The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-10
The Aspect of the War.


rom the PhiIadeldhia Times
The first flush of excitement in Eng
and over the War news from the East ap-
7ears TO have already passed away, and
with the governments proclamation OF
neutrality popular feeling as expressed in
the newspapers, has subsided into COM
paratively calm, though somewhat anxious,
1t is not the government,
however, but the opposition that the En- /
glish have to thank for their present escape !
from an alliance that would be certainly |
disgraceful and possibly disastrous. That
England should go TO War against the
Turk was not to be expected the agitation
so skilfully led by Mr.. Gladstone made
War in support of the Turk impossible,
and, in spite of the curious blunderings of
the Cabinet, England has been kept in a
position where she is still free TO protect
any interests Of her own that can possibly
be assailed, and has been saved from the
reproach Of attempting to uphold the de-
grading barbarlsm against which all
Christian civilization continually protests.
| We may now regard it as assured that
Russia will be left 10 make at least one
campaign without interference, and it must
| be remembered that what has been pro-
claimed as the immediate object OF this
campaign may be accomplished without
such movement toward the Bosphorus as
would challenge the opposition of England
and the other powers. We may assume
that the Russian plan of operations is q
comprehensive one, and it may even in
clude a bold flank movement through Ser
via as well as concerted advance into
Asia Minor, neither of which have any di
rect relation to the occupation of tn,
Christian provinces; but all of these oper
: ations are consistent with the design, whicl
the seizure of the lower Danube suggests
of inviting a battle in the open field all,
inficting such a decisive defeat as ma
practically terminate the contest withou
an attempt tc penetrate the deienses of tn
Balkans. We do not commonly attribut
disinterested motives to military monarchs
> and to the mind of Western Europe
seems absurd to suppose that the Gar ha
:. undertaken this War out of pure philar
thropy; but while it is not necessary I
;, stretch our faith quite so far as this, it
yet not difficult for one who will reflect
little upon Eastern history and upon tt
y history of Russia, to conceive of W.
undertaken with spirit and enthusiasm fc
= no other purpose than to reclaim Easte,
!, Christendom from Moslem domination
- Apart from all this, however, and regar,
. ing the contest in purely political ligh
territorial aggrandizement is not necessal
to recompense Russia for a costly Wa
She might like to have the keys of Il
Black Sea in her own possession, but if s.
n- can transfer them from the hands of h
IS inveterate enemy to the keeping of a frien
at ly power, that will be quite worth fghti
st for. In fighting for this she must not L
m cessarily run counter to the interests
ly Europe. Neither England nor any 9th
"a of the powers, unless it be the Hungari
of power in the Austro-Hungarian Empi
le- has any especial love for the Turks,
of would trouble itself to uphold them, if {
n ly the freedom of the Bosphorus and of t
of Danube can be secured But all this i:
'g, matter for future diplomacy. Whate,
is her military success; Russia could not al
he a single boundary against the consent
ng. Europe. If she meet with failure inste
see of success, it will but defer the final set
nd ment; if her campaign prosper she n
The win not only glory for herself, but peace
ing Europe.