Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-19


powerful lever for their political influence
are likely TO profit far more than Russia.
Prince Gortschakof expresses sur
price At the objections to the stipula-
tions of the treaty relative to Tbessalv
and Epirus. BY the modest reforms
stipulated it is intended to avoid the
appearance of either establishing Rus
sian supremacy on the one hand or ut
terly neglecting the Greeks on the
other. Russia did not forbid the Porte
to consult European powers as well as
Russia on reforms for the Greek prov
inces. There is no longer any pretext
for debarring Russia from possessionof
Bessarabia, as the freedom of the
Danube is secured by international
commission. Prince Gortschakoff' S
tone in regard to Armenia is much more
energetic.
He says Batoum is far from being
equivalent to the pecuniary indemnity.
which it represents. The Russian ac-
QUESTIONS in Armenia have only de-
fensive value. Russia wishes to hold
them so as not to have TO besiege them
ut the beginning of each war. These
territorial acquisitions are the natural
consequence of the war. If England
wished to avert them she had only to
join Russia in exercising pressure upon
the Porto, which would probably have
compelled il to grant reforms without
a war. England having refused to do
so, she has now no ground to ques-
tion the right for which Russia has shed
her blood, namely, the right to estab-
lish state of things which will hence
forth render such sacrifices unnecessa-
ry, or mt least less Onerous. The as
Sertion that Russia's annexation in Ar
menia will interfere with European
trade with Persia conflicts with the
statements previously made by the Brit
ish Ministers. Such assertions push
mstrust to the extreme. The COM
plants concerning indemnity are equal
iy ill-founded. The sum is out of all
proportion to Russia's sacrifices. In
deferment of the payment of indemnity
it is easier to see the design to keep the
Porte up to its engagements in the in
terest of all than design to paralyze
Turkey, but there is no remedy against
suspicion. Prince Gortschakof says in
conclusions:
The situation may be summed up thus:
The existing treaties have been succesaiveIv
legations toward Christians, and by the pow
ers in interfering on behalf Of Christians
Lord Salisbury himself recognized 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 aud the recognized rights of Great
Britain and other powers with the benevolent
ends to which the united action of Europe
has already been directed, and the at
tainment of which one learns with pleas
ure, the English Government desires,
namely, good government, peace, and liberty
for the oppressed population. 1t is equally
for the Marquis of Salisbury to say how he
could attain the desired end outside of the
prelminarics of San Stcfano, and yet at the
same time take due account of the rights Rus
sia has acquired by the sacrifices she has
borne alone. Lord Salisbury's dispatch con-
tains no reply to these questions. 1t seems
that the entire liberty of appreciation and ac-
tion would have been more naturally found by
formulating side by side with the objections
contained in that dispatch some practical
propositions of a nature to assure an under
standing Toy the solution OF the present diff
entities