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Leader (1850-1860), 2nd February 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 99, Untitled Article

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      been so strengthened , according to a San Fraacisco paper , that the English observing officers admit them to be impregnable . The supply ships of the allied fleets have been wrecked , so that provisions and na , val stores were scarce . The Governor of Siberia , has sent some handsome presents to the officers of the American barque Palmetto . The barque John Baring , of Baltimore , has been seized by the English at Castro , on incontestable proof that she had been landing stores for the Russians ; and the case will be decided b « fore a naval board .

      WAR MISCELLANEA . General de Ma . rtlmprey , Chief of the Staff of the army of the East , left for the Crimea on Thursday week , after the close of the sittings of the Council of War . Geneual Levail . la . nt , Governor of Sebastopol , who arrived at Marseilles in the last Levant packet is to be replaced in his command by General Ferrey , son-in-law of Marshal Bugeaud . The Amoob River . —The forts erected by the Russians at their settlements on the Amoor river have

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      THE PEACE . The following despatch from Count Buol to the Austrian Internuncio at Constantinople was received by the latter on Sunday , the 13 th ult . We give the precise text , as it serves to indicate the pressure exercised by the Austrian Government upon the Court of St . Petersburg to induce Russia to accept the proposals " purely and simply : "" "Vienna , Jan . 13 , Noon . " The Russian reply not "being a pure and simple acceptance of our propositions , I have , by order of the Emperor , declared to Prince Gortscliakoff that it would be . my duty ( qzie je serais clans Ic cas ) to send him , on the 18 th of this month , his passports , if within that term another resolution should nofc have

      been taken by his court . Gortschakoff despatched yesterday a courier , and has also employed the telegraph to inform his Cabinet of this communication . ¦ "Buol . " The prospects of a speedy termination of hostilities continues to be the one absorbing topic of the day . A despatch fro m Paris , dated January 31 st , states that the ambassadors of the Allies were . expected to sign the protocol containing the preliminaries of peace on _ the following day ( yesterday ) at Vienna . It is whispered that England and France disagree about their interpretation of the fifth point ( whichit will be

      become one of extremity ; that " a new understanding must be come to , and the original stipulation that neither France nor England was to gairt any private advantage as the result of the war must be re-considered . England , ifc was either said or insinuated , may think the destruction of a rival naval power in . the Baltic a sufficient compensation for her sacrifices , but France has no interest in such a consummation , and indeed many Frenchmen think her interest lies the other way . The sum of this communication , as I hear it described , was that France by no means ref used to go on with the war on the scale which would be necessary for the next campaign , but that at this point of the discussion she would be glad to

      know what she was to get by it , and how far she might calculate upon the support of England in asserting her legitimate claims to consideration whenever peace should be made . However , it appears , and it is certainly not to be wondered at , that the English Government , seeing the drift of the French interrogatories , shrunk from taking upon itself the responsibility of entering into an engagement to support France in an encroachment upon Prussian territory . Instead , therefore , of giving any direct answer to the insinuations contained in the French despatch , the answer sent from London was that , ' upon reflection , ' the English Government would accept the Austrian propositions . "

      We also r « ad in the Daily Nezos : — " The Marquis de Jjarochejaqxielin ' s pamphlet , entitled ' The Question of the Day , * is now in the hands of the Diplomatic Corps at Paris . The quondam , Legitimist endeavours to demonstrate the necessity for peace , by the following reasons : —1 . The object of the war ^ the protection of the Ottoman empire—is attained . 2 . The continuation of the Avar will have no other result than to serve the personal interests of England . 3 . England wishes to achieve the complete destruction , of the Russian navy ; but that is not the interest of France , for fclie latter may one day need the co-operation of the Russian fleet . 4 . Russia ought to be allowed to . develop her power freely in Asia . The writer ' s position as senator alone gives any interest to the hostility which he displays against England . "

      Hussia , according to a statement in the Debate , has concocted a scheme for evading the fifth point . She has accepted that point , says the French paper , " like the others , hut she believes herself included as a belligerent Power in the ranks of those who are to form the particular conditions , over and above the four guarantees , necessary to the interests of Europe . This right , she says , belongs to her as it does to France , Turkey , England , and Sardinia , which are belligerent Powells ; wbllst it could not be claimed by Austria or Sweden , which are Allied Powers , but have taken no active interest in the war ; nor by Prussia , as a neutral

      Power . " ¦ - . - *» " ~* Everything in Paris is described as couleur de rose ; and it is now asserted that even the Archduke Constantine is extremely mild in his disposition , and that he is even more disposed to peace than his brother , the Emperor . It ia aaid that certain civilifciRs have passed between France and Russia . The Czar , if we may believe report , lias expressed a wish that the Conferences should be held at Paris , because of his great esteem for the sovereign of France ; and it is also asserted that , in answer toa letter from Alexander to the Emperor of Austria , the substance of which he desired should be communicated to the Emperor N " apoleon , tlie latter has addressed a vei'y friendly communication to Francis Joseph , by whom it has been communicated to Alexander .

      , recollected , reserves several matters for consideration ); but it is contended that the original draught of the proposals was revised in London , and that therefore the English cabinet is bound in honour to accept the terms as they now stand . England firmly maintains that Russia must riot again be permitted to fortify the east coast of the Black Sea , and Austria and France propose that the question should be left in abeyance until the peace conferencea have meC . It ia Baid that the plenipoteuaries will meet in Paris on the 17 th of the present montli , and that the debates will probably be brought to a conclusion by the 25 th .

      Prussia will be excluded from the Conferences , on account of her not taking part in the war . The Morning Post says that " it is not unlikely that , if a Treaty of Peace be concluded , Prussia may ' then be invited to give her signature to a document of such European importance ; but in its' framing she can take no part . " A story is current that Austria means to invite the Germanic Bund to express its concurrence in her propositions to Russia ; but this in not authenticated . The ' Conferences will be hold in Paris . Count Buol and M . do

      Hubnor iu-o still mentiouocl as the representatives of Austria , and Count Qrloff and Baron Brunovv us t ^ o ouToys of Russia . The choice of Baron Bruuow (\ vho was the Russian ambassador here up to tho tnno of tho wa . r ) , Was , it is stated , submitted by Russia for tho approval of the Allioa—an approval whioh was at onco accorded . On behalf of Turkey the nnmoa moufcioned arc , tho present Minister at Paris , MuhomiHGil Djetnil Boy , and Fund Effijudi . M .

      Azegho will represent tho Court of Turin . Sardinia , however , Hjiys tho Constititihand , " will not occ upy exactly tho Hamo position as tho renaming alhos of Turkoy . Although called upon to sign a uonmtivo treaty of poaoons a belligerent power , Piedmont will not participate in dobatos whioh do not touoh Qithor dlroobly or indirectly her iuUrests . " Urn limitation ia attributed by some writer * to tho perHoyoring spite borne by Austria agaiuat tho only coiwfcitutioual kingdom of Italy .

      Iho I am aorrospondoat of tho Daily JVewa refers to Homo goHMip now floating about Paris to thooffootthnt , at the close of lnat autumn , Austria pressed tlxo Allies to nooopt torinH oquivalontto thoao now agreed on ana that branoo all but consented , whilo England peremptoril y reused . Tlxo Government of Napoleon won , mutono of thogroatoat courtesy , friendliness , ana « von doforonoo , reminded England that , if tho u-uaiman proposal )* wore not accepted , tho war would

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      THE PEACE PARLIAMENT AT MANCHESTER * Messes . Bright and Milner Gibson met their constituents' at Manchester on Monday evening , according to annual custom , in order that they might give an account of their stewardship in the past , and explain their policy for the ensuing session of Parliament . The Corn-Exchange , where the meeting took place , was crowded to excess . Mr . G . " Wilson , the chairman of the late-Anti-Corn-law League , presided , and , after a brief speech , brought forward Mr . Milner Gibson , who adverted to the part he had taken in connexion with the removal of the penny newspaper stanap , and denied that there was any f ear of the physical force of the East extinguishing the civilisation of the West . He urged a close union of the Liberal party under the old motto of Earl ( Jrey—• " Peace , retrenchment , and reform , " and sat down amidst much cheering .

      Mr . Bright then rose , and was greeted with loud applause . He at once proceeded to discuss the question of the proposed peace , and the terms on which it was designed to conclude it . Whatever terms might be acceded to , he believed that Russia would be left a great power , that the nationalities would still remain oppressed , and that the ruin of Turkey would be rather accelerated by our intervention than retarded . He had no desire to conserve the Mahometan rule in Europe ; but he was sorry that , under a pretence of succouring the Sultan , we had in fact been leading to his ruin . What a groom once said of a sick horse might bo said of Turkey—it is " lingering fast . " The terms of peace ho highly approved of , because he had reason to believe they would load to a pacification .

      Their general effect was much the same as that of the terms agreed to by Russia last April at the Vienna conferences . Sixty years ago , the Empress Catherine of Russia proposed that Moldavia , Wallaohia , and Bessarabia should bo made into a separate and independent state ; and now it is highly probable thafc the two former Principalities will bo so consolidated . But ho did not boliove that their independence would hi tho loast degree curb tho power of Russia ; and , with vospeet to tlxo " rectification" of tho Russian torritory by moans of taking from her a portion of Bossarabia , that , as tho Tiniea itsolf had admitted , is more an Austrian than an English question . Then us to tho " neutralisation " of the Blivok Sea—Russia had offered at tho Vienna Conferences to reduce

      the number of her war nhjps , upon Turkey doing likewise , to a point nt which there could bo no um-Ijmgo ; and this is what we are now prepared to accept though , muakiug it undor another name , wo are on ' doavouring to cheat ourselves into believing wo hav < got n groat gain . But Russia is to unite with France England , and Austria in a troaty by whioh thoao Powori will undertako to roapeot uh inviolable tho territory of Turkoy . Woll , Russia offered to agree to a troatj of that kind last April . An to tho allogod duplicity of RuHsia , how was it thnt tho eminent stfttosmoi assembled c \ t Vienna in tho spriuir—tho groatoe

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      Austrian Government speak of the same fundamental proposition—that is to say , the neutralisation of the Black Sea by a direct treaty between Russia and the Porte , to regulate by common agreement the number of ships of war which each of the adjacent Powers reserves the right of maintaining for the security of its coasts . They only differ appreciably from those contained in the despatch of the 11 th ( 23 rd ) of December by the proposal for rectifying the frontier between Moldavia and Bessarabia , in exchange for the places on the Russian territory in the actual occupation of the enemy . " This is not the place to inquire if these propositions unite the conditions necessary for insuring the repose of the East , aud the security of Europe , rather than those of the Russian Government . Ifc is

      sufficient here to establish the point , that at last ; an agreement has been actually arrived at on many of the fundamental ba 3 e 3 for peace . Duo regard being had to this agreement , to the wishes manifested by the whole of Europe , and to the existence of a coalition the tendency of which was every day to assume larger proportions , and considering tire sacrifices which a protraction of the war imposes upon Russia , the Imperial Government has deemed it its duty nofc to delay by accessory discussions a work the success of which would respond to its heartfelt wishes . " It has , in consequence , just given its adhesion to the propositions transmitted by the Austrian Government as a project of preliminaries for negotiations for peace .

      THE RUSSIAN ACCEPTANCE . The following is a translation of the circular issued by tho Russian Government to its diplomatic agents , in which it nunouncos the acceptance of the Austrian proposals . This document is dated St . Petersburg , January 19 : — " Public opinion iu Europe has been strongly excited by tlio intelligence that propositions of peace concerted "between tlie allied Powers and Austria had boon transmitted to St . Petersburg through the intervention of tho Cabiuot of Vienna . " Already tho I in portal Cabinet ; , upon its side , had made a stop in tUo path of ooaoiliatiou , by pointing out , in a despatch Uoariug rtiUo tho 11 th ( 23 rd ) of Dtscombor , publisher ! in all tho foreign journals , tho sacrifices winch it sv , is prepared to make , with a view to the restoration of poaco .

      " This twofold proceeding proved the existence ou cither nitlo of a closiro to profit by tho compulsory cessation imposed by tho rigour of tho soason on military operations , iu order to respond to tho unanimous wishes whiuh wore everywhere manifested in favour of i * . speedy peace . " In tlio despatch oifcod above tlio Imperial Government had taken for bn « h tho four points ol guarantee ) admitted by tho Conferences at Vienna , and had propoaod , with regard to the third pointwhioh lmd alone led to tho rupture- of the Conforeucoa—a solution whiah diflWod rathor iu form than in subatiMHoo from tho one put forward at that epoch by tho Allied Powwa . , " Tho propositions transmitted to-day by tho

      " By the energy of its attitude in the face of a formidable coalition , Russia has given a measure of the sacrifices which she is prepared to make to defend her honour and dignity ; by this act of moderation the Imperial Government gives at the same time a new proof of its sincere desire to arrest the effusion of blood , to conclude a siruggle so grievous to civilisation and humanity , and to restore t o Russia and to Europe the blessings of peace . " It has a right to expect that th e opinion of all civilised nations will appreciate the act . "

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      February 2 , 1856 . ] THE LEADER . , 99

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 2, 1856, page 99, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2126/page/3/