The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-20

diplomacy Is essentially based upon infor-
nation not accessible TO the public at largo,
it is evident that the public, oven If they had
the necessary intelligence, never are in pos
session of the data upon which to construct
n sagacous and far-sighted policy. This can
never be furnished to them without being
also furnished to the enemy. Therefore,
the secrets upon which everything depends
must necessarily be withhold Mob diplo-
macy is consequently inherently weak, but
not the less violent and mpulsive and in
England it has generally to be adopted by
the Government if they wish to retain Office.
To make quite sure Of this Lord BEACoNs-
FIELD has invited the leaders Of the Liberal
party to contribute thor quota Of the popu-
lar policy.
Tho result will probably be n document
which will have the effect u entirely rclcas-
ing Russia from all the restraints placed
upon her independent action In the East by
the treaty OF 1856. She will thus revert to her
old position of protector Of the Christian
populations of Turkey, and she will, more
over, endeavor to obtain tho consent of the
European powers, by the protocol she has
now offered TO them for signature. to- her in
dependent action by force, II need
be- to carry out hcr protectoratc
obligations. Tho effort OF the powers will
be TO reserve TO themselves as much
liberty of action as they can, consistently
with tho obligations they may foel them
selves under toward the Christian popula-
tiOns Russia does not desire that thoy
should join her in cocrcing Turkey; she only
wishes to obtain their consent TO her doing
so. and their pledge that under no circum-
stances will they Interfere on the 81 10 OF
Turkey. This is the pledge that England
Is reluctant to give In 80 many words;
but the adroit lGNArIEFF will probably
manage to extract 1t by implication. The
cloycn foot appears in the proposal
that Russia should not undertake such ac-
tiun unless the non-performance of his re-
form programme by the Sultan manifcstly
iustiiies her in making war upon him; but
this non-performancc can bc pointed to at
any moment that it suits Russia to excite an
insurrection in the Christian provinces.
1t would be impossible for any country with
a dlscontcntcd subject population with asp-
rations for independence, to govern that
population in such manner rs
to remove all cause OF complaint.
Rus .ia herself cannot do IL in Poland Eng
land cannot do il In Ireland. the United
States cannot do IL even in the South, where
no aspirations for independence exist; while
If any other country was 10 claim n protec-
tlrntc over the North American Indians
with the right of making war In behalf Of
SPOTTED TAIL or RED CLOUD whenever
those chiefs represented that they did not
consider themselves we'll governed, II is evil
/ 'rir. considering the dishonesty and bad
/ faith which have generally characterized the
/ Indian poH'y OF our racent Republican adj
mini7iratlons that the excuse would not
/ long hc wanting.
Practically the cle,m Of Russia amounts
TO asking permission from Europc to 20 to
war with Turkey at the ,ncnt most con-
vcnicnt to herself, with the approval. orat
all events. the assured neutrality of the
great powers II does not give peace to
| Europe but it holds ont the prospect of
peace as II bait especially to the British
public. vino, ni'-Olbcl 10y commercial CON
sid.rations. will gnlp It a. onlrnrly rs a
trout would gulp fly. We observe that the
London Times and one or two other Lib
cral organs. have already been rising freely,
and are enthusiastic over the era OF calm
into which they are u be ushcred by this
interesting protocol.
Meantime there Is no sign Of dcmobilza-
tion on the Pruth; troops are still being con-
centrated by Turkey ON tie Danube, the
more fanatic Nussulmans of the outlying
provinces are preaching religious war. the
Mont"ncgr.ns are only tiiniug with the ne
eotiations which it is pretended they are
eagerly prosecuting with Turkey; and new
insurrcctionary movements are being set
ON foot in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We re-
grct that it sh 1uld be SO, but we cannot per-
suadc ourselves. in spite OF the rosy view
taken in London of the protocol, that it
! means peace.