Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/151

 IN THE WAR AGAINST RUSSIA. 121 On the lltli of April the Emperor of Kussia chap. issued his declaration of war. He declared that ' the summons addressed to him by France and Jecw^on England took from Eussia all possibility of yield- mani^fesio. ing with honour; and he threw the responsibility of the war upon the Western Powers. It was for Central and Western Europe that diplomacy shaped these phrases ; but in the manifesto ad- dressed to his own people the Czar used loftier words. 'Kussia,' said he, 'fights not for the ' things of this world, but for the Faith.' * ' Eng- ' land and France have ranged themselves by the ' side of the enemies of Christianity against Eus- ' sia fiditincj for the Orthodox faith. But Eussia ' will not alter her divine mission ; and if enemies ' fall upon her frontier, we are ready to meet them ' with the firmness which our ancestors have ' bequeathed to us. Are we not now the same ' Eussian nation of whose deeds of valour the ' memorable events of 1812 bear witness ? May ' the Almighty assist us to prove this by deeds ! ' And in this trust taking up arms for our perse- ' cuted brethren professing the Christian faith, we ' will exclaim with the whole of Eussia with one ' heart, " Lord our Saviour, whom have we to ' "fear?" "May God arise and His enemies be ' " dispersed ! " ' f On the fourth day after the delivery of the TheCzar's,. ,, 1 -T^ • • (. invasion of message which ijlaced Eussia in a state ot war Turkey is . commenced with Frauce and England, Prince Gortschakoff passed the Lower Danube at three points, and,
 * 23(1 April. + 21st February.