320 ON THE POLICY AND THE POWER OF RUSSIA. 



pend money even in the convict colonies. Indeed, where do they 

 not pry, and endeavour to extend their barbarian influence? In 

 short, Nicholas omits nothing to improve the morale or materiel of his 

 forces by sea or land ; and follows up his plans with the domineering, 

 or, at times, calculating diplomacy, the Argus watchfulness, and the 

 unprincipled measures of the Vatican. 



If effects are allowed to be a test of causes, can it be contradicted 

 that the Emperor of Russia exercises a most powerful influence over 

 all the other monarchs of Europe and their ministers, who either bow 

 in submission, or render their resistance ineffectual by their imbe- 

 cility of purpose. The emperor, conscious of his power and pre- 

 ponderance, dares and does, whilst other kings, and other cabinets, 

 exchange fruitless notes and letters, and protocols, to be brought un- 

 der his attention when he has leisure to amuse himself with them ; 

 and to bear these to the Eagle, the messengers are, consistently 

 enough, selected from the dove-cote. 



We have been led to these remarks by a perusal of the very able 

 pamphlet (now, by the way, in its third edition), the title of which we 

 have prefixed to our article. Government for many years, both 

 Tory and Whig, have been disgracefully negligent of the British in- 

 terests with regard to Russia. If they have confided on the faith of 

 Russia on its honour and protestations, they have stood alone in 

 their simplicity if they have treated Russia with the courtesy due to 

 a civilized nation, they have been well treated for their credulity. In 

 every way the conduct of the British government betrays either igno- 

 rance or folly, and is alike injurious to the best interests of our 

 country. The press has continually directed inquiry to that most 

 suspicious quarter. We have ourselves had numerous articles almost 

 prophetic of what has come to pass but without avail. The blind- 

 ness of our foreign policy for these ten years past, appears little short 

 of fatality ; and now, when Russia has almost grasped the prey to 

 which we have, like good-natured idiots, lent our assistance, we shall 

 begin to find we have acted in error. The resources of Great Britain 

 and France have actually been conducive to the grand scheme of the 

 autocrat, although the interests of the two cabinets have been diame- 

 trically opposed to the ambition of Russia. 



" The independence of Turkey has been undermined by her, under the 

 mask of common objects, common measures, and formal alliance with the 

 two cabinets most interested, and now 011 the point of recurring to the last 

 resort in its support ; by an unparalleled combination of successful delu- 

 sions, she not only has veiled from them her motives aud her acts, but has 

 called in the aid of their armies and fleets, and the whole weight of their 

 moral support, for the furtherance of her designs." 



But the author of the pamphlet takes Russia upon her own show- 

 ing, and convicts her upon statements put forth by herself. 



" She declares loudly, unequivocally, that she has no design on Turkey ; 

 and that she has every interest and every wish to maintain the integrity and 

 independence of Turkey. Let us examine, therefore, in detail, how that 

 independence has been affected by her acts, and by the acts into which she 

 has betrayed England and France." 



We shall then see the nature of the means which this " great na- 



