The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-22
THE PEACE IN EUROPE.

On our fourth page may be found copy of
the Treaty of Peace lately concluded in Eu-
rope. 1t is one of the wisest and most benef
cent treaties yet devised by the wisdom of man,
and furnishes a pleasing evidence of the in
creasing civilization of the age.
Our readers will remember our course in re-
lation to the Turco-Russian controversy. From
the beginning, we regarded it really as strug-
gle between Eastern Barbarism and Western
Civilization. Russia was the Oppressor of Eu-
rope, the aggressor in that controversy; her
dream was of universal empire and, had she
succeeded in her design to subdue and absorb
Turkey, there would have been no security for
any Power in Europe, nor would this nation
have been exempted from her superclious pre-
tensions. We justified the Allies in the posi-
ton they took-ridiculed the idea of Russian
neutrality-suspicious. her humiliation-ex-
posed the false rumors circulated in this coun-
try of the unpopularity of the war in England
indicated the good faith of the Allies in their
purposes in regard to Turkey-denied that
they entertained the project of Remembering
the Principalities, and dividing Turkey be-
tween them-insisted that their whole course
showed a sincere purpose, and it was the dictate
of necessity to introduce that Power into the
European system, secure the enfranchisement
of her Christian subjects, and set bounds for
ever to the territorial ambition of Russia. We
need not say, that on all these points we stood
opposed to the Neo York Tribune and that
portion of the American Press which sympa-
thized with Russia. Last summer, when we
showed how completely that paper had changed
its position, from that of a denouncer to that
of an apologist of the Gar, its reply was, the
controversy has changed its aspect-it is now,
simply who shall possess Turkey-Russa or
the Allies?" We exposed the fallacy of all
this, as we did of bold assertion in its edito-
rial columns, concerning plot in the House
Of Commons "to partition Turkey"
But we need not recapitulate our manifold
points of disagreement. Suffice it now that
the position and views of the Era have been
as completely justified, as those of the Tribune
and its sympathizers have been condemned. by
the results of the war. The Treaty of Peace
more than vindicates our course. II adds
strength to the Principalities, places them un-
der the suzerainty of the Sultan, provides for
their development, and excludes Russian in.
PREVENTION. 1t withdraws at once the armies of
France and England from Turkish soil, makes
Turkey member of what may now be called
the federative system of Europe, places her
under the protection of international law. ex.
tinguishes all pretext for interference with her
internal concerns, while securing the absolute
political equality of all classes of the subjects
of the Sultan, and by the provisions against
ornaments or arsenals on the shores of the
Black Sea, guards efectually against Russian
ambition. 1t opens that sea and the Danube
to the flags Of all nations, secures no special
privileges to any one of the five Powers, adopts
the American principle in regard to neutral
bottoms, abolishing privateering among the
contracting parties, and binds them all, so far
as solemn stipulations can have force to main
tain the peace of Europe. In a word, it is a
treaty honorable to Europe and to the civiliza-
ton of the age.
All we have to say in conclusion, is, that we
cannot but think it the wiser course for Ameri.
can editors, in their views and discussions of
foreign affairs, to rely upon their own reading,
their own examination of original documents,
and their own good sense, and not permit
themselves to be biased by foreign writer's, no
matter what their requirements, known to be
committed as partisans to certain theories in
relation to the social and political systems of
Europe.
The paragraph in which the Tribune COM
mends this great Treaty, must be put on record.
"Thus after all, the treaty of Paris marks
truly progressive and humanized epoch in
the history of international law. 1t embodies
great principles in relation to maritime war
fare, and it embodies and recognises, in some
degree at least the moral obligation of submit
ting disputes between nations to arbitration.
These two facts form a magnificent victory of
the modern spirit over the old traditions of bru-
tai force and arbitrary will, which, under the
! barbarous name of Rights of War, still shed a
blot upon the code Of the worlds public law"