Year: 1876

ennial.


Russian Terms and Turkish Delays.


There is an appearance Of impatience
manifest on the part of Russia with the
slow course of the negotiations and we may
at any moment hear that she has presented
demand for the acceptance Of her terms,
coupled with an alternative of invasion
within twenty-four hours. 1t is certainly
not magnanimity that has controlled the
Russian government in permitting the cun-
ming tactics of the Turks to trife away SO
much time as has already been lost in the
ley. In Russia they perceive clearly the
difficulties Of their own case, and the
hope that they might gain their point
by negotiation rather than by war has sus-
tanned them in a policy of forbearing pa
thence. General IgnatiefTs proposition to
the ambassadors as reported by way Of
Bucharest, is, perhaps, an indication that
the Russian patience has reached its limit.
The demand that an armistice shall be con-
ceded Immediately, and that all topics be-
yond shall be determined by o conference of
the Powers, at which Turkey shall not be
present, places Russia boldly on the ground
that the great Christian Powers of Europe
are the arbiters of Turkeys destiny, and if
they treat with her as an equal only
do so from their own volition, and not
because she has any right to demand it. It
assumes, indeed, that Turkey is q nation in
n Of <,rfa hof cba 10 in,
number of nations what a minor or imbecile
is among individuals-one for whom some
one else must always become responsible.
Although England has herself hitherto acted
on the same assumption it is very possible
that she will refuse to accept it now as o
principle governing Turkeys relation to
other Powers.


One of the things that General Ignatieff
holds must be settled by conference Of the
Powers is the significance in their relation
to the present negotiations Of the words
autonomy" and guarantees" Autonomy
in its ordinary sense implies that the au-
tonomous State shall be independent, and
there is an apparent inconsistency therefore
in the application of the word to State
recognized as subject to some higher
sovereignty, by the fact that this sovereignty
comedies autonomy as an amelioratiop
only implies that the people shall be gov
erned sin accordance with their own laws, :"
the payment of tribute to the sovereign
being the general satisfaction Of his demands.
Russia was herself once autonomous in this
respect under the supreme sovereignty of
word is susceptible of 30 much variation in
its significance that treaty which used it
and did not strictly define it might prove
waste paper; and Russia gives evidence Of
her intention that in this negotiation the
Moslem shall not slip through the meshes of
a loose phraseology. AS the reforms that
the Sultan is to concede are to be ''guaran-
teed" it must evidently be known precisely
what sort of guarantee is meant-that is, if
the reforms are placed under the guarantee
of Russia it must be understood that Russia
shall have the right to occupy the country
their execution under the Sultan altogether
fails.


This is the pith of the whole negotiation.
The common end Of every treaty with the
Ottoman government is that whatever it
agrees to do is not DONE There is o present
illustration Of this in the case of the Bull
garian atrocities. Under the pressure of
England the government at Constantincple
declared its purpose to punish the authors
of those outrages, and appointed commits
sion for the purpose; but the English diplo-
matte report now is that all the good inten-
ton so exhibited was mockery and
delusion. This is always the way. The
Turkish government has not the power to
perform an act disagreeable to the Moslem
people, andthe guarantee must provide for
the likelihood Of such failure. There seems
probability that an uprising of the Mos
lens and general attempt at massacre may,
at an early day, compel all Europe to assent
to the occupation by Russia Of oil Turkey
in Europe, including Constantinople.


The price Of the HERALD to-day and hence
forth ,ciA be three cents.





Counting the Electoral Vote.