The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-21
The Eastern ouost,ou.

Europe and the Turkish power-now known
under the general title of the Eastern Cues
tion-will be consummated only by the final
expulsion of the Turks from Constantinople,
II the dispute were strictly confined to the
petty sovereignty of Greece and the widely
extended dominion of the Sublime Porte,
there would be but faint hope of its realiza-
tion during the present century. But as soon
as a speck Of war begins to hover over Con-
stantinople, all Europe is aroused, and when
for once the war cloud burst less than a score
of years ago, England, France, and Sardinia
were leagued with Turkey against the Car of
all the Russias singe-handed. This circum-
stance disclosed the true issues at stake in the
East. st. Petersburg is a very cold and
cheerless town for capital, and ever since
the days of Peter the Great the dream of the
Gar has been the removal of his
court to the Dardapelles, and the
virtual establishment of the en-
pire founded by Constantine and demolished
by Mahomet the Second. AS a means of
diverting the attention of the Turks, and o.
afiording plausible avenue of approach to
Constantinople, Russian influence has made
itself paramount at Athens by the marriage of
King George to the Grand Duchess Olga, the
bond of union between the two royal families
being still further cemented and strengthened
by other intimate marital relations between
the house Of Denmark and the Russian dy-
nasty. By this convenient family arrange
ment, Greece leads the never-endipg assault
upon the Turkish dominion in Europe, the
trump card of Russia to be introduced into
the game only when a grand crisis has been
reached-such a crisis as will enable Russia,
at one decisive blow, to drive the Turk out of
Europe for all time to come
The Conference which has just been held in
Paris, with the view of postponing the final
resort to arms, has accomplished practically
nothing. The real issue has not been touched;
guarantee by all the great powers of Europe
of the integrity of the Sultan's dominions, the
only alternative with his ultimate expulsion,
has not been broached by the representatives
of the powers who participated in the treaty
of Paris and in the recent Conference. The
proceedings of the Conference, as far as they
can be ascertained, amount simply to formal
declaration that the encouragement of insur-
rections within, or of privateering and military
expeditions against the countries Of friendly
States, is a violation of international law. AS
this principle is one which has been clearly
established for centuries, there can
be no doubt but that it will
again receive the sanction of all
the parties to the Conference. The rep
resentatiye of Greece; however, was not ad-
mitted to the assemblage, and Greece may
withhold her assent to the declaration, in
which event, we are told, the Sublime Porte
will still insist upon its ulimatum, while the
great powers will simply stand aloOf and per-
nit events to to take their course. Therefore,
if Greece refuse to yield every position which
she has heretofore assumed, the preparations
for war on both sides will continue, and when
the conflict is well under way, the great
powers will be drawn into it by jealousy OF
Russia and fears of her final establishment in
ConstantinOple. Then will come a reGnact-
ment OF the Crimean struggle, and the issue
this time will probably be materially different
! from the former.
| With the lapse of time the hold of the
| Turks upon their European dominions be-
comes feebler, and hearty support from the
| Western powers can alone enable them to
maintain it. Their sway over the greater
| portion of so-called Turkey in Europe has sell
dom amounted to anything more than nomi
nal suzerainty, or technical recognition ol
sovereignty such as Charles the Bold, of Bur
eundy, conceded to Louis XI of France, at q
time when the vassal was a more potent sove-
reign than the liege lord himself. The Mol
dsvians, Wallachians, Servians, Bulgarians-
in short, all the nominal Christian elements o.
the population, are quite as hostile in feel
ing towards the Sublime Porte as are
the Cretans, quite as anxious tc
set up on their own account, and, moreover,
are for the most part in the practical enjoy.
mept of the substance of Independent SOW
reignty. although they have not, as yet, come
into possession of its shadow-the name
Greek sympathy for the Cretan insurrec
tiopists is merely the entering wedge; the
open or disguised assistance of Russia to the
Christian provinces, in case of their revolt
will consummate the dismemberment of the
empire founded by Mahomet the Second, and
consolidated, as far as consolidation of sucE
heterogeneous masses was possible, by Soly
man the Magnificent. That such revolt viii
certainly follow the iDaguration of wal
between Turkey and Greece is, to Turkey an(
the great powers jealous of Russia, one of the
most unpleasant features of the Eastern