Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/167

 IN THE WAR AGAINST RUSSIA. 137 ' tiou who, from liis geograpliical position, might chap. ' draw the sword in defence of German interests.' Now this, to the ear of any diplomatist, fore- shadowed, or rather announced, an offensive and defensive alliance with Austria against the Czar for the delivery of the Principalities ; and accord- ingly, the alliance so announced was actually con- tracted by Prussia some four weeks afterwards. But, iu the minds of the common public, a dis- closure couched in this diplomatic phraseology was smothered under the intolerable weight of the pacific verbiage Avhich had gone before ; and the result was, that a speech which announced a measure of offence and hostility to Piussia was looked upon as the disclosure of a halting, timid, and worthless policy. But, except upon the grounds here stated, there in ou.er was no grave fault to find with the policy of pAllfs^ Prussia down to the outbreak of the war between herMuty. the Czar and the Westein PoM'ers. Distant as she was from the scene of the Czar's encroach- ment, she was nevertheless compelled, as she valued her hold upon the goodwill of Germany, to be steadfast in hii)derin<4 Pussia from establishing lierself in provinces which would give her the full control of the Lower Danube ; and up to the time of the final rupture, she always so accom- modated her policy to the views of the Western Powers as to be able to remain iu firm accord with them, both as to the adjudication of the dis- pute between Russia and Turkey, and as to the
 * feel himself called upon sooner than Prussia to.