Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-05-05
THE EASTERN QUESTION.
Number III.

over very lightly the events imme-
diately before and after the Crimean
war; we do so for two reasons, be-
cause the present and future of the
Eastern question are pressing so ur-
gently now that it will be very diff
cult to interest ourreaders in tspast,
and also because 1t will be seen by
this time that this subject is becom-
inga very mOnOtonOus one; that the
same questions come over again
whenever this matter is stirred,
that the Greek revolt, the Egyptian
revolt and the recent Servian revolt
present features So identical that,
with few changes in the proper
names, the history Of one might
pass as the history of any other.
The same causes of discomfort in
the Turkish tributaries, the same
ferocious violence in their suppress
sion, the same Russian intrigues' i'm
fomenting them, the same effort on
the part of the rest of Europe to
save the Ottoman empire from dis
Indignation, and the same treaty
ratified at the close restricting Rus
STA from any intervention in Turk
ish affairs except i'm concert with the
other powers; and finally the same
gradual abandonment of the stipula-
tions of such treaties, when the at
tentiOn of Europe is occupied with
something else.
AS in the present troubles so in
the Crimean war, troubles originated
in Montenegro. In truth occasion
Tor difficulties may always be found
in Montenegro as it has been in a
chronic state of revolt for years.
The Turkish government was en-
deavOring to put down the revolt,
but was informed by note from
Vienna that the disturbances so near
the Austrian frontier were danger
Gus to the latter nation and must
be stopped.
Before this note could receive at
tention from ConstantinOple, a sim
liar note was dispatched from the
Russian court cOntaininga categOri-
cal demand for the removal of the
Turkish troops from Montenegro.
Prince MentchikOff a violent and
imperiOus man was at the same time
sent plenipotentiary to COnstanti-
nople commissioned to enforce these
demands and to add TO them the old
reuuisition for the sole prOtectOrate
of the Christians in the Turkish en-
pire. Sir Stratford Canning from
England was sent to resist this de-
mand, and to enforce the observance
of the treaties which assigned that
protectorate to the great European
powers collectively.
Sir Stratford was the ablest diplO-
plomatists then i'm the British SER
vice but he was not backed by any
energy in the home government ;
Lord PalmerstOn was in the minis
try whose chief was ut that time the
Earl of Aberdeen, a man selected in
virtue of his negations, but Palmer
ston was not the Secretary foEforeign
affairs; he had been assigned the
Home Department and Lord Russell,
considered mere pacific diploma
fist, was Foreign Secretary.
Austria had been pacified by the
compliance with her note before that
Of Russia arrived, and now began
TO act under the alarm which Rus
sian aggression in Turkey has al
ways Occasioned her; she was anXi-
Gus To help Turkey, but she saw
England and France eager and she
held back to see whether those pow
ers would not, as had happened in
other wars, do her fighting for her.
France was just rejoicing in the
accession of her new emperor, Ma
poleon III and that gentleman was
eager to to hide any defects of his
title under the smoke of European
war.
Nentchikoff was somewhat en-
barrased by the sudden compliance
of the Porte with the Austrian de-
mand, and was reduced to quarrel
about the custody of the tomb of
Christ at Jerusalem about which
the French and Russian monks had
had quarrel, and in which the
Turkish government, when appeal
cd TO, had decided in favor OF
France.
This question however was soon
settled by arbitration and the old
demand for the leprotectorate was
put forward alone. 1t was resisted
by Sir Stratford by the allegation OF
treaties, it was promoted by the adj
vance of armies and navies ON the
part Of Russia. Tedious negotia-
tiOns protocols, notes &c. g., abrupt
Iy broken Off by the sudden crossing
Of the Black sea by the Russian
feet, which then, without any de
claratiou of war attacked and sunk
the unprepared navy Ofthe Ottoman
empire at SinOpe, destroying every
ship and every man.
every man.
All Europe was aghaSt, and on
the English and French it acted like
the firing upon Fort Sumpter at the
commencement of our war. The
only question was now that of pre-
partition in hot haste, and the Cri-
mean war was the result. This is
no place to give the details of that
struggle, we are mainly concerned
in the treaty which followed when
Russia had succumbed to the arms OF
France and England.
The treaty of Paris embodied, more
completely than any other which
had been made, the English posi-
ton regarding the Turkish empire.
The Russians stipulated that no
sbips Of war should be maintained
Il