An express arrived yester...
The Times, 1824-12-17T00:00:00

An express arrived yesterday from Paris, and brings ac- counts which, so far as the present hour is concerned, we may pronounce to be of a tranquillizing nature. Indeed, whoever considers the present crippled atate of every Eu- ropean Power, must see that all designs of.ambition, by whomsoever entertained, must, for-some time to come at least, be postponed to the urgent necessity of repairing shattered resources and creating new means for future ex- ertion. Without, therefore, laying any stress on the moral motives for pacifle conduct, we may feel some reasonable confidence that a pacifie policy must prevail, while Catinets can devise no effectual mearns for one of aggression or con- quest. We should scarcely waste the time of our readers with such obvious remarks as these, If it- we're not that we saw among nlany persons adisposition to impute tlh present unwarlike (for such it is, rather than peaceable) state of Eu. rope to the principles of the Holy Alliance-principles which we have always and still main tain to be at once so unnatural and so unjust, is to lave a constant tendency to snap smut- der, rather than consolidate, that compulsory tnion of he- terogeneous parts, which nothing but the pis inertia& of poverty has held thus long together. The- holy - principle of legitimacy, together with a mistaken calculation that- it would cost nothing, made France invade Spain-; but would the same holy principle have allowed, or would it still. at. low, England to look on a quiet spectator, if England felt she had the means to drive France out of Spain.? - The holy principle of legitimacy made England-Christian England-take part with the Infidel Turks againat her fellow-Christians, the Greeks: but would that holy princi-. ple have prevernted Russia from marcbing to Constantino. ple, if she had felt that she possessed the means of -over- powering the united force of Infidel Turkey and of Chris- tian England? The holy principle of legitirmacy acts as a check upoln England, deterring her from the recognition of the South American States; but does the same holy principle prevent her from holding over the head of France and Russia a constant threat of recognition, if they presume to stir against those states, whieh it seems - their interpretation of the principles of the Holy Aliance would lead them to do, i they had it in their power ? Having thus given a due value to that {i pacific" principle which is alleged to keep the European States in harmony, we will state what we believe from very good authority to be the actual result of ihese views. It seems, then, that England and France having first agreed to the arrangement, Turkey and Russia consent to adjust their lingering quarrel under the mediation of Lhe Austriap Government. The troops of both nations are entirely to evacuate Moldavia and Walachis, and two independo t Christian Chieftains are to govern those prin- cipalities, who are to be chosen under the joint inffuence of Turkey and Russia, which Powers engage to refer any question of dispute to Austrian arbitration. The Greckr and Turks are then to be left to themselves (not nominally, as now, but actually), the Great Powers reserving to them- selves a right of at leatt diplomatic interference, if after a definite interval, (perhaps two years), the wvar between Greeme and Turkey should be no further advanced than at present towvards some definite issue. With respect to Spain, it is agreed that France shall continue to occupy that coun- try six months after January next, from whicl; time it will be a question whether she shall be compelled to retain pos- session, or to forego her dearly bought and dearly continued conquest. It is pretty well understood that France would most willingly (if she were able) undo all she has done! She feels that she has committed an egregious error; that the inva- sion, which she supposed would be a mere holyday pastirne, has cost her not mrerely her national honour, but a great-ex- penditure of life, and-what is more-of money; while she sees no feasible, or even probable means,, of re- covering the point whence she so indiscreetly started. Cer- tainly, if it were not for the painful reflection wlhich the atrocious motives of the Spanish invasion must excite in the breasts of freemen, the situation of France with respect Spain might le enjoyed, by a calmn spectator, as one of the most ludicrous dilemmas whlich bad logic aud bad princi- ples had ever entailed upoIl a blundering politisian. With respect to the South Americani States, En land has no imn- mediate intention of recognizing them; but her Ministers magiiie, that by holding the threat of recognition over the other Cabinets of Europe, she ties their hauds, and renders them in some degree amenable to her own general policy. This policy may be very shrewd, but we doubt its sound- ness; because its integrity appears to us to be rather worse than queGstionable: it may answer as a partial check upon Europe, but to the American States themselves, it must have the appearance of selfish double-dealing, and may per- haps be visited vwith the ordiniary fate of cunning, that in attempting too much over-reaches itself, and defeats the very parpose which frankness and sincerity rmight have accomplished. It may be found, that those commercial treaties or arrangementswhich Englandl meditates with in- depenlent Governments, will be concluded on terms very far less favourable to British interests, than if England had taken the high and just ground of at once recognizing their liberty, when, by the law of nationis, they had achieved an undoubted right to reco ition. _