The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-11-22
From, the Erening BaAetin.
Russia.

This is not the time 70 talk OF Amer
lean sympathies in the present war, nor
to ingulge in cxtravagant and idle specu-
lation such as those of the London Daily
News. whose astute editor sees America
swarmiDg with Russians in buckram who
are in league with phantom Shareholders.
If there is any large class in America
that inclines towards Russia. it is simply
because there may be left good deal OF
the old grudge existing against England.
But among cool. headed, thingking, liber-
al-minded Americans, who make the So
luton of great political question mat
te of principle, not of prejudice, there
can be no difficulty in deciding that the
success Of the allies is to bo preferred to
that Of the enemy, Russia.
There may be, also, in the country
small class who sympathize, or think they
sympathize, with Russia, owing to very
false and exaggerated notions of the pow
or and resources of that nation. They
can surely end nothing in her institutions,
her policy or the character of her empe-
rors that can accord with their own free
instincts as citizens Of liberal republic.
But they have been awed by reports OF
the might of Russia, and have been will
ing to receive for truth the stories Of her
inyincibility aud unbounded wealth; with
out asking the testimony of history
upon these important points. The dis
tance of St. Petersburg from US u axes Its
court to appear grand, mighty and mys-
terious; the semi-barbaric pomp, report
ed by occasional American visitors to that
capital, rather dazzles the eyes of remote
republicans; the concentration OF wealth
in a few cities and OF power in few for
tifcations-and these the places most
likely to be seen by tourists-creates AL
impression that the whole vast empire Is
alike wealthy and powerful.
| There has been, too, certain inpres.
sion which, among thougtlesS people, a
mounts to sor. OF conviction, that Rus
sia never yields to her enemies; that she
contends and persists in conteDding, un,
til she accomriishes her objects, no mat
ter what may be the sacrifice required
SO far from this being the truth, it is vel
known fact that whenever she has been
brought into opposition with nation Of
any power, she bas yielded every point
or accomplished by trickery aud subter-
fuge what she could not gain By honora.
bic meaDs. She made peace twice with
Napoleon, and offered him one of the i'm
perial family in marriage, if be would
grant to her the coveted prize of Con
Stantinople. In her wars with Napoleon
she was worsted, even when she had Eng
land and Prussia to assist her. The Mos
cow expedition was not Russian victory
for Russia fed before her invader, and
burned and laid waste her own town as
the only means Of checking him. The
destruction of the expedition to Moscow
vas not owing to Russian proves, OF
even to Russian endurance; it failed only
because Napoleon, with his grand ide'
swollen by marvellous success, had over
estimated human strength. and led his
enormous army through hostile country
fifteen hundred miles from his capital
where even an unmolested march would
have been equivalent to destruction.
No, Russia has never succeeded il
any struggles with strong foe. Her
policy has been one Of war and conquest
but not fair, honorable war and conquest
She has courted alliances that might
strengthen her against her enemies, and
when, with other arms, victories have
been achieved, she has sown discord a.
mong her friends, aud brought about a
division of the spoils, in which she con
triyed to be the gamer. So it has been
in past times, and SO it would be in the
present war, if Russia had any friends to
help her. But the present war, like all
the past, has furnished a succession OF
proofs that Russia has neither the power
nor the endurance that have been errone-
ously attributed to her. She may have
made a few bold dashes, and few sturdy
resistanccs; but in every case, thus far,
she has beer compelled at last to yield,
and not single advantage has she gain
ed. Beginning with the splended Black
Sea feet, whose one solitary exploit was
the carnage of Sinope-,his much vaunt-
ed feet is now literally annihilated, and
not Russian plank can hoat in the Black
Sea. Ia the Danabian Principalities,
which she invaded SO proudly two or
three years ago, she suffered defeat after
defeat at the hands of the Turks, until
she was com PEELED to retreat ignominious-
ly. In the Crimea, during the war she
has been chastised at Alma, Inkermann,
the Tchcrnaya, and finally at Sevastopol,
losing strength and ground at every step,
and still yielding, ever yielding, to the
terrible advances of her enemies. In the
Caucasus she has been time and again
punished by Schamyl and his handful of
barbarans. In the remote Pacific, Pc
tropaulowski, which had shown that it
might be defended, was tamely abandon
ed. In the Sea of Azoff she has lost ev-
cry advantage she had, and now in South
ern Russia, the important fortress of Kin
burn has fallen, and Nicolaief and Odes-
sa are threatened. Last of all, in Turk
ish Asia. which she inv adcd with large