Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-09
Che frEeman
MONTPELIER,VT VT.
WEDNESDAY. MAY 9, 1877.
The Eastern War.

4hC Lh9NcA"
It is now two weeks since the formal
declaration of war by Russia in thai
time good progress has been made by the
attacking party. Having at once crossed
the Pruth. the Russians have advanced
through Roumania, the most north easterly
of the Turkish principalities, and are now
gathering on the northern bank of the
Danube.
Roumania, which is nominally Turkish
territory but really in sympathy with Rus
sia, has determined TO help the latter
country. The only question about the
action Of the. Roumanians was whether
they would dare to follow their inrlina-
lions The presence OF Il large Muscovlte
force has brought them to the conviction
that it is us safe to do what they wish as
to fight for those whom they regard us in
tidel oppressors.
In Asia the fortress of Kars which in the
war of 1854 resisted for months tue attacks
of the Russians, has now suddenly surren-
Tered. Kars is situated to the south of the
southeastern extremity Of the Black Sea,
and has been deemed an important strate-
gic point. Its garrison consisted of 1900
Turks who were taken prisoners in the as
saut of Sunday, which was made by 3d.
900 Russians. The latter are now advance
ing on Erzeroum, ninety miles distant on
the road to Consantnople.
Egypt, of course, assists the Sultan to rs
great an extent as possible, but IL sudden
augmentation Of trouble with the Abyssin-
mans fotbids the Khedive from sending as
many troops to assist his master as he
could otherwise spare. 1t is said that the
Sultan meditatcs raising the " standard OF
the prophet and declaring II holy war,
thus summonng all Moslems to the rescue.
The most interesting events are now
occurring, not on the banks Of the Danube
OF the south shore of the Black Sea, but
in Western Europe. When Turkey last
crossed arms with Russia, she soon had
the help of France and England. France
now declares that she will remain strictly
neutral and there will he no Turkish ally
in the west unless it be England.
Engand's immense possessions in Asia
and the growing power of Russia in that
quarter of the globe make her extremely
Jealous The nearest water route to Eng
lands Indian possessions is by the Suez ca
nal, and if Russia once had Constantine
pie, and with it chance to darken the
Mediterranean with her navies, this route,
us well us the great land traffic, would be
at the mercy of the "northern barbara
ans" 1t was no doubt jealousy us to In
dian interests that made England engage
in the war in 1854, and she has now added
reason for alarm.
On the other hand the English people
were thoroughly aroused and indignant
last year at the horrors in Bulgaria com
mitted by the Turks, and their sympathy |
for the Christian subjects of the Porte was
manifested in good deal of talk if moth
ing more. D'lsraeli and other members
of the government did not however great
ly worry themselves over Bulgarian MUIR
dcrs and were in fact so Indifferent as to |
lose some of their former popularity.
Gladstone, though retired from the leader
ship of the liberals, was really the spokes-
man of those whose sympathies We're stir
red by the murders.
Since the Russian declaration of war,
Lord Derby has sent Gortschakof, The Rus
sian prime minister, remarkable note.
1t says that England cannot approve the
declaration of war, and that it was for the
powers acting together to obtain the exc
cution of promises already made by the
Turks 1t states further that it was the
Russian army that made it impossible for
the powers to get Turkey to disarn, and
in short throws the blame for the war
squarely upon the Russians.
While the English ministry is thus plac-
ing that nation in readiness to declare
war, Gladstone is endeavoring to keep
his country out of the contest. He NOV
ed resolutions in the House of Commons
last week, declaring that Turkey has for
feited her right to any moral or material
aid from England These resolutions
came up for debate Monday and the con.
test over them was deemed one of nation.
al Importance.
The result Of the debate and the vote on
the resolutions is not known to us at the
time of this writing. The conservatives,
with D'Israeli's government in sympathy
with and leading them, are striving to
have England think that her Indian pos
sessions are in danger, and that the old no.
tions that England must fight whenever
the balance of power" was likely to be
disturbed were good common sense. Glad
stone is trying to save his country from II
state of mind which will surely plunge it
into war, by emphasizing the horrors of
Turkish supremacy, exciting English SYM
pathy for the objects professed in the Rus.
sian declaration of war and thus neutral
izing the irritation caused by jealousy.
His object is that of statesman and his
success will save England from great
danger. His failure will mark her full en-
trance into great peril.
The president leaves Washington to-
day to be present ut the opening of the
permanent exhibition in Philadelphia to-.
morrow. From Philadelphia he goes to
New York where the Chamber of Com
merce gives him n reception on the 18th.