The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-04 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS

No notice can be taken of anonymous communications.
Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated
by the name and address of the writer; not necessarily for
publication, but as a guarrantee of his good faith.

We cannot undertake to return rejected communications.

All communications, Books for Review, etc., to be for-
warded to the Editor must be addressed to the Publisher,
CHARLES IVILLIviEn, and those from London may be sent
to tht, care of Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.

,qtirti)trit

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1853

TURKEY'S position" continues to excite universal
interest. The prevailing opinion was, but a short
time since, that she would be unable to meet the
frown of the AUTOCRAT. But, strange to say, we
now find her occupying a formidable position,with
an army of one hundred thousand men, animated by
a religious zeal which is only equalled by a determi-
nation to uphold the temples of their PROPHET, and
to meet the enemy in the full spirit of the Mussal7
man's faith.

Such fanaticism has ever been as bloody in its wars
as true religion is tolerant in council and gentle
in reproof. In dealing hostilely with the Turk,
the Russian will have to contend with that vita-
lising spark of an indomitable spirit, known to
Englishmen as " No surrender." This high military
quality in a nation, which has slumbered so long
in the rear of the progressive States of Europe, is
no less remarkable than it will prove formidable
in the event of war.

The individual integrity, and many of the na-
tional institutions of the Turks, may also be held

np as an example many to of the more conspicuous
nations who lay claim to rank in a boasted civili-
sation. In the absence of prisons, or bastiles filled
with victims of necessitous debt, religious intole-
rance, and henious crime, it becomes a problem
for continental. Despots to solve, how such a state
exists, and by what particular order of magic
it is governed. But if we except the degraded
condition of her female population, the morality
of Turkey stands unparalled. As believers in the
Koran, they are consistent and zealous ; but, at the
same time, they are tolerant, and have been found
accessible by the MissioNA.RlEs of other creeds.

To open the gates of Mahametanisin, and to re-
move the almost insurmountable barrier to the civil
and religious advancement of Turkey, the distruc-
tion of the Janisaries, amounting to 40,000 souls,
was undertaken and accomplished. By the execu-
tion of this

appaling design, the last vestage of

Mahametan fanaticism and intolerance was des-
troyed in the 0 ttoman Empire. And the Turks have
since then been as well disposed towards their
Christian brethren as any other " Pagan" people
on the earth.

The punishment of crime, (which is of rare oc
curance) among these people is terribly severe,
Thus tht

and is no le
terror of detection in vice, such as stealing, lyini,
murder, &c., has become as much an instinct as
industry and love of gain is with the world-Wide

certain or summary

persecuted JEW, or a superstiSious belief in the

DEITY, among a certain order of CHRISTIANS.

Viewing th

the rough elements of a people

piritual and temporal welfarc

most earnest solici

trade, w

ee no insurmountable obsticle in the

Won. If a guarantee be rf

we haw

impending conflict, in which

NICHOLAS steps forward to assort a mere conven

tional right of the GREEK CHRISTIANS, which LORD
CLARENDON, in his waspish dispatch, addressed to
Count Nesserrode, dated July 16, 1853, stated, that
the British Government " are as unaware -Of any
breach of engagement on the part of the PORTE, as
they are of those numerous arbitrary acts. of the
Ottoman Government, which, it is said, recently
infringed the rights of the Greek Church, and
threatened utterly to annihilate the order of things
sanctioned by ages, and so dear to the orthodox
faith."

Our Foreign Secretary even goes further than
this, and instances a casewhich supports our views.
" Russia claims," says the despatch, " for her 'co-
religionnaires,' in the East the strict status quo, and
the maintenance of the privileges they have en-
joyed under the protection of their Sovereign; but
Count NESSELRODE entirely omits to show how that
status quo has been disturbed, how those privileges
have been curtailed, what complaints have been
made, what grievances remain without redress.
Her Majesty's Government know only of one offence
committed by the Turkish Government against
Russia, which, by the admission of Prince MEN-
SCHIKOFF, was satisfactorily atoned for ; while, on
the other hand, the recent firman of the SULTAN,
confirming the privileges and immunities of the
Greek Church, has been gratefully acknowledged
by the Patriarch of Constantinople."
' This statement is sufficiently conclusive as to the
spirit of religious intolerance which prevails in the
DIVAN, and also among the great bulk of the
Tuirkish people. Previous to the fall of the des-
potic dicta of the JANISARIES, and the accession of
the present enlightened SULTAN MAHMOUD to the
throne, all CHRISTIANS were subject to instant an-
nihilation, without a pretext or shadow of crimin-
ality. The text of the Koran was held to be para-
mount, and all but Mussalmen were GIAOURS.
Europe is not indebted for all this to the SULTAN
alone. Guided by the ability and urged by so able
a statesman and consistent reformer as RESCHID
PASHA, we find the Koran itself invaded by a
change in the -Mussalman costume in which the
Turban and Tunic of the PROPHET is laid aside, and
nothing left to distinguish the reformed Turk from
the other nations of Europe but the Scemitar and
Crescent. Nor did Christianity miss her opportu-
nity. The Greek Christian, who but a few. short
years since, was a despised and miserable slave, is
now a freeman and a citizen. Many converts from
the Musselman faith to the Christian Church also
help to swell the number of Christians in this •
" Pagan" state, to upwards of five millions.
In the arts and sciences we also find the OTTO-
MANS bestirring themselves. In many of our
Universities, the TURKISH students have won many
marks of honour and distinction, and have. subse-
quently returned to their native land, carrying
with them a perfect knowledge of civil govern-
ment, law, physic, and many of the great practical
sciences belonging to trade, commerce, and manu-
factures: Such has been the career of TURKEY since
RESCHED PASHA has held a place in the DIVAN.
From his own purse he has paid for the education
of many young TURKS, who are now actively en-
gaged in diffusing the benefits of the instruction
they have received in this and other countries,
among their own poor. And how rapidly we find
these incalculable benefits developing themselves.

The trade of Turkey (carried on like that of the
Phcenecians, was confined to a few fruits and
fish, which they carried only to the neighbour-
ing islands in the Levant,) is now extending itself
daily, and
.to this country is becoming of vast
importance. The export of British manufactures
to Turkey for this year will be very little under one
million, while our imports of Turkish produce

is nearly three millions annually. Now setting
aside the fable of the "Key," so often repeated by the
London Times, and its no less marvellous tradition
touching the " rights of sovereignty which Russia
enjoys by treaty" over the Turkish territory—we
think we have shown that the SULTAN MAH-
MOUD is entitled to the utmost sympathy and
support of every Englishman against a TYRANT

whose only pastime is that of preparing the instru-
ments, and laying down plans, for the wholesale
slaughter of an unoffending people.

Are such things possible? Shall we tolerate
these savage deeds of •an inhuman monster to be
handed down to posterity in the history of the
Nineteenth Century ? Turkey has her ALLIES in
Persia, Egypt and Morocco, and from these she may
draw a force of fifty thousand men, with which,
added to her army now in tIT6 field and those
preparing for service, she may be able to meet the
Russian with two hundred and fifty thousand
men. Should a conflict occur and be prolonged,
England, -by sending a naval force to protect the
islands of Candia, Smyrna, and the smaller islands
of the Levant, Turkey might augment her force by
.thirty thousand additional men. With such an
army, ably officered as the Turkish regiments are
by foreigners of all nations, the AUTOCRAT may
meet on the Danube the well-merited punish-
ment he escaped only at the cost of the second
city in his empire. England is not, we repeat, in
a temper to be trifled with, and a second NAPOLEON
is ready to direct the arms of France.

PERHAPS there never was an age characterized by

so many, or such striking anomalies as that in
which we Hire. Periodically, some " hidden thing
of darkness" casually comes to light. The Press,
naturally enough, comments upon it. Humanity
is shocked-for a while and—that is ail! Every part
of our admirable social machinery goes on as
orderly and as smoothly as ever. Our Members.
meet, debate, make laws

separate, go grous€

searing, talk " twaddl

and devour the turtle of
their constituents, or indulge in such harmless
sports, till their sapient presence be again required
on some " important business of the House"—Lord
Mayors, and city Aldermen, gratify their gastrono•
mic tastes, and replete their modest appetites at
civic and corporation banquets, or elegant dejeuners—
the " Royal Society of the Greys," and kindred
bodies, holds its annual meeting to establish its
claims upon "a benevolent public"—speechify; pro-
cure a recherche dinner At the London tavern ; and
collect subscriptions which pay for them; drink
each other's health; call one another "jolly good
fellows," and part—till the next anniversary !
Meanwhile, religious societies are oganized for the
express object of converting the .0
-jib-be-way
tribe—or, perhaps, to present a " suitable offer-
ing" to the popular Authoress of Uncle Tonz's Cabin,
flif the great regard therein manifested for the poor
black slave, who, as a matter of right, is allied to
us both by blood and :the common• sympathies of
our race. Really, foreigners must think us the
noblest people under the sun; and at the antipodes,
our charact

for benevolence must stand
very high. But alas ! how fearfully misplaced is
half our generosity? We have no wish to quarrel
with the supporters of any benevolent Utopia; but
we would respectfully suggest that, whilst such

frightful misery exists as is now and again brought

to our knowledg

it would be more politic, More
3ary; that we should first of all
and endeavour to civilize and

wise, more m

nize, to assuage, if we could not entirely

the miseries of those thousands of poor
wretches—degraded and brutalized specimens
of humanity—who starve, sicken., die, and rot at our