The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-09

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Gar int . friend Of humanity; it will be time
enough to give play to the feelings, when the
battle becomes real, and the sham lights ended.
One thing alone is certain. Whichever side is
victorious, the end of the conflict win fod
Russia and France the leading powers OF Ea-
rope, and Great Britain occupying q secondary
rank.
Russisn Designs liza the East-Their Conse.
qucnces II Successful.
The pugbear by which the English and French
journals have all along endeavored to frighsen
the smaller States of Europe into joining the
coalition against Russia, is the suggestion that
If the latter Power should succeed in obtaining
possession Of Constantinople she will become
the arbiter of the destinies Of the world. There
never was o more erroneous idea. The expert
ence of history teaches us, on the contrary, that
from the moment che passes her natural limits
Of expansion the period Of her decsdence COM
menees.
Nations acquire physical and moral power by
q system operating from o fixed centre, from
whence the elements of their original vigor aud
force are diffused gradually and healthily to
the extremities. As in the functions Of animal
life, 70 In the existence Of S~tates-any dlstur-
bance of this natural process is certain to be
followed by atrophy and decay. Thus all at
tempts to transfer the seats of great empires
from their natural centres have invariably been
followed by a diminution Of the vital forces
and the ultimate disruption Of their component
parts. The same rule applies to nations who
attempt to push their conquests beyond
the limits of their power of retention. Thus
it was with the old Persian empire under
Darius and Xerxes. Not content with Q
sway which extended over q great part
Of Asia, over Egypt and Nubia in Africa, and
in Europe over Thrace, Macedonia, and the
coast Of the Mediterranean, the Persian mon
archs sacrificed the real power and supremacy
OF their country in a vain struggle for the glo-
ry Of universal dominion. Thus it was, too,
with the Roman Empire when it sought to re-
alize the same visionary dream. Of those
two ~unwieldy fabrics of imperial power what
remains low? Persia has dwindled into an in
significant and feeble monarchy, unequal even
to the protection Of her own territories against
Russian aggression; whilst Rome, once the
proud mistress of the world, extending her
sway over countless millions Of the human
race, has become the modest patrimony of the
successor Of st. Peter.
These lessons Of history seem to be entirely
lost upon European politicians. They look
upon the probable occupation of Constantine
lie by Russia for after all that event is only
aquestion of time-as fraught with danger to
tie stability and integrity of the European
msnsrchies. They forget that the territorial
sway of Russia has already been pushed to an
extent which will soon bring it within
the conditions of national decline. Hers
may be said to be the greatest unbroken en-
pire that has ever existed, occupying vast re-
gion, Of Europe and Asia, in extent almost q
sixth of the habitable globe. Radiating from
the centre of st. Petersburg. it has thus far
pushed forth its strength in continuous efforts,
and ~ steady advances towards its objects has
gone on acquiring, instead Of losing force.
Should its rulers, however, be insane enough
to attempt to depart from the principles that
have hitherto guided their policy, and overlap
the barriers which the laws of progress oppose
to IN irrational ambition, it will have to pay
tho penalty or their folly. Just rs the Greek
empire began to decline from the period Of the
removal Of its centre Of government to Con-
stantinople, and Moslemite energy became
effeminated from the same cause, SO from the
establishment of Russian power in that city Of
. evil Influences will date the commencement Of
its decay. Instead of being q first rate Ed
ropean, Russia will become an overgroan
Asatic State, with elements Of dissension and
weakness incorporated in her bosom which will
ultimately prove fatal to her existence. From
the very instinct Of ell representation, all Europe
will become leagued against her; and powerless
to eject mischief In that quarter, she will have
to employ her restless energies in further
aggessions upon her Eastern neighbors. In
the fulfllment of the mission that seems to be
assigned to her, she will first diffuse the seeds
of Christianity over the continent of Asia, by
q species of military propagandism. and then
tumble to pieces from her wi unwieldiness
and want of cohesion. Such, in a few words,
will be the history Of the Russian empire, and
indeed of all territorial ~sggregations which are
held together by no well regulated and ration.
al principle Of organization.
these views be oorrect-and they are in
strict accordance with historical experience
all the reasonings and speculations Of English
and French politicians fall to the ground. Il
is, in fact, the merest farce to maintain that the
di.pste between Russia and Turkey is a Euro
pean question, and that the balance Of power is
in any way involved in 1t. II is no such thing.
The Russian movement against Turkey Is part
ly q territorial and partly . religious crusade
by q semi. oriental power, against the dominions
of . weaker neightor, whose oppression Of the
co-religionists Of the former have always been
a source Of difficulty and heart-burning. This
is the exact importance Of the question. and no