The New York herald., 1870-05-02
Tho Eastern Qucstion-An Important Special
Despatch from Turkey.

Tho Eastern Question-An Important Special
Despatch from Turkey.
The grand polltlco-diplomatlc problem
known as the Eastern question was not solved
by the Crimean war; The dead Of the Alma,
the chivalry Of Balaklava, the stubborn endu-
rance and fierce onslaughts Of Inkermann, the
glories Of the MalakoR and the disaster Of the
Redan, with their sequences, industrial and
financial, have been, 80 far az the ultimate
issue Is concerned, offered up and endured In
vain The mind Of the world still turns to the
East, to the land Of the Star seen by the
shepherds. Christianity still directs its eyes
with anxiety to that land. Indeed, II may be
said that the Christian eye looked with more
confidence towards the Orient In tho
days Of Richard the lIon-hcarted and
Of Brian Bois de Guilbert, and Of
Charlemagne aud Godfrey de Bouillon,
than it does to-day, after all the strategy and
deeds Of St. Arnaud, Pellissler and Lord
Raglan, and their brave and allied armies.
The truth of this position is made apparent
by our special correspondence from Europe
to hand yesterday, but more particularly and
pointedly so by the special letter from Con-
stantinople which appears in our columns
to-day. This valuable paper describes tho
present aspect Of the Eastern question, chang
ing the venue, however, Of the seat Of Its
actual and moving points of complication from
London and Paris to Alexandria and Constan--
tinople. 1t appears just now as the Egypto-
Turkish question. The chief parties shown
as being in more direct opposition are the
viceroy of Egypt and the Sultan of Turkey.
The points of difference between them are
the old claim Of absolute sovereignty and
modern assertion Of quasi executive inde-
pendence. After the reader has read our
special exhibit Of these Egypto- Turkish pre-
mises he will soon come to our written Illus
tration of the whole case, with our special
exhibit of the probable, almost certain,
consequences England and France, Turkey
and Russia are again in motion; Rome looks
to the holy places, and we have letter from
the Eternal City which goes to show that very
many able and distinguished Israelites are
looking to Rome, two talented writer's Of the
ancient faith having just appeared in print as
defenders Of The Ecumenical Council-Of its
diplomacy, at least, If not exactly Of It's canon
ical rules and dogmatical intent. Constanti-
nople, as will be seen, is again the seat Of
very active diplomacy. France and
England are represented as in cabinet rivalry,
however. Indeed, it appears as If it were
quite unlikely that the occurrence of any
diplomatic or territorial contingency in the
East could bring the two Powers again into
union for allied war purposes. Greece forms
fractional unit Of Christian consideration
also.
Behind all--speaking more correctly, before
all-looms up and stands forth Russia, the
one grim, solitary, cold and formidable
neighbor, if not master, of the East. Russia
is at hand, powerful and untrammelled from
Rome. From st. Petersburg she views Con-
stantinople, but yet remains unihawed by the
reflected sheen of the light of Catholicity
which is reflected from its Christian churches
and native mosques. She depends on the
needle gun, the bayonet, the sword and the
newest cannon, just as she depended in days
past on the arms which were then in the hands
Of the troops OF Peter, Of Catherine Of
suwerrow and Of Nicholas. In fine, Russia, as
viii be seen from our special correspondence,
has five hundred thousand soldiers to-day
within twenty hours march Of the coast Of
Turkey. Can they remain as they areP Ger
tainly not. When and where will they move?
This is one of the grand questions Of the hour.
tits the Eastern question itself, and this ques-
ton brings that of Christianity-Rome, Israel
and the Bible-along with it. Our Constan-
tinople special despatch constitutes therefore
now standpoint in the history Of the world.