Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-05-09
foreign Yslps.
The Peace and Russia.

! the light in their perfect form for some
weeks, yet their substance is fully un-
derstood, having been already embod-
led in published protocols. Indeed,
as the leading organ Of England OBJ
serves in its commentaries on the
peace, il would be impossible TO shroud
long in darkness the features Of SO
momentous an event; and both from
IFS tone and that Of Lord Palmerston
| in his announcing address to the Brit
lish Parliament, there can be little
question that Russia has had to endure
a severe humiliation.
This treaty OF Paris. is. in truth,
one Of the most striking importance in
Russian history. OF all the treaties
concluded by that naughty Empire du.
ring the last hundred and fifty years,
| It Is the first in which Russia receives
tie law instead of debating it, and. al
least in the aspect Of her external pol.
icy and relations. comes off in posi-
ltion even something lower than second
best. This treaty has been to Russia
a bitter pill, swallowed reluctantly
and only under the compulsion Of a
strong necessity. Not that the cour-
age OF Russia ever waned; on the con.
trary, her battle, single-handed,
against the odds combined to break
her down, will always hold promi'
nent page in the bloody records Of his
tory. To be sure, after the fall of hal
of Sevastopol and the submersion o.
the feet, Russia might still have de-
Tended her territories step by steF
against formidable coalition, extend
ing daily in circle Of FIRE around hei
frontiers-but at what cost and with
immense losses. On the whole, thi:
war could never have turned out sue
cessfully for her. 1t was in its com.
mencement a mistake, and in its con-
duct faulty. Russia committed ar
error in not appealing to her natura
allies, and in believing thatthe Western
Powers, and especially England. would
not press the war with most enven
omed animosity. II is now gooC
policy in the Emperor to make peace
when he could gain no possible advan
tage by war. So far, therefore. h,
has shown sagacious appreciation o
the exigencies Of the hour.
History, on its every page, beari
evidence that nothing has proved SC
fatal even to the most successful con
lquerors, or so ruined even the mos
victorious States, as an untimely OBJ
stinacy. Russia may perhaps have
avoided greater evils in accepting th'
conditions imposed by adverse fortune
But. nevertheless, the one broad fac
stands there. that in accepting thi
peace she has given up rights Of soy
ereignty in her own dominions. No
a single nation in Europe or America
mot even the smallest. is thus fettered
She is no longer master in her owl
house. She cannot make the use sh'
chooses other own bays, harbors ant
shores. All other nations rule owe
their own waters; those Of Russia alon'
become common property. Any 9th
er nation is permitted TO choose an,
spot on her own shores, transform
into stronghold. and erect there mil
itary docks. But Russia's coasts
where herprincipal rivers. flowing iron
the richest portions Of her great En-
pire, find theirmouths, and her great
est trade leads out--are'to be exposes
unarmed and comparatively unprotec
ted. Nicolaieff. TO be sure, is not +
be dismantled. but it ceases to be
protection to the shores OF the Blacl
Sea, loses its extensive arsenals. j
shorn of its former splendors; its mill
,tary and scientific establishment, il
schools and manufactures; and its no
bic docks, will soon be abandoned +
desolation and decay. Russia. in
word, is disarmed on that very poin
Of her huge frame in which--as we al
ways held, and the war has proved
she was most vulnerable. The Cri
mea was her Achilles's heel, and il ha
now been SCARED and stripped Of a
its covering. There she is at the mer
cy of her enemies.
Turkey possesses and preserves he
immense arsenals and defenses i
Constantinople; aud no matter ho'
PROSTATE may be the condition Of th
Ottoman Empire, or how agonizing il
thoes, before the death-knell has sour
ded its dissolution it may still gathe
strength sufficient to strike one blow
The expiring nation may throw flas
before its fall. Another Amurath {
Suleiman may appear, or even a Ban
barossa or Dragut. While she hold
life, the Porte will to the very last m,
ment obtain encouragement and al
from the West in maintaining a nav
in the Bosphorus. Then any pirstic.
or adventurous chief will always
enabled to enter the Black Sea an
ravage or destroy any spot he please
So can France and England, or an
imaginary or pretty provocation-an
the latter ofthese powers, unscrup,
lous in her selfish purposes, has durin
the last century shown in many il
stances, both in Europe and this coul
try, with what keen relish she ca
prounce upon unguarded costs. I'll
English war-steameTs can at any m,
ment. swift as aash, leap from the
strong. stations in the Mediterranes
into the Black Sea, and such cou
de main would be sure TO win pna,
from the British people.
The closing Of the Straits TO .
men-ofwar we regard as but DO
security. The skeleton of power re
resented by the Porte will yield
any slight rupture, and deliver Il
keys of the Dardanelles with or wit
out a struggle. With steam vesse
the Straits can easily be forced. Au
tria, who is daily increasing her nav
strength in the Mediterranean, can.
the way we have pointed out, cross Il
imaginary barrier and make havoc
defenseless Russia: and Russia oug
to have learned that sho has no 81
cere allies in Europe, and that the o