and to Europe of the fall of
Sebastopol. Were it at liberty, the Tribune
says, to mention the name OF the author, ohe
would at once be recognized as n man of
European, if not universal reputation" Con-
ceding in opinion with the writer, that "in
the present struggle the cause of Russia is
that of civilization" (Which opinion, by the
way, we believe to be mistaken one,) the
Tribune justly remarks, that "the most en-
thusiastc partizan of the allies could not de-
sire more frank and sweeping admission of
the scope of their victory, than is here made
by one who deplores it as a calamity" The
letter, which was private one, and furnished
to the Tribune for publication. Is as fol.
lows:
BRUssELs, Sept. l3, 1855.
My DEAR -: One act of the drama
is through. The Russians have lost Sebas.
|
they will not attempt to retake them. |
think that the real war will now commence.
For all who have written of this war have
lost sight Of the fact that there has not been
| from the beginning, either on the Danube or
in the Crmea, a single pitched battle. All
the fighting has been in attacking fortified or
entrenched places; Oltenitza, Alma, Inker-
mann, Silistra, Cherbaya, and Sebastopol.-
Now we shall see. have always thought
and still think that in an open field the Rus.
slams can cope with their enemies. At any
rate they can If they could do it at lnker-
mum and Chernaya, where they fought un-
der all possible disadvantages, where they
were huddled together 10y the ground and
could not deploy. On 4 level field the Rus.
slams manGuver us well and as quickly as |
any other troops and the improvements of |
modern tactics are more familiar to them than |
to the English. One thing is sure, they will
fight well, better than they have fought SO
far. Defeats and disasters do not injure their
morale; believe me, that is II peculiarty of
the Russian character. But, take it all in
all, i is Il terrible blow to Russia, not to her
prestige but to her power. Scbastop0 and
the Crimea contributed far more to the pre-
ponderance and the prospects of Russia than
that little region which goes by the name OF
Poland. 1t was the most vulnerable point
in the whole empire. Mutiate that aud il
will take quarter of n century to heal the
wound. In my opinion it is as bad rs n BON
bardment of st. Petersburg; | would have
preferred the latter. | always have main
tanned this against every body, and ! still
maintain that the man who planned the expe-
dtion to the Crimea played II hazardous
game but knew where to strike. The only
consolation for me is to see that babbler,
kossuth, made an ass OF, with his predictions.
Believe me-and | feel the papitations of
Russias heart-the past and present Empe
rOrs rs well as every Russian statesman and
general, would have preferred thousand
times to see all Europe-no matter million
Of men in arms in Poland, on the Vistula, or
the Nemen, to the Crimean expedition. The
Russians have certainly lost more in resour-
ces, horses, and men, in supporting their ar
my in the Crimea, than they did in the cam
paign Of 1912. Any man who knows the
country knows this rs surely rs that the sun {
shines. And then million of men in Po- {
and fighting for her nationality, as Kossuth I
says, would have starved, ruined, dcvoured
hat natonaity-that is, Poland; whereas it {
8 Russia which now suffers and blepds from I
st. Petersburg TO the Black Sea. 1t would I
lave been easier for the Russians to main {
ain 100000 men between the Baltic and /
}essarabia than 10000 in the Crimea. And !
hen all Europe in arms on the Nemen or c
he Vistula would have been starved out in a
hree months. Germany and Prussia would b
lave suffered terribly; while France could
md can, as well as England, much more east
y provide for her troops in the Crimea by the
i'd Of her fleets than she could in Poland or q
n any place in the interior of Il poor cOun-
ry which the Russians would have laid waste q
or hundreds Of miles around. ] am sure
hat even now, ii the Russians could choose, Il
hey would rather see Pelssier and his army n
. Poland than continue the struggle in the Il
,rmea. This is what the Crimean expedi. q
ion amounts to. Il
| believe, hope, that the Russians will do 81
he impossible. But to tell you the truth, e
~ heart bleeds, for | see by this event the Il
rogress of civilization has been stopped on
NO points. First, in the West, Louis Ma /,
oleon is fortified and the abjectness Of the ii
rench increased-iu whose eyes, with very h
w exceptions, the least glare of military .,
lory suifices for liberty honor, morality and IL
'al national dignity; and then in the East, Io
here, in spite of all that is said to the con. +,
ary, Russia was an agent Of civilization, 81
nd where Russia alone could and can fill ~
at office.
The Cars have received fearful punish 4,
ent for having followed for more than ~
1enty years past German and not Rus ol
an policy; for meddIing with European co
uabbIes; for marching into Hungary in ls49 do
stead Of taking Constantinople in lS4S, MS s,
ussian interests demanded at time when ''
body could have opposed it. 1t is terri.
Q lesson by which they will profit. You m
9 young, and you will live long enough, | "
i sure, to see Russia rise again. Her Ia. an
Mt forces are too great to be broken by an
en- this terrible blow. As for me, have an
thing but the petty consolation of seeing
e great Kossuth Hoored. Ii even last year
issia or Nicholas had the courage to make ed
appeal to the ScIaves of Southern Eu. tb,
pc, where now would Austria be with or
thout her allies! ~
RULES OF SELF GovERNmENT.-By n pru.
Mt Old Gentleman. Always sit next TO 'o'
, carver il you can, at dinner. hig
Ask no women her age. de!
Be civil to rich uncles and aunts. mr.,
Never joke with a policeman. ,ho
Don't play at chess with widow. '"'
Never contradict man who shutters. It's
Make friends with n steward on board she
no knowing how soon you {
y be placed in his power. :,
m avery strange house IL liz we'll 10 innuire Tell