Why did the European powers want to curb Ottoman power during the Greek war of independence, but preserve it during the Oriental Crisis of 1840?

by uppermiddleclasss
navinho

Although not specific to the events you asked for, I can offer you a broad picture of the politics at the time:

The great powers referred to the Ottoman state as both the sick man of Europe and the Eastern question. The question in this regard is to do with the fact that they didn't really know what to do with it.

While none held particular esteem for the Ottomans, it was a constant worry for European nations that a weak Empire would play into the hands of and strengthen their rivals. As such, Austria and Russia were wary of each other marching into Ottoman possessions in the Balkans, Britain and France more wary of each other in Egypt, France and Russia wary of each other in the middle east (especially under the guise of who protected middle eastern Christians).

Additionally, for the UK and France, the Ottomans did a strategic job of containing Russia and a Russian navy from the Mediterranean. The British were very concerned that a Russian held Istanbul would allow them to project power to the important shipping route through the Suez.

Greek independence was special, due to their esteem of the ancient Greeks, the shared culture and religion, the war of Greek independence was a popular cause in Europe and didn't really alter the balance of power. Indeed, ethnic nationalism ended up becoming the solution to the Eastern Question, as the powers preferred independent states than territory shifting to that of a rival. From this nations such as Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia later emerge although with no way the popularism of Greece.

A good source is "The Realities Behind Diplomacy: British Foreign Policy 1865-1980" by Paul Kennedy.