Sharp County record., 1877-10-26
The Present State OF the Russian War


Recent extracts from Russian papers
Indicate a growing feeling Of dissatis-
faction with the leaders Of the military
operations in Bulgaria that appears to
be the first mutterings Of a political
storm. the violence and final results OF
which it is difficult to fOresee. Never in
the history Of Russia has popular discon-
tent been permitted to manifest itself so
plainly as to threaten the powers that
be with such aUdacity. The sense Of hu-
initiation to which the great Slav power
is now exposed before all Europe ran
kles in the breast Of the nation, and is so
keenlv felt that, reckless of COnse-
quences, it dares openly to express it
self in terms Of bitterness and even Of
defiance.
The contempt with which Turkey has
been spoken Of throughout Europe now
recoils feartullv on the Originators Of
the favOrite epithet which was coined to
express it q quarter Of 4 century ago.
The reaction would be ludicrous were it
not for the fearful consequences which
it may involve. If the terms Sick
Man" and Colossus Of the North
had never been invented, the Russians
would at least have been spared the rid
icule their vanity has been the means Of
heaping upon them; but blinded by
traditional and religious animOsitv to
the true strength and vitality Of the
power whose territory they coveted, and
pufed up with an inordinate estimate Of
their own magnitude and resources,
they have called upon Europe to witness
discontinue without parallel in mod
ern times. e.
Much-despised Turkey has been the
means Of pricking the bubble which ever
since the Crimean war has been expand
inc in dimensions, until all Europe was
becoming alarmed. The bugbear which
paralyzed the policy of Austria is set at
rest. 1t is now put beyond doubt that
Austria would at any time have been
more than q match, single-handed,
against Russia. The German army, in
which strong desire has existed ever
since the Franco German war to measure
swords with Russia as fOeman worthy
of their steel, now see that no glory is
to be gained by victories over d nation
whom the Turks can vanquish. The
French, who have fOndly chung to pos
sibIe alliance with Russia, as atfOrding
the only hope Of restoration to their
former greatness and influence in
Europe, will perceive that they have
been trusting to broken reed while
England can regard undismayed the
annexation Of petty Mussulman
States in Central Asia, secure in
the fact that the troops that have
failed in the Shipka Pass would never
be able to force their way, in the teeth
Of the armies of India, through the BO-
Ian and Khyber. The Illusion Of the
pan-slavic giant has been rudely dis
PEELED, and it is now clear that if Eu-
rope is to be forced into the Napoleonic
alternative of becoming either COssack
or republican, it is the latter fate which
awaits Her. It would be strange, in
deed, if the repubIicanism Of Europe
came from a COssack source and if the
national agitation to which the failure
of the Russian armies in Bulgaria may
give rise, should be developed into a
revolutionary movement, spreading into
the other countries of the continent
That an important political change Of
some sort is pending in Russia, there
can be little doubt; but this will in all
probability be inaugurated, as all i'm
portant political changes have ever been
in that singular country, by the removal,
either by death or abdication, Of its
present ruler, whose health and mind.
it is reported, are both becoming seri-
ously affected by the failure Of his ar
mics
Meantime we have rumOrs Of peace
negotiations to be initiated by the neu-
tral powers between Russia and Turkey
In these we have no confidence; what
ever the disposition Of the Russian Gov
ernment,may be, the people would nev-
er consent to such terms as Turkey,
flushed with unexpected success, would
accept. The war must be fought out to
the bitter end but this may not be so
remote as appearances would indicate.
1t is true that the Turkish successes are
indecisive, that their movements are
slow, and their combinations still en-
compassed with great difficulties. On
the other hand, the Russian reinforce
ments, of which we have heard so much,
are very long in making their appear
ance on the theater of war; and, ac-
cOrding to the most accurate calculations
which have been made, they have now
rnot rnnc,.n tLn-, lnl 900 NO., ~, D1-l lo.n-..,