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of ^ mountaineers and marksmen in their native fastnesses , and to handle them roughly would be like grasping a porcupine ; they are conscious of this , and probably they will not yield . The point , however , where , the fire of war begins to flame most distinctly , is Turkey . The accounts brought this week give a somewhat different character to the position of the Russian Ambassador there ; but , practically , it is not less hostile than if he had insisted upon that demand which has been mentioned by Smyrna advices , without confirmation , for the expulsion of " foreigners from Turkey , or in the Turkish service .
Prince Menzschikoff has insisted upon such a position for the Emperor , his master , as . under the . name of the Protectorate of the Christian population of Turkey , would make him practically the Sovereign of that Christian population , which outnumbers the Mussulman population in a very considerable proportion . Turkey could not , of course , determine her own fate , which was involved in the demand , without consulting the other Powers ; and , supported by the united council of the Erench and British Ambassadors , the Sultan resolved to reject Prince Menzschikoff ' s ultimatum . At the same time , he appointed to be chief of his cabinet Redschid Pasha , the most eminent of Turkish
statesmen , and head of the anti-Russian party . Prince Menzschikoff withdrew from Constantinople— usually the first step towards some positive hostility , and in this instance the more signal , on account of the rank ofPrince Menzschikoff . Some doubt , indeed , is cast upon the authority under which the Prince has been acting . ^ The Russian Government , through its
ambassadors in Paris and London , has given the most positive assurances that it would not infringe the existing treaties , which the enforcement of a separate demand would do , in the most flagrant manner . It is possible that Prince Menzschikoff may have transgressed the expectations of his Sovereign and employer , when he refused the request sent to him by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe for an interview ; but in
selecting the Prince , the Emperor . Nicholas must have well understood his marked character ; in supplying him with a staff for his embassy , selected from the chiefs of the great army in Bessarabia and the fleet in the Black Sea , the Emperor must have intended to convey to the mission a studiously menacing character ; and in preparing pontoons to cross the Pruth , Russia must be prepared to act in supporfcof her demands . It is , of course , not to be absolutely presumed that the Emperor will not take advantage of the loophole left for him in disavowing his agent ; and Prince Menzschikoff might be victimized to save the dignity of his master , should the latter recognise tho dangerous nature of the course to
which he is committed . On tho other hand , it is not at all to be presumed that , hitherto so successful , tho Emperor Nicholas fully appreciates the dangers that beset his path ; and ho may calculate that a time has arrived when he can safely seize Turkey . His agents have prepared tho Christian population of that country to get up a show of" inviting his sovereignty ; and , looking to tho precarious position of the French Government , and to the quakering councils hitherto predominant in England , he may think that Franco- is too insecure , or too reckless , to prevent or to mind war , and that England lias arrived at such a pitch of forbearance that she would " stand anything . "
Wo do not believe that England has arrived at that porfoetion of Christian forbearance ; quite the reverse . Within tho lust low months ttio influence of tho " pcace-at-any price " party has manifestly declined . Those whose somewhat too recent speeches hnvo committed them to tho policy , are explained away by others of tho liberal party , as men who mu . st bo allowed timo to corao round , and a proper occasion . Wo beliovo—for tho men of Manchester aro Englishmen—that tho actual approach of danger would arouse tho old fooling of tho country , and that a Chatham would find support in every county of England , Lancashire- not excluded .
It ia true thai , war , if it were to break out at this moment , would not ( hid us in tho very best condition ; and uudoniablo reports , nont _ forth to foroign adventurers with crowns on their heads , may have tuuglit thorn to beliovo thai , Englishmen liavo become so aoftonod by poaco that they may bo oatoa up at a meal . J . < Y > r our own
part , we believe no such thing . It is true that some of our troops are not in the most serviceable state . The camp at Chobham-common proves to be a great practical idea beyond the conceptions of some who have long worn red jackets . That it should be so large for a comparatively small number of men ; that the preparations should be on such a scale ; that there should be so much hard work in the life of the
fighting soldier , are novel ideas to more than one military mind . It is said , as a matter of commendation , that even the household troops will soon learn to pitch their tent for themselves ; and sanguine people do say , that the horses of the household troops , by a little gradual training , and by favour of fine weather , will be able to take the field without taking cold . These consolations are confessions . We shall find many gallant officers who will be counting upon spending their nights in comfortable quarters , upon breakfasting and supping as usual in the luxurious saloons of Belgravia , and who will
be horrified should the Horse Guards prove so harsh as to oblige even gentlemen positively to live in camp . But in these things the reality is never so unpleasant as the anticipation . There is an excitement , not only in danger but in hard work for a specific object , which most men in tolerable health can enjoy when they are put to it . That the English race has lost either its active courage , its power of endurance , or its sense of discipline , is disproved by every-day incidents in India and other scenes of active service . We still possess tried officers now in this country , old and young , and Lord Hardinge , as
thorough an Englishman as any that has been tried upon the field of battle , vouches for the good discipline and condition of our army . The working classes are prosperous , and what statesmen call " contented , " —that is to say , they are not complaining . If troubles should happen in Europe they might feel their own importance ; their voice might be heard in more confident accents , and no doubt they would , receive an amomt of respect not previously paid to them . But they too are Englishmen , and we are certain that the hour of danger would only serve to cement union throughout all classes of the
community . We believe , indeed , that it would lend a healthy vigour to the English mind in other matters . When once the present fraudulent peace of Europe shall be broken through we should be free to know our real enemies and our real friends , and probably our alliances mi ^ ht
become more consonant with reason , with natural sympathy , and with our own political principles . If not , it will be our own fault . Danger may be fatal to tho individual , but it is the opportunity of the race ; and no nation that ever fairly put its trust in God and the Bight , failed to derive glory from tho difficulties that it confronted .
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THE OXFORD " DERBY : " NAMES OF THE WINNING HORSES . Popular artists liavo long known tlie value of the principle of association , and organized parties to collect audiences and emoluments have been formed in London , both for metropolitan operations and for provincial expeditions . Instrumentalists and vocalists , systematically drilled into a band , have found themselves stronger if they were organized , than they were separately ; and , under the leadership of a Boohsaor a . iullien , they liavo been able to establish a position wherever they appeared .
Tho leading mind of the late Ministry is fur too great an artist not to have perceived tho advantages of tho plan , aud he must have acted upon it for some time , although wo only perceive the degree to which he hits done ho by the last step . The party which Mr . Disraeli formed has made various appearances , has uml ' . vgono various changes , but it is distinguished by the fidelity with ' vv'liieh the members adhere to each other . It performed in opposition , it performed in tho provinces , now giving a grand concert m St . Stephens , now . starring itai , iledinglnun Castle ; but always playing the sumo tunes for tho time bein . r . " it went into tho Cabinet , and then , although tho name of tho performaiHH ^ wan altered , tho tune was the name ; tin ; Inane of that theatre ; not proving to bo altogether profitable , the party necessarily returned to its old stage in opposition ; but now it appears on a much more distinguished p latform .
It was a great advantage to the party that one of its most effective performers , the Earl of Derby , happens to be the Chancellor of the University of Oxford ; and he is about to use his privilege as chief of that learned body to make his party free of it . By the courtesy of tho University , the Chancellor enjoys the privilege of nominating persons for the honorary dignity of D . C . L . at the commemoration , and the present Chancellor of the Exchequer is not the man to let any established privilege or rank fall into desuetude for want of use , accordingly he xn-oposes a list of thirty-one , thus enumerated by the Morning Herald :
" The Marquis of Chandos , Marquis of Blandford , Earl of Hartlwicke , Earl of Eglmtou , Earl of Malmesbury , Lord Colchester , Lord Reclesdale , Lord Stanley , M . P . ; Lord St . Leonards , Miijor-General Sir E . Cust , Lieut .-General Reeve , Sir E . L . Bulvver , Bart ., M . P . ; Sir Archibald Alison , Barfc . ; Sir Roderick Murchison , Philip Pusey , Esq . ; Professor Aytoun ; Right Hon . B . Disraeli , M . P . ; Right Hon . S . H . Walpole , M . P . ; Right Hon . J . W . Henley , M . P . ; Right Hon . Joseph Napier , M . P . ; Dr . Forbes Winslow ; David Forbes , Esq . ; Right Rev . C . Wordsworth , Bishop of St . Andrew ' s , Scotland ; Right Hon . T . B . Macaulay M . P . ; his Grace the Duke of Richmond ; Right Hon . Sir J . S . Pakington , M . P . ; Major-General Sir H . Smith , Bart . ; the Bishop of Ohio ; G . A . Hamilton , Esq ., M . P . ; Samuel Warren , Esq . "
The list might be described more briefly , as consisting of a considerable proportion of the late ministry , with some of their friends . Sir John Pakington and his colleagues derive full benefit of the introduction from their friend the Chancellor ; and , for the greater dignity of their admission , the list is adorned by the " History of Europe , " the " Lectures on Poetry , " the " Last of the Barons , " the " Blanket and the B —;" and the Bight Honourable B . Disraeli forms thcr nexus between the statesmen and the literary branch of the party , being himself equally eminent in both .
It is evident from this proceeding , that the chief leaders of the party adhere to their guiding principle , which , is that of using their opportunities of introducing the members of their own party in posts that may be open to them . It was upon the same princip le , of course , that , the posts of the Cabinet being vacant , the same party walked in ; tho same gentlemen appeared in a body , suddenly and unexpectedly , in the Privy Council , and came forth again with the title of " Bight Honourable" for their future decoration and advantage . The same party expected to be introduced through Mr . Stafford into the navynot upon naval , but upon Protectionist printhe
ciples ; and now , on tho same ground , same ¦ party walk into the University of Oxford . These gentlemen enjoy a special privilege—the result of some intuitive faculty . Without training , they are equally great in any avocation . To be ; a Secretary for tho Home . Department , a Secretary for Foreign Affairs , or a Secretary for the Admiralty ; to bo a Minister , or a working shipwright ; to bo a responsible adviser of the Queen , or a Dr . of Civil Law , but one thing is required as a qualification—that the candidate should be of tho Derby-Disraeli party . Membership of that party constitutes a free admission everywhere—at least , wherever tho party can gain a footing .
A contemporary points out some omissions in this list , which are indeed so evident that it must bo a mi stake of tho clerk . For example , where is Mr . Augustus Stafford P where the Honourable C Forrester ? where Mr . . Forbes Mackenzie P Surely the party cannot bo smothered without Mr . Forbes Mackenzie . Then W . B . is left out , although it is perfectly well known that be was tho first to appear personally on Oxford ground . The Duke of Northumberland , too , would make quite as competent a D . C . I j . as ho did Minister of the Navy .
. Nor do wo observe without some surprise tho omission of \ Sir Frederic Smith . Surely bin promptitude in introducing ( he humbler members of tho party to tho dockyard in which he was influential , ought now to l ) c respected , by his l > oin <* now introduced to the University of Oxford . TheNO rights of admission are evidently convertible . Dockyards , Privy Council , Cabinet , Oxford University , the qualification for admission to all being tho hhiiic , the honour conferred on all by the pruseiico oj . " auch disli . i-LMiishcd nqpphytcH equivalent ,
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May 28 , 1853 . ] T H E L E A D E R . 517
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 28, 1853, page 517, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1988/page/13/
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