NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Ir is now reported that " the Eastern question is settled " ; and the dates are already fixed, with considerable confidence, for the seve- ral stages of the details of the settlement. The Emperor of Russia, it is said, had already assented to the basis upon which the settle- ment is to be made. The formal proposition embodying that basis was sent from Vienna, both to St. Petersburg and to Constanti- nople, on the 2d instant; and it is calculated that by the 10th of September "the last Russian soldier will have crossed the Pruth." The plan is, that Redschid Pasha shall address a note to Count Nes- selrode complimenting the Emperor ; reassuring him of the Sultan's excellent disposition towards his own subjects, and enclosing the firmans issued by the Sultan for the benefit of the Christians. °This is the account given of the affair by the Morning Post, a journal which has hitherto appeared to possess the earliest and most con- sistent information on the subject.
But it is to be observed that this statement is not absolutely final. It appears to be authenticated by the Ministerial state- ments in Parliament, that Nicholas has agreed to something which is in accordance with the joint proposition ; but as to the joint proposition itself, we have no intelligence of his opinion, and it is possible that he might resent either the terms of its com- position or any circumstances attending it. For instance, Lord clarendon stated in the House of Lords, on Monday, that " the immediate and complete evacuation of the Principalities is a sine qui non-of any agreement with Russia." Now it is asserted with great "probability that the joint proposition makes no mention of the Principalities ; and it is therefore evident that the Emperor might acquiesce in a plan conceived for the purpose of soothing his pride, yet peremptorily resent any accompanying demand upon him, especially if it were a " sine qui non," calling upon him to do something " immediate and complete." He might reject a pro- position thus accompanied, at once ; or he might do worse than reject—he might open a new series of cavillings, keeping his forces still in the Principalities " pending the negotiations." Whether he will do either of these things, or acquiesce under some- thing like coercion, is not more certain than it was before. In the mean time, it does appear probable that some slight ex- aggeration has crept into the account of the Russian proceedings in the Principalities. Perhaps Bulgaria has not been invaded by a flotilla; of boats off Ismail ; perhaps the revenue, although with- held from Turkey, has not been appropriated by the Russians; perhaps no new form of government is established in Jassy or Bucharest, although " something like a committee" has been ap- pointed to carry on the administration. But whether these com- paratively alight corrections be made or not, in its essentials and substantials the lawless aggression of Russia remains uncontra- dieted.
, We are now in the last week of the long session ; next week Parliament will disperse, leaving us in a doubtful position, with slight hope of further explanations. We are on the eve of an im- portant settlement, or of a new series of embarrassing negotia- tions; for the question of priority in drawing back is just such a one as Russia can improve if it please her, notwithstanding the fact that the duty of retreating first belongs to he; as having ad- vanced the furthest, and without warrant. On that point, how- ever, Ministers have never departed from the assurance, repeated within these few hours, that they insist upon the evacuation of the Principalities as a sine quit non.
