Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-04-17

FOREIGN.

II AONDVNS kAPEAA o. u0 xTWGS l66u0O
a special edition tonight containing
the full text ofPrince Gortschakoff's
reply to Lord Salisbury's circular
dispatch. The Prince contests Lord
Salisbury's assertions point by point
but the general tone Of his reply ap.
pears to be conciliatory. He denies
that the treaty of San Stefano creates
. strong Sclav state under control Of
Russia, and declares that the arrange.
ments relative to Bulgaria are only
the development of the principle es.
tablished by the Constantiuople con-
ference, &
He continues: Lord Salisbury ad-
tnits that q return to the programme
of that conference, pure and simple,
is rendered impossible by war. The
fact that the San Stefano treaty is
preliminary, indicates that Russia has
not prejudged the definite results,
and has left room for an understand
ing. Bulgaria will be under Russian
control no more than Roumania,
which also owes its existence to Rus
sia. Russia is quite ready to abridge
the term of occupation of Bulgaria ss
much as possible. The limits OF Bull
garia have only been indicated in
general terms IN accordance with
nationality Of population. The de-
tails will be left to mixed commits.
sion. The only object in assigning
ports to Bulgaria is to assist her COM
mercial development, by which Eng
land and the Mediterranean powers,
whose commerce has always been
powerful lever for their political in
f1uence, are likely TO profit far more
than Russia.
Prince Gortschakoff. was surprised
at the objections TO the stipulations
Of the treaty relative to Thessaly and
Epirus by the modest reforms stipu-
lated, for it is intended to avoid the
appearance Of either establishing
Russian supremacy on one hand or
utterly neglecting the Greeks on the
other. Russia did not forbid the
Porte to consult the European powers
as well as Russia on the reforms of
the Greek provinces. There is no
longer any pretext for debarring Rus
sia from the possession of Bessabara-
bia, De the freedom of the Danube is
secured by the international commis-
sion.
Prince Gortschakoff's tone in re-
gard to Armenia is much more ener-
getic. He Gays Batoum is far from
being equivalent to the pecuniary in
demnity which it represents. The
Russian acquisitions in Armenia have
only defensive value. Russia wish
es to hold them SO as not to have to
beseigc them at the beginning of
each war. These territorial acces-
sions are the natural consequence of
the war. IfEngland wished to avert
them she had only to join Russia in
exercising the pressure upon the |
Porte which would probably have
compelled it to grant reforms with
out war. England having refused to
do so. che has now no ground to |
question the right for which Russia
has shed her blood; namely: the
right to establish state OF things
which will hencefOrth render such
sacrifices unnecessary, or at least on
erOus. The assertion that Russia |
annexations in Armenia will inter-
fere with EuEopean trade with Per-
sia conflicts with the statements per-
sonally made by the British Minister. |
Such assertions push mistrust to the |
extreme. The complaints concern
ing the indemnity are equally i'll
founded. The sum is out Of ali pro-
portion to R0ssia's sacrifice. In de-
ferment Of the payment of the indem-
nifty, it is easier to see a design to keep |
the Porte up to his engagement in |
the interest of all, than design to
patronize Turkey; but thefe is no
remedy against suspicion.
Prince GortschakOff says in conclu-
sion: The situation may be summed
up thus: Existing treaties have been
successfully infringed by the Porte |
in violation Of obligations towards |
the christians, aud by the powers in |
interfering on behalf of the christians. |
Lord Salisbury himself recognizes
that great changes are necessary in |
the treaties hitherto regulating the
East. 1t remains for Lord Salisbury
to say how he would reconcile these |
treaties, and recognize the right Of
Great Britain and other powers with
benevolent ends, to which the united
action of Europe has always been d.
rected, and the attainment of which
one learns with pleasure the English
Government desires, namely: good
government, peace and liberty for
the oppressed population. 1t is equal
ly for the Marquis of Salisbury to
say how he could attain the desired |
end outside the preliminaries of San
Stefano, and yet at the same time take |
due account of the rights Russia has |
acquired by the sacrifices she has
borne alone. Lord Salisbury's dis
patch contains no reply to these ques-
tions. It seems that entire liberty of
appreciation and action would have |
been more naturally found by form
ulating side by side with the objec-
tions contained in that dispatch some
practical propositions to assist an un-
derstanding for the solution of the |
present difficulties.
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