Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-05
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

The Prospect for Peace Our columns have
been 80 completely occupied of late with af-
fairs transpirins in this city, as that we have
been unable even to notice editorially the i'm
Portant news brought over by the last arrival
from Europe: that of Russia's acceptance Of
the now well known four propositions as the
basis OF immediate negotiations tor peace.
We have to say that we believe her act will
end shortly in peace, because, in forming a
treaty on that basis, we think she will gain
far more.than she can possibly lose. 1t strike.
MS that the Allies are mistaken in their evil
dent notion that they are to accomplish any
thing whatever for themselves by forcing on
Russia the terms in question, in which idea i.
Is very evident that Nicholas himself shared
during his lifetime.
1t is Russia interest, as well as her destiny,
to expand eastwardly, where her subjects
come in contact with a race industrialIy in
ferior to themselves, occupying spsrsely set
tied country. Not westwardly, in which di.
rection those whom she must overcome to do
30, are the industrial superiors of her chill
dren, and occupy acountry much more densely
populated than their own. No diplomatic eff.
forts can change her destiny to expand east
wardly, however much they might retard its
eonsummatiOn. As in our case, her production
OF bread Outstrips her production of mouths to
consume it; and the laws of national nature,
which make territorial expansion our mani
fest destiny, operate as powerfully in her case;
and, on her eastern frontier, under as favorable
circumstances as exist on our southern and
southwestern frontier. We may also truth
fully add, that her population increases much
faster than that Of any other European coun-
try, the circumstances under which the uuan.
tity Of bread she produces increases so fast,
being invariably operative to generate a cor.
responding increase Of population, by births.
France and England are dependent on her for
their daily bread. Neither Of them can 20 a
year without the bread Of Russia, except by
making immense pecuniary sacrifices, and
their people) by undergoing the greatest d is
tress less than general starvation, imaginable
This is the secret of her great strength and
political power; as it is, in great measure,
Of ours.
She can place the Black Sea in the keeping
OF the FIVE Powers to great advantage to her
iuture' as, By so doing, she will greatly in.
crease the demand of Western Europe on hcr
iOf ofsadstuns, as the result of the greater
freedom Of the commerce Of that sea, which
cannot fail to grow out of the change Of the
system On winch Its custom horses &c. will
DC hereafter managed. While thus immen,elv
benehttinS herself by the increase Of h.,
material wealth which she will -
IN exchange for her greater exports .,
corn, she will not in reality be DELAYING n,
hour at which the "sick man"-the Tu,t;.t
Empire-Hill die; when she will SURELY recs;v.
her legitimate share Of his effects-territory
Inc article (of the FOUR which transfers tn,
P'o.ectorate of Russia over the Christians o.
turkey TO the four Powers, cannot fail Il
hAs'en' rather than retard the event to which
We refer above. Tits bad enough for Turke,
'" nave one rover and one Christian denomi
nation interfering in her religions ,;u;, -
domestic affairs, but to have four Power. and
three or four, or, it may be, q dozen dsnor,.
nations Of Christians exercising a s;m;,.,
oy treaty, will De much worse for her in . no'
h''cai point Of view. Nearly ninety.piu. !,
every hundred Christians In Turkey are mem