The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-07-14
RUSSIA'S DESIGNS ON TURKEY"
LETTER FROM COUNT GURowsKI
the Editors Of the Eren,ng Post !:


10 the Editors ofthe Ecen,nq Post
The letter signed j. B., from Paris, inserted
IN the Ecea''t9 Post of June 22d, presents GER
tam views respecting the fate of Turkey, and
the designs of Russia in reference to that co n
try, which deem to be mistaken. All Europe
now sees clearly the utter impossibility of the
further existence of the Moslem rule. Dispas-
sionate investigators of the working of social
and historical laws foresaw and asserted the
same impossbility from the beginning of the
late eastern imbroglio and war. But how diff.
ficult, then, it was, to make it generally under
stood
The Crescent is rapidly setting, and no earth.
ly power can prevent the final decomposition
and disappearance of the Ottomans from Eu-
rope, and the final emancipation of the various
Christian European populations. Butthe results
and the consequences of the Crimean war, the
treaty of Paris foremost among them, wholly
change the mode and the consolidation of the
approaching emancipation. 1t must be alto
gether different from what could have taken
place previously without that bloody episode.
Events change their current, and bring forth
new occurrences They give a new impulse,
they modify and even reverse aims of policy,
preconcerted notions in individuals in states
men, as well as in nations. 1t is a law impera-
tive in nature and in history The new evo-
luton by which the emancipation of the Eu-
ropean populations from the Mohammedap
sway will be accomplished ; this evolution is
the paramount and beneficial result of that
ominous struggle. But for it, most probably
Russia would have CLEANED all the spoils Now,
this is almost out of the question, and this i'm
possibility will be beneficial to Russia.
The Ottoman iron rule broken, the various
European parts will fall off, composing at once
normal units. Such are, first, the Moldo. Wal
lachian second, the Servian with Bosnia
third, the Scavo- Rumelian and fourth the
pure Greek elements, which will Join and merge
into the kingdom of Greece. Whatever might
be the surmises of certain politicians in Eu.
rope, concerning the continued schemes of ST.
Petersburg on Turkey and Constantinope, all
this talk has no basis in existing data. The
Russians wish ardenty for the emancipation of
their co-religious and kindred race, but without
any longing to absorb them. Out of the four
above-enumerated normal units, two-that is
Servia and Moldo- W allachia--are already near
ly independently constituted. None of them
would wish to submit to Russia, whose Govern
ment also would not be so faithess as to try to
UNDO what was principally the creation of its eff
forts. To attempt it, after the dissolution Of the
Porte, would evoke not only the resistance of
Europe, but of the aspiring independent pop
ulations.
All seems to indicate that the actual Russian
Government knows too well the dangers and
precipices in which such an attempt would
drag It, But events show that without great
difficulty kind of southern confederation may
be erected where hitherto thu Koran had held
sway. Should Austria be shaken to her fuunda
tions by the pending struggle in Italy, the Mag
var element may easily find place in this new
confederation not, however, as a naughty
ID and e l.
tons, but restricted exclusively to the Magyar
nationality.
Another error preached here by the European
correspondents, or rather invented by Mazzini,
Is, that the Grand Duke Constantine of Russia
Is to become eventually King of Hungary. He
is too sincerely a Russian and Sclave-his
sphere OF action is now by far to expanded
ter the broad Russian Kaftaa Tor the cu i LIED
Magyar Jotman*. 1t is far more to be second
in Russia than first among Magyars. Russians
have ceased to look towards Constantinople
and the Mediterranean as to condition of
death and life. Sensible and sound minded as
they are, they begin, by this time, to find out
other horizons for their expansion. Such are
their Asiatic possessions, the regions of the
AmOor and the Pacific.
The Russians realize that with the twentieth
part of what they sacrificed in capital and vari-
Gus resources in the Crimean war, or what they
would sacrifice in a new grasping for Constan-
tinOple, they can cover the whole Empire with
nets of railroads, improve, cultivate, develop
the natural resources of their European and
Asiatic possessions, build up harbor on the
Amoor, and create on the Pacific position
truly formidable. The Pacific is as limitess
and inviting for their commerce as for their
navy. On the Euxine, in Constantinople, and
in the Mediterranean, the Russian interests and
expansion would be forever hedged in and sur
rounded by numerous envious and hostile com
pettors GURowsKI
Geneseo, LioingstOn county n. J.,
= June 20, 1859.
Namrs of the national costumes