The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-03
THE BRITISH MANIFESTO.

The European kilograms inform us Of
the resignation of Lord Derby and the
appointment of the Earl of Salisbury to
the Foreign Office of the British Ministry
This event is likely to materially in
.fuence the ministerial policy touching
,England's relations with Russia in the
present crisis. Lord Derby, while yield
ing nothing of what was called "British
interests" in the premises, was known to
have aimed to secure those interests
without war. His successor the Earl of
Salisbury, is known to be British "fre-
eater" of the most vulcanic character.
His appointment to that very important
Office in the ministry is therefore signif-
cant of England's determination, fas aut
nefas, to force war with Russia.
The manifesto issued to the European
Courts by Salisbury Immediately on his
accession to Office, clearly indicates this
purpose of the ministry. 1t assumes a
perfect right on the part of England to
demand complete revision of the Russo
Turkish treaty of San Stefano, both in
aggregate and detail. 1t sets forth that
the establishment of new State in Bull
garia will give predominance to Russian
influence on the Egean and the sea of
Marmora. That it will isolate Constanti-
nople from European connections and
support. That the annexation of Bes-
Sarabia, the acquisition of Batoum and
Erzeroum in Asia Minor, will give to
Russia the control of the Black Sea and
command of the Caravan routes through
Persia and India. That the money in
demnity is beyond the means of Turkey
to pay, and will result in the acquisition
of more of Turkish territory to extin-
guish this vast burden of Indebtedness.
These are the essential points of this
British manifesto; and the demand is
that these treaty stipulations as between
Russia and Turkey shall be revised and
modified in behalf of European interests.
To yield to this demand by Russia would
be to surrender all the material results of
her conquest. 1t seems impossible, there
fore, that Russia can assent to these de-
mands without degree of humiliation
totally foreign to her character for self
respect. 1t seems equally difficult, now
that the manifesto is issued, for England
to recede from her explicit demands.
There is nothing left, then, but the
bloody arbitrament of war.
England undoubtedly looks to Con-
gress of the European powers for the ad-
justment of this all-absorbing Eastern
question; and predicates that expectation
upon the treaty of Paris in 1856. But
Russia, it will be remembered, publicly
and solemnly absolved herself, before
the outbreak of the present war, from
the stipulations of that treaty by reason
Of the frequent infringements thereof by
the signatory powers, and its total inap-
plicability to the changed condition of
the European States. She will therefore
decline to recognize the authority of such
Congress to settle any question under
the treaty not involving interests that
are entirely European. In this, Russia
implies a broad distinction between
British interests" and interests that are
European. And who can say that this
distinction is not we'll taken?
With tho issue thus widened under the
Russian requirement, England will not
enter the Congress; with it narrowed