WALLACHIA, MOLDAVIA, AND SERVIA, IN CONNECTION WITH THE GREEK INSURRECTION, 1821-29

AFTER THE TREATY OF BUCHAREST was signed (1812) the Porte soon established its authority in the Danubian principalities, but the Turkish army was not withdrawn. This continued occupation of Wallachia and Moldavia and the atrocities perpetrated upon the Greeks in Constantinople, called forth from time to time unavailing remonstrances from the Russian ambassador. He finally delivered a note to the Porte (July 18, 1821) allowing only eight days for an answer. In brief his demands were: that the Greek churches that had been destroyed and plundered should immediately be restored; that the Christian religion should be restored to its prerogatives by granting it the protection it formerly enjoyed and by guaranteeing its inviolability for the future, and that the Turkish government should enable Russia, by virtue of existing treaties, to contribute to the pacification of the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. Two days before this note was handed to the Porte, Lord Castlereagh wrote the Emperor Alexander a long and interesting letter, pointing out that the dreadful events then afflicting Turkey were but “a branch of that organized spirit of insurrection which was systematically propagating itself throughout Europe,” and expressing his “sanguine persuasion” that the Tsar would determine to maintain “inviolably” the European System, as consolidated by the late treaty of peace. The letter fully recognized the ample provocation that the Emperor had for intervening but suggested several reasons why he should not do so, and it concluded by urging that Alexander “could afford to temporize and to suffer the tempest to exhaust itself.” The Porte did not answer Russia’s ultimatum within the specified eight days, and the Russian ambassador, who already had his instructions, left at once for Odessa, with the whole of his embassy. By this