still in the two principalities, and the refugees were protected by Russia. The flame of the insurrection was increasing daily, when Russia demanded the evacuation of the two principalities by the Ottoman troops, the nomination of the Hospodars, and the modification of indispensable measures, in which circumstances permitted no change to be made. At the period when the principal persons among the Greeks, and the insane leaders of the insurrection, received the chastisement due to their proved crimes, very improper pretensions were put forward in their favour by Russia. Not the slightest wish was shown to yield an equitable ear to the just answers and amicable declarations which the Sublime Porte opposed to these pretensions, both verbally and by writing. Finally, the Russian envoy left Constanti. nople in a manner contrary to the duties of an ambassador.-The Grand Vizer immediately wrote to the Russian prime minister, and explained the whole truth to him. He represented in detail, that the system adopted and adhered to at all times by the Sublime Porte, consisted in the pure intention of literally executing the treaties concluded with friendly powers, more particularly with Russia, her friend and neighbour, and in constantly at. tending to the means of maintaining good understanding and securing tranquillity. Contrary to our hope, the answer which we received was remote from the path of justice and truth. As soon as the two principalities were purged of the rebels which had defiled them, the Hospodars were appointed, the ancient privileges completely restored, and these two provinces re-established on their former footing. Lord Strangford, the English ambassador, on his return from the congress of Verona, having in the course of his conversations on the existing circumstances, first observed the moderate conduct of the Porte to be free from all objection, declared officially and pub. licly, at different times, and in full conference, that if the Sublime Porte would also consent to reduce the number of the beshline-ferat who were under the command of Bash Beshli Aga of the principalities, there would then remain no object of dispute or difference between the Sublime Porte and Russia, and the good harmony of the two courts would rest on solid basis. Putting faith in this notification, and wishing to remove every cause of dis. cord; the Sublime Porte acquiesced in this proposition also; the number of the beshline-ferat was reduced. M. Minziacki, then the Russian chargé d'affairs, expressed the great satisfaction of his court at this reduction. Shortly after the question of the rank of the Bash Beshli Aga began to be discussed. Russia intimated officially that she wished them to be changed, and superseded by individuals without rank. This fa. your was also granted, solely to please Russia. Immediately after M. Minziacki presented an official note in the name of his court, demanding that plenipotentiaries should be sent to the frontiers, to explain the treaty of Bucharest. The plenipotentiaries whom the Sublime Porte sent to the frontier, with the view of terminating the conferences, began for the same object with Baron Strogonoff, and in the hope that this time at least, all discussion being terminated be. tween the two empires, the desired peace would be obtained. Having been afterwards artfully drawn by Russia, as far as Ackermann, they began by laying down the princi. ples of not departing from the circle of treaties, and not altering or changing the sense of the stipulations, in the same manner as had been previously agreed upon with the same envoy. The two parties agreed to this basis, and the conferences were opened. After some meetings, the Russian plenipotentiaries presented, contrary to the agreement, a detached docu. ment, under the title of "Ultimatum," demanding that the same should be accepted and approved, such as it was. In vain the Turkish negotiators endeavoured to obtain the abandonment of this proposition, by representing how contrary it was to diplomatic forms, and to the basis of the conferences. "Our mission,” replied the Russians, "has for its sole object to procure the acceptance of this document." And here the conferences closed. Finally, as the Russian plenipo. tentiaries had, in the course of the conference, admitted the Greek question to be an internal affair be. longing to the Sublime Porte, and as they had officially declared in the name of their court, that Russia would not mix herself in any way therewith, and that they would completely tranquillise the Sublime Porte on this point, seeing that this declaration was entered in the protocols kept according to custom by both parties, seeing moreover, that according to the reasons, legislative, political, and national, which prevent the Sublime Porte from admitting any foreign interferences on the Greek question, the promise of Russia not to meddle with it was a sincere mark of regard towards the Sublime Porte; this declaration, therefore, appeared to be a pledge of peace and friendship between the two empires for the present and the future, the closing of the conferences was implicitly based on the said declaration, and the treaty was really concluded without much attention to each particular article. M. de Ribeaupierre, envoy from Russia, on arriving at Constantinople, received all the accustomed honour--all the marks of respect due to his person. The greater part of the articles of the above treaty had already been carried into execution, and the means of equally executing the others were under consideration, when the Greek affair, the discussions concerning which had continued so long, and resounded in all ears, came again into question; an affair on which the Sublime Porte had already a thousand times given categorical and official replies; an affair, moreover, in which Russia had formally promised not to interfere. A treaty then appeared, unjustly concluded against the Sublime Porte, and without its knowledge. Notwithstanding the presence of M. de Ribeaupierre, who when at Ackermann, as second plenipotentiary of his court, was one of those who officially announced that Russia would not interfere with the Greek question-notwithstanding the existence of the protocols, the declaration was openly denied. This new proposition, so violent that it was impossible for the Sublime Porte to accept it, either consistently with law or policy, was put forward, and a hearty refusal given to the request to lend a favourable ear to the legal excuses and real obstacles which the Sublime Porte had, with good faith, at different times alleged on this subject. Finally, the fatal event at Navarin-an event unheard of and unexampled in the history of nations-still made no change in the amicable relations of the Sublime Porte; but, not content with the concessions which the Sublime Porte might, from regard solely to the three powers, and without any farther addition, grant to the country still in rebellion, the Russian envoy departed from Constantinople without motive or reason. Were the Sublime Porte to detail her numerous complaints, and insist upon her just rights, each of the points above stated would be. come in itself a special declaration. But the circumstances which preceded and followed the Greek insurrection, having clearly demonstrated what was its origin and the natural progress of events having only tended to confirm the opinion previously formed, the Sublime Porte, without wishing to impute the origin of the revolution to any quarter, continued to testify towards Russia all the respect and all the friendship which treaties and vicinage required; she endeavoured to maintain the most favourable relations; but of this no account was taken. Besides, inasmuch as the Sublime Porte, from the desire of preserving peace, displayed a mildness and condescension, in so much did Russia oppose to her reserve and hostile proceedings. It was natural that such a conduct should excite in the minds of Mussulmans the idea of innate enmity, and awaken among them all the ardour of Islamism. Besides that nothing can prove the reproach which Russia ad. dresses to us of having concluded the treaty of Ackermann with a mental reservation-the proclamation which the Sublime Porte, for certain reasons, circulated in its states, being an internal transac. tion, of which the Sublime Porte alone knows the motive, it is evi. dent that the language held by a government to its own subjects cannot be a ground for another government picking a quarrel with it. Nevertheless, immediately after the departure of the envoy, the Grand Vizier, in an official letter to the Prime Minister of Russia, clearly expressed that, faithful to the good intentions so long mani. fested, the Sublime Porte was always desirous of maintaining peace. Now, if Russia had equally desired, as she pretended in her declaration, sincerely to maintain peace between the two states, as all discussions between powers ought to be based on the text of treaties, or on official documents, the official letter of the Grand Vizier well deserved to be accepted and taken into consideration according to diplomatic practice, and in the hypothesis of this procla mation having given some suspicion to Russia, the course of com. munication not being obstructed between the two courts, Russia might have applied amicably to the Sublime Porte to ascertain the truth, and to clear up her doubts. Far from following this course, perhaps even without taking into consideration the correct information transmitted on the subject by the representatives of other friendly powers who were still here, she hastened to class that proclamation among the number of her com. plaints and pretexts. Then is not the party which has declared war evidently that which must have concluded the treaty of Ackermann with a mental reservation? The facts carry their proof along with them, and relieve us from the necessity of further demonstration. We come now to the seizure of the cargoes of Russian vessels. Though the corn which the Ottoman provinces furnished is, thanks be to God, sufficient for the consumption of the capital, nevertheless the blockade, established contrary to peace and good under. standing for the purpose of preventing the Mussulman troops in the Morea from receiving provisions, we had determined to transport from certain parts of Romelia to that peninsula the grain destined to the capital, it became necessary to supply the deficit thereby created here in a way heretofore prac. tised, and which equally affected the merchants of other friendly nations. The corn of the Russian merchants was purchased at the current market price for the sub. sistence of Constantinople, and the amount paid to the owners. This measure, arising solely from the blockade, cannot be made a just cause of complaint against the Sublime Porte. Besides, the mense losses which the Sublime Porte has experienced in consequence of the Greek revolution, as well as the damage caused at Navarin, give it a full right to complain, while others had no right to speak of their losses, their commerce enjoying greater advantages than before. pure calumny. Never did the Sublime Porte think it consistent with its dignity to instigate one nation against another. Far from exciting Persia, the Sublime Porte observed the strictest neutrality, neither mixing itself up with the origin or the is. sue of the war or the peace between the two empires. If some neighbouring pachas made preparations, they were only measures of precaution usual to every state bordering upon two other nations at war. It thus clearly appears that the endeavour of Russia to ascribe these preparations to hostile intentions towards herself, has as little foundation as the rest. Russia has constantly made use of the protection, and of the interests which she felt or possessed, in favour of the unfortunate inhabitants of Wallachia and Moldavia, to excite all sorts of dissentions against the Sublime Porte. Would any one wish to convince himself that her true object was not to protect them, but to pick a quarrel with us, let him consider the evils which have been inflicted upon them by the invasion of Ypsilante, and by the unjust inroad of the Russian army in contempt of treaties. Such are the inhabitants whom Russia pretends to protect: It is to Russia to whom they owe im- their ruin. It was very easy for the Sublime Porte to cause her victorious troops to enter the two principalities after she knew that Russia was making preparations to invade them; but never having at any time permitted, contrary to the divine law, the least vexation towards her subjects, and being anxious to secure the welfare and tranquillity of the provinces under the shade of the imperial throne, she As to the reproach of having excited Persia against Russia, it is a abstained in order to spare the mis- them, the permanent commission fortunes of the inhabitants. In a word, the Sublime Porte makes the present declaration that none may have any thing to say against her; that it may be weighed in the balance of equity and truth, how much injustice there was on the part of Russia in resisting the important demands and grave complaints of the Sublime Porte, which are as clear as the sun; in inventing all kinds of objections; in interpreting in a thousand different ways the system followed by the Ottoman government; and in declaring war without motive or necessity; in fine, that, exempt from every kind of regret respecting the means of resistance which the Mussulman nation will employ, relying upon the divine assistance, and acting in conformity with the holy law, she may be able to clear her conscience of an event which will occasion now and hencefor. ward trouble to so many beings, and perhaps may shake the tran-. quillity of the whole world. Declaration addressed by the govern. ment of Greece to the powers signing the treaty of July 6th, 1827, in relation to the boundaries of Greece. Egina, Dec. 30th, 1827. The treaty of July 6th, conclu. ded between France, Great Britain and Russia, with the view of putting an end to the effusion of blood in the east, does not fix the frontier line between the belligerent parties. The serious difficulties presented by this question in more than one aspect, without doubt occasioned this omission. Hoping to be able to remove a portion of of the national assembly has the honour to submit some views on that subject, which it believes to be better founded as they result from actual observation and local knowledge. In considering the question of the frontiers of Greece, one is struck with the necessity of not limiting them too much. A state, rising on the border of a vast empire, its natural enemy, without sufficient territory presents an easy prey, creating by its very weakness the disposition to invade it on the first opportunity. If, in the desire of bringing about a peace, this view of the subject is disregarded, the seeds of speedy destruction will be sown in the work itself. This inconvenience becomes still more serious, if the new state at its birth is burdened with a pub. lic debt and a yearly tribute, with. out sufficient extent of territory to furnish the necessary revenues to discharge these obligations. This will at the same time call into existence and pronounce a decree of death upon the state, by placing it in a situation to fail in its sacred engagements-engagements to which But since the allied powers have it owes its creation and territory. thought it worthy of their solicitude to undertake the pacification of Greece, reposing upon their good will, we confide these questions wholly to their wisdom, trusting that the work will be as solid as worthy of their high reputation, and confine ourselves to lay before them same observations upon the localities. It is certain, that the best frontiers will be those, which form the shortest possible line of demarkation and which may be at |