Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-01-31
THE CRISIS IN EUROPE,

The advlces from abroad show the CUES
ton ofpeace or continued war to have reach
ed crisis. The Gear has the final and alb
solute decision of the question in his hands,
and whilst he celebrates all Europe anxi-
ously waits. Rumors were both numerous
and contradictory, and the hopes of peace or
fears of war alternately fuctuatcd as the
current idea of the hour was favorable to one
or the other 1t was not likely that this
state of indecision would be shortly tcrmi-
mated, though with its continuance the pros
pect of peace may be reasonably expected to
grow less and less. The period allowed the
Gar for consideration had been extended to
the 18th inst, and the inference had grown
almost into certainty, that instead of return
ing categorical answer to the terms pro-
posed, counter propositions would be sub
mitted and basis laid for negotiations as
prolonged, and perhaps as fruitless as those
that gave employment to the diolomats at
Vienna last winter. The London Times
protests against allowing Russia to again re-
open negotiations, and insists that the ans
wer given to the proposals must be definite
and decided on all the main points involved,
leaving only, for future settlement, the de-
tails OF the arrangement, upon which differ
enccs of opinion OF construction may be al
lowable
The text Of the peace proposals submitted
by Austria, which we give elsewhere, show
what are the precise terms Russia is rcquir-
ed to sanction. It must be admitted that
they embrace every point for which the al
lies have right to contend, short Of the ut
ter humiliation and despoilment of Russia.
The humiliation of the maritime supremacy
of Russia in the Black Sea, the exclusion of
her ships of war from Turkish waters, the
abandonment Of all her fortrcsses on the
Euxine, the remuneration of her claims to
any protectorate over the Danubian provin-
ces, together with cession of a portion of
Bessarabia, comprising the mouth of the
Danube, for which she is to receive in re-
turn the territory now held, but scarcely
conquered, by allies, are certainly terms
stringent enough to satisfyssall but those will
ling to pursue the war to the utter prostra-
ton Of one or the other of the belligerents
They guarantee the safety of Turkey from
everything except it's inherent weakness,
protect the commercial interests of England
and remove her fears of Russian encroach-
ment on her Indian Empire, and as gene
raj result satisfy all the reasonable expecta-
tons with which the allies commenced the
war.
Austria, in pressing these terms upon
Russia, has assumed an attitude that en-
courages the hope of her taking a still more
decided position in the event of their rejec-
ton. It is asserted that she will then not
only recall her ambassador from St. Peters
burg, but deliberate with the Western pow
ers upon the most efficacious means of car
rying out the treaty Of December Austria,
however, is an unsafe reliance; she delibe-
rates most when resolved to do the least,
and unless forced by unavoidable contingent
cies to assume decided part in the strug-
gle, will to the end Of the chapter maintain
her position of assumed friendliness to both
parties, ready at all times to profit by the
misfortune Of either. This attitude of Aus
tria, though so severely denounced by Eng
land, can scarcely be wondered at by those
who with less interest in the struggle, take
an unprecedented view of her position. On
which ever side she arrayed herself the act
would be tantamount to assuming a very
heavy portion of the war as we'll as the trans
fer Of the seat of war to her own territory
If for Russia, the allies would direct their
heaviest blows at her more assessible points
and in the other horn of the dilemma she
would have to meet the fercest attack that
the hate and disappointment of Russia could
direct against her northern frontier.
The most reliable advices from St. Peters
burg do not warrant much hope of a pacific
solution Of the negotiations The old Rus
sian, or war party, is more than ever in the
ascendant, and neither past experience of
the sacrifices imposed by the war nor fear
of it's future results, are allowed to render
peace possible on any terms that threaten
either the interests or honor of the Empire.
There is no apparent indecision or wavering
in her purposes, and while peace is contem-
plated as possible, the preparations for war
on an enlarged scale are pushed forward
with all the resources of the Empire, back
ed to the fullest extent by Russian obstina-
cy. Should Prince Esterhazy's mission fail
and all the premonitions point to that re-
suit as most probable-the great struggle
will take place next year on the shores of
the Baltic. 1t will be struggle such as
war in its most extravagant phases has new
er yet presented, and its incalculable sacri-
fees and momentous results, may influence
for ages the future progress Of Europe. The
decision Of the question rests with one man,
who by an absolute exercise of his will may
make it an irremediable contingency of the
future, or avert it altogether. Seldom, in
the history of the world, have consequences
Of such heavy Importance hung suspended
upon the decision of one mind. In the
meantime the whole civilized world waits in
anxious suspense the signal that is to inau-
gurate new era of peace Or prolong cruel,
devastating and eventful war.-Baltinaore
1yucric0a