" THE PACIFIC POLICY "—COUNT S'f ROGONOFF'S TOAST.
TO Tli E EDITOR Or THE SPECTATOR.
Ilth November 1Rn
Sm—We now see in course of explanation the recondite meaning of Count Sruocolvorr's significant toast, when he was lately in England at the Queen's Coronation, in honour of the " Pacific Policy " of Europe. We may suppose the Count, if he had amplifiyd the text to his guests, conveying his real mean- ittg, or that of his Government, to enlarge thus. My Lords and Gentlemen—I cannot sufficiently recommend to your favour and adoption The Pacific Policy,' which is the toast I shall have the honour to
propose. The pacific policy,' my lords, is the foundation of ;ill ( Russian) greatness as a natien; and it is particularly suitable to tile Liberal Governments of France and England, though not so well adapted to such as have chosen a less popular form, such as Imperial Russia, &c. &c. To the happy commence- ment of that political system, in 1771-2, we are indebted for the acquisition of Poland, a kingdom which once existed, and whieli once saved Austria and
perhaps all Christendom from the Malimonwilan sway : we acted in concert with
our august allies of Austria and Prussia; and if the Whig Ministry will only per sevel e as constantly in this policy as its Tory preilecessuis, the last rem- nant of Polish nationality will shortly be swept from the face of Europe, as completely as if it had never b-en—as entirely as if Pol inil had not been men- tioned in some superfluous articles of the treaties of 181a.
" To the adoption by the Tories of that profound political maxim ' the pacific policy,' we are also indebted for the acquisition of Finland and some other ex- tensive districts from Sweden ; which, though of no great value, was tolerably
well for a beginuing ; for you must recollect. that with a magna- nimity truly Russian, we did not begin by seiz"ng al/ Po?on,t, in 1772. The paciti.c policy is so admirable in the constitutimial states of Western Europe, that by taking time to effect our ultimate objects, and by doing, things gradually anti step by step, our views are just as successful in the end, without provoking any fastidious or squeamish pada ieiarol, by a who'esale procedure—thanks to the elasticity and expansive nature of • the pacific pol ' in our neighbours! " In proof ot this, I may advert to Poland more particularly ; where we began in 177:2 by sittall aequisitions, which rendered necesF.ny the subsequent ones in 1793, in 1795, and in Ds1.5 : we have Iittliv et finished in 1838, a pen hid of sixty-six years; a proof at cnee of o: ni.ngnl.nmt inn tv ;mil extreme moderation. When this is completed, and Pol a:. d is erased trona the map, it will be time to commence with :ate-aria ;old Prm.,ia, in order to intake tlient disgorge the spaiia tiititaa which they hive received from our generosity as a douceur to keep thetn quiet ; and if those Governinents ale 04 as sincerely attached to ' the pacific policy ' as France and England have hitherto proved, we have every reasonable prospect of gaining the whole of our rights over Poland. 1. Because even the Liberil tiovernments ot Eutope must admit that Poland should not be disiionih.rcd, which it no V.' y. 2. .2. That the d sto.fcr: Deaties or more public ones, by %% Idol' A;is..ria and Prussia have received por- tions tl'iereof, being in commutatimi of 1: any. are obvionslv illegal an effect. O. That the smaller portion should reunite with the 'larger, and not the latter with the former. Hence, as Russia has in:turzi!'y up nil tbe largest portion by far, it follows of course that Austria and I'm ussia should resign their acquisitions to the Czar. WitIlaellia and 3Ioldavia are, nay lords, the next prmq's of tile triumphs of that admirable system, the pacific po:iey.' Tney tine already under Russian protection : you know the meaning of that svord, my lords. The mouths of the Danube arc ours, as much as the Don, the \Volgaa and the Dnieper. The Black Sea is ours, as well as the Baltic and the Caspian. The Dardanelles are the keys of our house,' as well as the Cattegat, which we have takenonly per- severe our protection by recent treaty ; anti if the other Glove: nnients will severe a few years longer in that wi-e, prudent, and statesmanlike policy which I have attempted to eulogize, 1 thitik I may add that the posaession of Constan- tinople, and an due time and seasun, of all Greece, will crown our efforts and your pacific policy.' "The British Government will then surely not object to signalize its devo- tion to those principles which have so long actuated it, by resigning to us the protectorate of the Ionian Islands and ol Malta, &e. which so naturally follows the possession of Greece ; and Austria will, no doubt, be equally ready to sur- render to us the provinces of Servia, Dalmatia, &c. which properly ()dung to
European Turkey. The pacific policy' requires it. Transylvauia may be reserved for further consideration.
" This natural and inevitable extension of our territory in Europe renders a corresponding advance on the side of Asia almost indispensable. The Euro- pean portion will form Russia Proper. Su great an empire must have colonies; and Asia (i. c. lnniif 'looks to Russia,' in the emphatic and correct language of the ,Altgsbury Gazette, for its regeueration and civilization. The Go- vernment now established there is not powerful enough to effect the sublime objects just mentioned, and which 7tIone could Sway the paternal heart and noble generosity of my august master to extend his all-powerful protection to those regions. Asia Minor forms a part of that Tutkish empire to which you have repeatedly in your 'pacific policy' admitted our right. The Tory statesmen of this country, whose memory we so highly venerate, have inva- riably acknowledged, tacitly or openly, our right to deal with Turkey as we please, or as we have done with Poland, with Finland, with Wallachia and Moldavia, with the Danube and the Black Sea, with Circassia, Armenia, Georgia, and the Caucasus, and, finally, with Persia, where we have already an army and a Governor-General seated at Tittlis. 'Tis part and parcel of the pacific policy'—Cireassia, Georgia, Armenia, and the Caucasus, are cases in point—to prove that Tory Alinisters have invariably regarded our rights and claims in that direction to be only limited by our own strength and con- venience.
" Every war we have made, every treaty we have signed in furtherance of those objects, have not only been unopposed, but supported my' the pacific policy' of England. PITT, ADDINGTON, CASTLEREAGH, LIVF.RPOOL, CAN. N I NG, anal WELLINGTON, have constantly anti with a pen.everanee worthy of imitation, not only suffered but aided and encouraged our growing claims to the protection of Persia, through their various Euvoys thele—OuSELEIC• JONES, WILLOCK, &e. up to the present time; when the incendiary 31..Nert has departed from his duty and from the pacific poliq ' of the good old times, when the British Envoys in Persia were but humble deputies to the Russian :Minister. Our tit:e to the supremacy in Persia, is thus proved by every act of the British Government since theMarquis of WELLESLEY left the government of India: it flows naturally also from our possession of the countries just named, id est, of all the territory from the Dardanelles aud the Black Sea to the Cas- pian, and from our having obtained a footing &eta of the Caucasus—thanks to the pacific policy' of England, and of the heaven-born statesmen who then ruled her destinies !
"Tine due protection of Persia, as in the cases of Poland, Turkey, Sac. may render necessary its occupation by our armies; for you must be aware, my lords, (I address myself to my French and English auditors in particular,) ncs, countty in be eutheient'y protected, anlese sou a re in possession of it with an adequate force; and that tight, as regarde Penis, has lung heel conceded to us by the eminent statesmen I have just quoted. IIERAT, CANDAHAR, CAHUL, and PERHAWER, are parts of the ancient Prima si empire, speaking the same • language; and will therefore be included in our imperial political syetetn of pro- tection, without conveying any just cause of umbrage to the otl er powers of Europe or Asia. "In short, my Ionic, I have said enough to establish the justice of our views, the magnanimity and benevolence of our Emperor, who I•4 only swayed by a humane consideration for the pressing wants of the rest of the world • fir re- generation and eivilizttion ' at his hands; and the immortal merits of the
• pacific policy,' which I commend to you all, equally as a tuast and as a rule of conduct."
Such, Mr. Sereraroa, was the real import of Count STROCONOFF'S toast, put into plain English. That such is the real purpose ef the Russian Cabinet, there can now, I think, he but little difference of opinion. TI e tnask is thrown tiff, and we must prep.ro for the conflict.
I ant, Sir, your humble servant, X. X.
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