The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-14 00:00:00

THE MURDERS IN GREECE.

In another series of letters on the murders in Greece,
Lord Clarendon makes some very severe observations on
the late melancholy event. "It is a scandal to civilisation
and an offence to the Powers who called Greece into
existence as an independent State, and as such have
protected her, that, after the lapse of more than forty
years, such things should occur." His lordship expressed
approval of Mr. Erskine's conduct. Several
general instructions from Lord Clarendon, and the
depositions of certain brigands are printed with
this series of despatches. On the sth instant
Mr. Erskine transmitted to the Earl of Clarendon a
translation of Colonel Thdagenis' report upon the events
of the 21st ultimo, which led to the disastrous collision be-
tween the troops and the brigands, and adds these obser-
vations on the cause of the final catastrophe :—" It is, I
think, now clear that it was provoked, if not com-
menced, by the soldiers attempting to prevent the escape
of the brigands and their captives to a part of
the country where the former might have held out for
any conditions they thought fit to impose. From this state-
ment I infer that if Alexandros had been in earnest, and
had hastened to rejoin the brigands, they might possibly
have been induced to retrace their steps to Sykamenon, and
to believe in the assurances of Col. Theag4nis and the terms
originally offered were still open to their acceptance; but as
Alexandros did not make any effort to overtake the brigands
before the fatal collision had taken place, it would now be
a waste of time to discuss what they might under other
circumstances have done." Likewise accompanying these
letters is a very important document—the directions of
the Council of Ministers to Colonel Thdag4nis, who was
sent to treat with the brigands. Their instructions run
thus :

" Athens, 6-18 April, 1870.
"M. Th4ag4nis,—You are aware of the sad event of the
capture of two Secretaries of Legation and other travellers.
The Ministers of England and of Italy have demanded
that all pursuit of the Arvanitis should cease, and Govern-
ment felt itself obliged to agree to this, so long as the
captives remained near Athens. But, instead of con-
tinuing at Keramidi, the Arvanitis, carrying away their
prisoners, have removed from the capital, and
gone towards Oropos. The emissaries sent to
the Arvanitis have repeatedly declared and ex-
plained to them that Government could not
grant them an amnesty, the Constitutional charter not
having conferred on it this right. The Arvanitis, how-
ever, persist in demanding that the ransom should be paid
to them, and that all of them should receive the advan-
tage of an amnesty. Confiding in your ability, therefore,
we beg you to betake yourself to Oropos, and to give those
men the following assurances and explanations :—First,
that according to the instructions which have been fur-
nished to us by the interested parties, the ransom to be
paid to them is at their disposal, and that they may re-
ceive it, and quit the territory of Greece either by
land or sea, embarking on board an English
man-of-war, if it is possible to accomplish this. Secondly,
that it is impossible an amnesty should be granted to
them. Thirdly, that they must take good heed that not
the least harm is done to their prisoners, that not even
the nail of any of them is injured • for, otherwise Govern-
ment will treat them with the utmosti rigour. Fourthle,
that they are not under any pretext to leave Oropos, in
older that the prisoners may be able to com-
municate easily witls their respective Ministers ;
that if the band. quit Oropos, Government will feel itself
freed fromits obligation to the Foreign Ministers to suspend
all pursuit of the Arvanitis. For all the rest, we entrust
it to your prudence and ability.—Signed, Th. A. Zaimis,
Th. P. Delyanni, S. Valaority, A. D. Avierinos, G.
Tombasi, D. Saravas, S. Soutzo.
In a despatch addressed to M. Zaimis, dated " Thebes,
13-25 April, 1870," Lieutenant-Colonel Th4agais reports
that, in pursuance of the directions he had received,
he went to Oropos, arriving there on the mor-
ninc, of April Bth. Having taken Takos
Arvanitaki apart, he communicated to him, in pre-
sence of Mr. Noel, the propositions contained in his
instructions of the 6th inst., 'concerning the delivery
of the prisoners. These were refused both by Takos
and the other brigands, on the ground that they could
not treat unless they were first assured of an amnesty.
When Lieutenaut-Colonel Th6ag4nis urged them to
remain at Oropos, declaring that if they did not do so,
Government would be absolved from its promise not to
pursue them, they became irritated at this menace,
declared that the promise which had been given to them
had been broken, and that they were now free to go
to Thebes, Locride, or anywhere else they pleased. On
the 9th instant M. Theagais received the order of Go-
vernment to surround the brigands at Oropos, and on the
same day he wrote from Salessi to Captain Liacopoulo to
come there with the force which he had, and to give
orders that other detachments should follow. The rest of
the story has been told before.