Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-05-02
War Between Russia and Turkey.
THE RUSSIAN WAR MANIFESTO.

THE RUSSIAN WAR mANIFESIOs
ST. PETERSBURG, April 24.-The
following is the text of the Cars mani
festo to the Russian army and people,
which was promulgated to-day;
sour faithful and beloved subjects
know the strong interest we have con-
stantly felt in the destinies of the OPP
pressed Christian population of Turkey.
Our desires to ameliorate and assuage
their lot has been shared by the whole
Russian nation, which now shows itself
ready to bear fresh sacrifices to alleviate
the position of the Christians in the
Balkan peninsula. The blood and
property of our faithful subjects has
always been dear to us, and our whole
reign attests our constant solicitude to
preserve to Russia the benefits ofpeace.
This solicitude never failed to actuate
US during the deplorable events which
occurred in Herzegovina, Bosnia and
Bulgaria. Our object before all was to
effect the amelioration in the position
of the Christians in the East by means
Of pacific negotiations and in concert
with the great European powers, our
allies and friends, for two years we
have made incessant efforts to induce
the Porte to effect such reforms as
would protect the Christians in Bosnia,
herzegovina and Bulgaria from the
arbitrary measures of the local authori-
ties. The accomplishment Of these re-
forms was absolutely stipulated by an
terror engagements contracted by the
Porte toward the whole of Europe.
Our efforts, supported by diplomatic
representations made in common by the
other governments, have not, however,
attained their object. The Porte has
remained mistaken in its formal refusal
ofany effective guarantee for the securi-
ty Of its Christian subjects, and has
rejected the conclusions of the Constan-
tlnople conference.
wishing to essay every possible
means Of Cancellation in order to per-
suade that Porte, we proposed to the
other cabinets to draw up a special
protocol comprising the most essential
conditions Of the Constantinople con-
ference, and to invite the Turkish gov
eminent to adhere to this international
act, which states the extreme limits of
our peaceful demands. But our expec-
tauion was not fulfilled. The Porte did
not defer to this unanimous wish of
Christian Europe, and did not adhere to
the conclusions Of the protocol. Hav-
ing exhausted pacific efforts we are
compelled by the naughty obstinacy of
the Porte to proceed to more decisive
acts, feeling that our equity and our
own dignity enjoin it. By her refusal
Turkey places US under the necessity of
having recourse to arms. Profoundly
convinced of the justice Of our cause,
and humbly committing ourselves toI
the grace and help of the Most High,
we make known to our faithful subjects
that the moment foreseeu when we
pronounced words to which all Russia
responded with complete unanimity has
now arrived. We expressed the lnten-
ton to act independently when we
deemed it necessary and when Russia's
honor should demand it. In now in
voking the blessing ofGod upon our
valiant armies we give them the order
to cross the Turkish frontier.
ALEXANDER.
''Given at Kischenef this the 18th day
of April, (old style,) in the year of
grace 1877, and in the 23d year ofour
reign
PRINCE GORTsCHAKoFF's CIRCULAR.
The following is the text Of Prince
Gortschakoff's circular:
"The imperial cabinet has since the
commencement of the Eastern crisis
exhausted all means IN its power in
order to bring about, with the co-opera-
ton of the great powers, the lasting
paciication Of Turkey. All the pro-
posals made to the Porte in conse-
quence of the understanding between
the powers have, however, met with
insurmountable resistance. The Lon
don protocol was the last expression of
the united will of Europe. The imperi-
al cabinet had, in signing it, offered its
hand as last attempt at Cancellation.
By its declaration accompanying the
protocol it had marked out conditions
which, if Loyalty accepted and carried
out by the Porte, were calculated to
bring about the establishment and
strengthening ofpeace. The Porte has
answered by fresh refusal. This
eventuality was not provided for in the
protocol. Europe had confined itself
to STIMULATING that the great powers, if
they were disappointed in their hopes
of seeing the Porte carry out the re-
forms euergetically, reserved the right
to point out in common means which
they should think proper to secure the
welfare of the population and the in
terests of general peace. rs
''Thus European cabinets had fore
seen the contingency that the Porte
would not fulfill its promises, but not
that it would reject the demand of
Europe. At the same time Lord Der
by's declaration had established that
since her Britannia Majesty's govern
ment only consented to give its sigma
ture to the protocol in interests of gen.
eral peace, it was to be understood
from the outset that in event of this
object namely: mutual disarmament
and peace between Russia and Turkey
not being obtained the protocol should
be regarded as null and void. The