Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-02
MEMPHIS APPEAL
SUNDAY, JUNE g, 49,
RIIAHIA RAFFLED.

The foreign news of the past week shows
that Russia has been terribly bafiied in tie
expectations she INDUCED in when she com
menoed her war with Turkey. Russia is as
vet little more than a semi-civilized nation.
The government has been pure despotism,
and it suited despotism, as it always does, TO
keep the people in ignorance; consequently,
while other countries pressed forward with
the advance OF knowledge, Russia was left
behind. The ignorance that was fostered as
useful, now proves a clog, and Russia has 70
endure intense modification because it has
mistaken the governing influences of the day,
and has believed it possible to overcome in
telligence with the mere effort of force. Our
historic reading tells us that calculation
such as Russia made was correct IN other
days; Russia is now an instance that 1t is
true no longer. With the weight of arms
Russia conquered, and with a conquerors
might, as did the warriors of former times,
she dictated the terms of peace and arranged
its conditions at her villas she had ex-
pected to do. But the moment of victory
proved to be also the moment of supreme
danger, and never, from the first battle, was
Russia less a conqueror than when her enc
my was PROSTATE and reduced to be the COM
plant slave of her exactions. Because she
was free 10 subdue, Russia believed herself
free to use her power at wilh There lay her
error For the use she made of her power
she was called upon to answer to civilized
Europe. The victor, startled at a claim so
inconsistent with his ideas of conquer and
rule" Indignantly denied the responsibility
to which he was held. He, whose legion had
bridged rivers, marched through mountain
defles, conquered armies, and gained for
tresses-he TO be called to account,to have his
actions oVerruled, his plans routed, his proud
ambition checked, and his conquests disputed!
IL was prepOsteroGsl 1t was bidding ocean
TO stay his waves when the unclaimed winds
blew iercestl 1t was summoning the light
nine's fash to halt in its course, Just as it had
emerged from the darkness amid whose pom
derous clouds it had gathered might and
burst into flame! But the end is that,
without the firing of gun or the thrust of
a sword, Russia is baffied and must submit
while others discuss how she shall exercise
her power, and decide what shall be the
fruits OF her victory. How simply it was all
donei How easily the intelligence of Europe
q. baffied the brute force of Russial England
gathered her forces, took up her position, and
waited With stern energy Russia called to
the shores of the Bosporous her victorious
leglons, and waited. This waiting was an
expensive affair. Men, provisions, weapons
and ammunition had to be provided and
maintained in condition for action. England
could readily do this, for no extraordinary ex-
penses had diminished her resources. With
Russia the case was quite otherways. War
on large scale had drained her blood and
exhausted her capital. The new strife was
one in which brute force could do nothing.
The ''logic of events" controlled the hour,
not a trained but unlettered soldiery. Might
was bafiied by mind; and the Russian,
the conqueror on the Danube, upon
the ridges of the Balkans, and amid
historic scenes at the foot Of the Caucasus,
and by the shores of the Euxine-has to yield.
The conqueror is the conquered in a strife
thai has had no battles, no array of armies,
no trumpet blast no booming of cannon, no
shrek from the wounded, no groan from the
dying. Nous Grons change tout celG-"we
have changed all that''-was the remark Of
one on comparing the present with the past;
the entireness and the extent of the change,
rs il exists in our day, is wonderfully but dis
-tinctly shown in the present condition of bar
Lsric Russia in the presence of enlightened
Europe