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From The Economist, 2 June
A NEW WAY TO PEACE.

500,000 lives which have been shed, or even for the 15,000 which our country has contributed to that astounding total.

AFTER the debates in both Houses on Diplomatists, occupied from day to day in Thursday and Friday of last week we believe discussing protocols and splitting words, natu we may assume that the negotiations at Vien- rally and almost inevitably lose sight of the na are positively if not avowedly and official- great features of the case before them; princily at an end. We cannot pretend to feel ples are smothered in details; and the great regret at this result. We never had any hope and simple end is dwarfed, distanced, and conthat, in the present relative state of the belli- cealed by the multiplicity and complication gerents, they could lead to any satisfactory of the means. It is for the nation and for the conclusions, and therefore we did not desire great organs of public opinion from time to that they should lead to any conclusion at all. time to counteract this tendency, and to reThe time for negotiation is before hostilities mind the Ministers and the actual negotiators break out, or after hostilities have brought of what else might be easily forgotten or obabout some practical, signal, and undeniable scured. This war was undertaken for certain change in the position of those who wage objects, and not for certain terms. Now, what them. It may do for private duellists, whose were these objects? The real objects of the sole object is to prove their courage and to war-the only objects great and good enough "satisfy their honor," to accept, after an ex-in our judgment to have justified us in waging change of shots, terms of accommodation which it were the curbing and repression of Russian they refused before; but for nations who fight, domination over Europe, and the rescue of and can only be justified in fighting, for solid Turkey as her first and most immediate vicand essential purposes, to imitate so strange tim. It was found that Russia for a century and indefensible a proceeding, would be sim- and a half had been marching on from conply to incur contempt and to acknowledge quest to conquest in every direction, on every guilt. pretext, and by every means; that Sweden, War, with all its mighty and incalculable Denmark, and nearly all Germany lay pros consequences, is so serious a thing, and the trate and helpless at her feet, either from responsibility of those who provoke it or pro- dread of her power, from the subtlety of her long it is so deep and grave, that it is impossi- diplomacy, or from need of her protection in ble to blame the Governments of France and their course of tyranny; and that a few years England for their long forbearance and their more of unchecked progress would make her moderate demands-for their willingness, nay nearly irresistible. It was shown, too, that their wish, to conclude a peace on the basis her influence, wherever it extended, was withof the terms proposed at Vienna. At the ering, benumbing and enslaving-omnipotent same time it may even be permitted to rejoice for evil, impotent for good. And, finally, her that those terms were rejected by their ad- last daring and arrogant demands on the unversary, for we cannot persuade ourselves that fortunate Ottoman Empire at once tore off they could have secured either the objects of her own mask and awakened the statesmen of the war or the permanency of the peace. It Europe to their danger-to the danger to ciis true that in words at least, and in some vilization, to freedom, to political equilibrium, points in facts also, they are far in advance to national rights, to enduring peace. To avert of the demands of the original and too famous this danger we embraced the costly and haz"Vienna Note." It is true that they embod-ardous alternative of war:-would the terms ied nominal concessions which six months just rejected by Russia at Vienna have avertago Russia haughtily refused. But those who have done us the honor to follow for the last two years our expositions of the policy of Russia and the means by which she pursues it, and who remember how earnestly we adjured our countrymen not to enter upon war unless for an adequate aim, and not to retire from it till that aim was fully attained-not to pay the price of blood except for its full objects, and, having paid that price, not to be content till they were attained,-will not be surprised when we say that the four points, The Principalities their political rights, even if conceded according to our interpreta-i. e., their feudal privileges and quasi-inde tion and embodied in our terms, would have pendence-were to be placed under the proseemed to us but a poor result for the efforts tectorate of the Four Powers against whom and sacrifices we have made,-but an imper-was this protectorate needed? From whom fect return and an inadequate amends for the had the Principalities to be protected? Who

ed this danger? Would they have done more than conceal it for a time, and postpone the crisis to the next available opportunity? We think it will not be difficult to show that they would have left the independence of Turkey more menaced and her strength more impaired than before, the power of Russia for mischief nearly as vast as ever, and her means and pretexts for working mischief in some respects even enhanced, multiplied and sanctioned.

name.

threatened their privileges and their free-profit by it, hating the freedom you expected dom? Whom did they hate and dread? them to foster, and expectant heirs of the Not Turkey. For generations back, Turkey puny infant whom you committed to their had never sought to subdue or oppress them. tender care? Neither Austria nor Russia Latterly indeed Turkey has been their sin- has now any legal right to interfere with Sercere and enlightened friend. Turkey did not via; you proposed to give it to them both. grudge them their independence. Turkey Austria has just shown how she is disposed to did not dread the neighborhood of their free treat the Danubian provinces. She is there institutions. They did not fear feeble Turkey. as a protector now; and her incessant outMoldavia and Wallachia hated and feared rages on the inhabitants, her suppression of Russia first and Austria second. Servia hated their local governors, and her final proclamaand dreaded Austria first, and Russia second. tion of martial law, have given fair warning to Austria and Russia in their turn hated the exist- the world as to what her notion of protection is. ence of independent constitutional Govern- The free navigation of the Danube, to be ments in such near proximity to their own sub-watched over by a syndicate appointed by the jects. They knew the danger of so contagious Five Powers, would, unquestionably, if cara juxtaposition. They had every interest in ried out bond fide, have been an important preventing the prosperity of States where gain to the commerce of Europe and of Ausfree institutions of any sort reigned establish- tria in particular; and the interest of this lated and secure. Hence their steady aim has ter Power would seem to afford some security been for years a foment discord, to prevent for the concession being a reality and not a progress, to destroy wealth and peace, to re- name. But we must never forget that this duce the freedom of these provinces to a mere free navigation of the Danube was as solemnYet to these two Powers you would ly guaranteed by Russia in 1845 as a month have assigned the protection of what it is their ago. It is no new concession: it is an old most stubborn determination to harass and promise systematically and obstinately violatdestroy. You appointed the two ravenous and ed for forty years. Russia offers to renew it resident wolves guardians of the flock, and to now: what security have you that she will not neutralize their influence and keep a check continue to violate it as before? Nay more; on their proceedings, you joined with them in at the treaty of Vienna in 1815, this free navthe trusteeship two distant sheep, allied indeed igation was placed under the guarantee of the to the flock by some remote consanguinity international law of Europe that guarantee and some faint and languid sympathies, but has afforded no practical security whatever ;too far off and too busy to interfere (except why should we hope that a syndicate of the to sign their names pro forma to such docu- Five Powers should effect what a guarantee ments as their colleagues might present to of Ten Powers has failed to secure? We them), and not always at one among them- must never forget that you are dealing with a selves. If you had erected Moldavia, Walla- Government which habitually eludes and viochia, and Servia into three independent, but lates its engagements; which we are now at united provinces, in strict alliance with Eng-war with simply because it has eluded and viland, France, and Turkey, you would have olated its engagements. Will you be satisfied gained a barrier against Russian aggression, to bind it by fresh engagements and reiteratand a real diminution of Russian power; but ed vows? Russia engaged to keep open to place three provinces with liberal institu- Danube: she has expressly closed it in spite tions, municipal privileges, and self-govern- of all remonstrances. She engaged to "proment, under the protection of two contermin-tect" the Principalities: she has been their ous despots to whom liberal institutions, muni- worst and most insidious foe. She engaged to cipal rights, and self-government are anathema respect the integrity and independence of Turmaranatha-abominations to be suppressed key: she has systematically and daringly aswherever they can be got at,-would have sailed and undermined both. What is the use been, we do not scruple to affirm, a mockery, of more promises and more engagements ?— a delusion, and a snare. For in whose hands Why should you expect that she will observe would the practical power of interference lie? the new ones more faithfully than the old? With France or England, ignorant, occupied, Will she not quietly set at defiance the syndiand distant: with no special motives for vigi- cate as she has done the public law of Eulance; with no trained diplomatists, no official rope? Will she be more promptly amenabusy bodies ever on the elert to create dis- ble to their representations than she has been turbances, to fan discontent into insurrection, to ours? Will she not wear out their pato find or make perpetual pretexts for armed tience and paralyze their action as she has intervention, to confuse and suppress infant and done ours? Will her delay in adopting the turbulent liberty? Or with Austria and Rus- necessary measures be a ground for renewed sia, skilful players at the game of protection, hostilities? Or will Four of the Five Powalways watchful to make mischief and then to ers composing the syndicate proceed to active

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steps without waiting for her refused or postponed co-operation? And if they do, what ceaseless pretexts for further quarrel! If they do not, what an ineffective proviso will the second of the "four points" become! To be really effectvie, the syndicate should be of the Four Powers, not of the Five.

of the line, she might have built forty more in her rivers ready to enter the salt water manned, rigged, and armed at a week's or a month's notice; and we should have been in no way entitled to remonstrate or prevent. Or she might have built and commissioned a fifth and sixth on a plea that one or two of the others On the fourth point we have only two re- needed to be refitted or replaced:—and all marks to make. The first is that, as long as protests or menaces on our part would have the protectorate of the Christians in Turkey been futile. She would have answered as ciis conceded to any foreign Powers whatever, villy, lied boldly, corresponded slowly; and it would virtually and finally end in being ex- when the fact was complete and undeniable, ercised, mainly if not exclusively, by that should we have gone to war on a question of Power whose co-religionists those Christians one or two ships more, and more than we are, and who has the most sinister and selfish did about the Danube, about Cracow, about interest in interference. Pretexts and occa- Adrianople, about Unkiar Skelessi? It would sions for interference will never be wanting have been but one evaded treaty more. Or to Russia—or if wanting, can always be made. finally, she might have increased her comThe second remark is this, and it is one we mercial and her steam marine as enormously make with pain. If this general protectorate as she pleased; she might have built her merof the Christians of Turkey-i. e., of four-chant screws and paddles on any construction fifths of the subjects of the Sultan—had been that she pleased; she might have had a vast embalmed in a formal European treaty, the fleet of small transport and steam tugs on independence of the Ottoman Empire would which 50,000 men with arms and artillery have been at an end. Perhaps it is so already. might have sailed from Sebastopol to ConstanAssuredly it cannot be denied that Lord Strat- tinople, before any pretext or any time had ford's circular to the English consuls in Turkey, been given for summoning the Western fleets instructing them and empowering them to from Malta or Toulon. A limitation of ships "protect the Christians in their respective of war, unaccompanied by a limitation of districts, is worthy to rank with Prince Men- steamers and transports, when her victim was zichoff''s demands, and is an impeachment of within 48 hours' sail, would be a futile and the Sultan's sovereignty, scarcely one whit unreal security. less audacious or comprehensive than the note But we are reminded (of what indeed seems of the Russian Envoy. The one insolently to have been somewhat unaccountably forgotdemanded rights of interference; the other ten in the Parliamentary discussion) that the coolly assumes and exercises them. The in- proposed limitation of the Russian fleet was to consistency into which we have fallen is deep- be accompanied by the counterpoise of an ly damaging to our position in this matter. equal number of allied ships which were to The Dissenters in Russia, the Protestants in have the right of cruising in the Euxine. No Austria and Spain, and the Bible readers in doubt this, if gained, would be a great and imItaly, are as completely oppressed, as harshly portant concession, and combined with the liand unjustly treated as the Christians in Tur-mitation of the Russian navy, might afford an key-as far as the respective Governments are effectual security to Turkey, if two additional concerned far more so: yet who dreams of postulates could be obtained;—viz., that Enga "protectorate" for them? No one since land and France should always be at peace the days of Cromwell. We" protect" only and in alliance, and that the English and the sufferers of a State whose independence French fleets should have a secure harbor like already is a dream. Sebastopol to ride in. Unfortunately neither We are delighted to find any points on postulate is within our reach. Future politiwhich we can agree with men whom we re- cal combinations are notoriously unpredictable; spect and regard so highly, and yet from whom and the Black Sea contains no harbor of any we differ so widely, as Lord Grey and Mr. size or security except those which Russia has Gladstone. We concur with them in thinking monopolized. Thus the privilege demanded that the demand upon Russia for the limitation of her fleet in the Black Sea, under the actual circumstances of the case, was a double error. It would have been a humiliation which nothing in the success of the war warranted us in expecting her to submit to; and we cannot think that, even if conceded, it would have been an effectual security for Turkey. If we had limited her to four ships

for the Western Powers, of maintaining a squadron in that inhospitable sea, would be virtually worthless for nearly half the year. The Russian fleet would ride in comfort and safety at Sebastopol, while ours was tossed about in storms, or smashed on rocks, or lost in impenetrable fogs.

We feel as strongly as we have felt from

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the outset that, in the present case, terms onlyzed her commerce, destroyed her fleet, took paper are not the thing wanted. The very and retained the splendid harbor and the mascause of the war, the head and front of Rus- sive fortifications whence so long she had mesia's offending, is that she has evaded treaties, naced weakness and defied strength, then that she has not observed engagements, that the objects of the war will have truly been acshe has not kept to terms. If promises could complished, Europe will once more breathe have bound her, if written undertakings had freely, and Asia will relapse into comparative been faithfully adhered to, Poland would never quiescence. But if-as at one time there was have been crushed, Cracow would never have some reason to apprehend-if we had made been absorbed, the Pruth would never have peace last month at Vienna, if our diplomatists been crossed, the present struggle would never had paralyzed and neutralized our armies, and have commenced. If "terms were all that we had retired from the Crimea with nothing was required, our negotiators would have ex- done, nothing earned but barren laurels, nothperienced little difficulty. Russia was ready ing left but useless trenches and innumerable enough to concede whatever involved nothing graves, nothing sown but fruitless toil, nothing but a promise: it was not till the discussion reaped but bitter disappointment, then the reached a point of fact that Prince Gortscha-proclamation would have gone forth to either koff became obstinate and unyielding. All hemisphere that the two mightiest powers of this points to one irresistible inference, viz., the West had tried their united strength that in dealing with a powerful, faithless, and against the crowned Colossus of the East, and persistent adversary like Russia-always ready had proved unequal to the strife; that two of if need be to disavow her pretensions, but the noblest armies and the vastest fleets ever never for one moment abandoning her pur- levied and equipped by France and England poses you gain nothing unless you extort a had assailed Russia on her most vulnerable material guarantee; war is profitless and shore; had exhausted science and courage in unsuccessful unless it issues in positive incapa- the vain attempt; and at last had retired bafcitation and not in mere nominal disclaimer; fled from before her walls, bringing nothing if you leave her with her aggressive strength away but the conviction of her invincibility, unimpaired, you had far better never have in- leaving nothing behind them but half their curred her enmity. We know now the objects numbers, and more than half their glory. of Russian policy; we know that we must dis- What, then, would have mattered the language able her from attaining them; and we know of protocols or parchments? Would these how, and how alone, this disabling process can have been heeded at Copenhagen and Berlin, be carried out. She is bent upon possessing or read at Teheran and Cabool? Would it Turkey; she aspires to a paramount influence have been possible to persuade our Asiatic over Europe-an influence to be exerted on subjects, or allies, or rivals, that we had gained behalf of "order," that is of despotism; and our ends or had not substantially been worsted, she designs ultimately to expel us from our when all we had to show for wasted millions Indian dominion. The same proceedings, the and lavished lives was the renewal of a broken same military triumphs, will baffle all her pro- promise and the substitution of a joint for a jects. The complete emancipation of the sole protectorate? How long would it have Danube and the Danubian provinces, and the been before we should have had to endure capture and retention of the Crimea, will save other insults or to resent fresh aggressions,Turkey now and in future-not perhaps from before plenty of magnanimous enviers and foes internal decay, but from Russian conquest. would have been found to kick the jaded lion Less than these guarantees will not do it. But, or to hoot and stone the baffled eagle as it if secured, they will do much more than this. winged its way slowly homeward with cadaverThey will destroy her prestige, and with it her ous aspect and broken beak? And, to crown predominance, in the East and in the West. the whole, that would have been the position They will proclaim to Germany and Sweden of our unlucky protégé Turkey, when all that on the one side, and to Persia and Affghanis- we had succeeded in doing for her was to extan on the other, that she has met her match pose the damaging fact that her two protectors if not found her master; that there are those were unable to defeat her one oppressor! who can defy her power, beat back her aggresFrom these dangers we think we may now sion, and punish her iniquities. If the broad consider ourselves safe. A new and more features of history-the only features which energetic spirit seems to animate both our nations at large ever read-unmistakably councils and our arms; and through Crimean make manifest that, when her ambition could victories already dawns the prospect of a real no longer be borne, Turkey repelled her on and a lasting, because a conquered peace. the Danube, and England and France para

THE TIMES ON GERMANY.

THE TIMES ON GERMANY.

Russia they were in earnest. They had it in their power to prevent the war, by a positive THE German Governments appear to us, declaration to the Emperor NICHOLAS in throughout the great transactions of diploma- April, 1854, that his refusal to submit to terms cy and of war which have for the last two would be regarded as a casus belli by the years engrossed the attention of the world, to whole of Europe. Austria had it again in have taken a very inaccurate and incomplete her power to compel Russia to terminate the view of their own interests and of their du- struggle by declaring her resolution to go to ties towards the other Powers of Europe. war in April, 1855, if the Third Point of the They have negotiated without effect, they negotiation was not fully accepted and put have partially armed themselves without an into execution. Having failed on these occaobject, they have even signed protocols and sions by their own want of decision and courtreaties without the resolution to act up to age, these Courts are entirely mistaken if their engagements; and, as we advance more they imagine that they can continue to exerand more deeply into this contest, we are re-cise any influence whatever on the policy of luctantly compelled to lay aside and to dismiss the belligerent Powers. They might have all faith in the assurances or the energy of been powerful against Russia, but they are The same incapacity those States. At the present crisis in the war, powerless against us. at the outset of the second campaign, and of action which has confined them within a when the operations of the allied armies are neutrality guarded by protocols blunts the beginning to tell with effect upon the enemy, edges of their weapons, and the West has we hold it to be not only our right but our nothing to fear from their desertion or their reduty to point out to the Cabinet of Vienna sentment. If they imagined that their assistance and Berlin the results of their own puerile was necessary to our success, or their counsel and undecided conduct. We say of Vienna to our policy, the events of the past week and and Berlin, because, from the recent language those which are rapidly succeeding each other of the Austrian Government, we infer that it on the theatre of war may undeceive them. must, for all practical purposes, be ranked They might have shared in the measures of with that of Prussia. Indeed, of the two lead- the Western Powers, destined to restore seing German powers, Prussia is at least entitled curity to the East, and to reduce the preto the merit of greater consistency than her ponderance of that empire which hangs like a rival. Prussia has not incurred the expense cloud upon their own frontiers. They might of raising, equipping, and maintaining an ar- have participated in the arrangements which my of 600,000 men which she is afraid to use. victory will one day enable the allied Powers Prussia has not signed a treaty of alliance to dictate. Great concessions and an extreme with one of the belligerents in June, and forbearance have been resorted to for the another treaty with the Western Powers in purpose of enabling Germany to resume her December, binding herself to unite her whole proper position in Europe. Those conciliatory efforts with those Powers until the just objects measures not having been attended with sucof the war are thoroughly obtained. Prussia cess, and Germany having withheld her supwas not present at the Conferences of Vien- port when it might have been of use to us, it na, and therefore did not give her unqualified remains for the Western Powers to show the moral support to the propositions of the Wes-world that they can carry on the war without tern Powers. Thus far Prussia at least es- it. The day of negotiations is past; the feeble capes the charge of inconsistency which may artifices of irresolute Ministers are at an end. be urged against Austria, and the only practi-We are now entitled to use the language of cal difference between the two States now is, Powers having 200,000 effective troops in the that while the Court of Berlin has long since Crimea, and, while Russia contends for her neutralized and extinguished whatever influ- preponderance in the Euxine, the allied flotilence it once possessed in Europe, that of la sweeps the coasts and harbors of the Sea Vienna is somewhat more slowly following its of Azoff. example.

The storm of war which has long hung lowThe object of the German Court has been ering over the southern coast of Russia has -first, to prevent, and afterwards to arrest, now burst in all its fury upon the empire. the course of hostilities, and to obtain some The affrighted craft which had sought refuge securities from Russia against the renewal of within the straits of Yenikale, and the steamthese calamities. They have utterly failed in ers-of-war employed by the enemy in maintheir attempts to accomplish these objects, in taining his communications with the opposite spite of every advantage of geographical po- coast, have within four days of the seizure of sition, of political influence, and of military Kertch perished by the hands of the Russians, power. They have failed for want of determi- or fallen a prize to the allied fleets. Immense nation to give effect to their policy, and to stores of grain, of cattle, and 100 guns have assume an attitude which should convince been taken or destroyed. About 24 vessels

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