The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-02 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF GREECE.

On the question that the House go into a Committee of
Supply,
Lord PALMERSTON rose to bring forward the question
of which he had given notice relative to the affairs of Greece.
He said the, in making his observations upon this subject, he
could not fail to command the attention of the House, although
it concerned neither the military, commercial, or even the
pecuniary interests of the Members. As to military interests
Greece was not of sufficient importance to form an essential
element in the balance of European power; in her commerce
she was not extensive enough to affect that of any other country,
end in a pecuniary point of view very little interest could be
Celt; although by reason of a small interest payable on a loan
effected with that country, any measure which was calculated to
decrease her debt must be of comparative importance to those
who had assisted her. But the subject had a higher claim to
the consideration of the House and the country inasmuch as
it concerned the honour and good faith of the kingdom.
The honour of the British Crown greatly depended on the pros-
perity of Greece. In that treaty, which constituted the king-
dom of Greece, of coarse a King was appointed, and that King
bring under age, a regency was appointed. That regency had
been much calumniated. They committed great acts of creelty
among them, but, be their faults what they may, they
conferred great permanent benefits on the Greek,. They es-
tablished municipal corporations, the freedom of the press,
trial by jury, patrician assemblies, and a general representa-
tion. The Constitution which the allied Powers hail
promised to the Greeks, and which the King of Russia had also
promised during his minority, had long been delayed. Great
tyranny was practised, a lavish expenditure, and a squandering
of the resources of the State took place, and an unnatural
spirit of government was established. The finances of Greece
were unable to cover the current expenditure, and the interest
was thrown upon the three countries who were the guarantees.
In September, ItSl3, by almost an unanimous act, a revo-
lution was brought about in the course of a few days, when
a general assembly was made. Everybody who was disposed
to look at the surface of things, and could not look at the
springs of action in Greece, might have expected that when
that Constitution was established things would have gone on
in a different way. He was sorry to say that the Constitution
had not turned out satisfactorily. The 3linister that was first
called upon to act in this constitutional system (iMavrocordalo),
an enlightened man, was soon removed from office, and his
pprlaecseenwt asstiaikneisntebry a(
cll,l,iirileisittie)r, o,f a
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educated
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tedescirnipttih T
e he
school
of Ali Pacha, imbibed in his earlier years prin-
ciples far different from those which were suited
to his position as Minister, was then appointed.
The Constitution was then set aside, and arbitrary acts of power
were practised by every party. Judges had been removed who
had been thought likely to administer the law with justice, the
liberty of the press had been shattered, tyranny had been exer-
cised, and instead of an army, the country had been filled with
robbers and plunderers, who committed the most dreadful ex-
cesses on the unfortunate population. Cruelty had been prac-
tised on the people, and persons would hardiy believe that in
any Christian country in these days, professing to be a civilised
nation, such abominations could take place as were practised in
Greece. A number of individuals were said to have been swung
by the feet, and when so swinging, were beaten, and wild
cats were put into the loose dresses of the women. He handed
in a petition from a certain number of persons in Syria, saying
that they etiemselves were victims to this kind of treatment, and
that they had been the greatest sufferers. Of course the reve-
nues of the country were squandered 43, those bands, and the
State was left actually in arrears, and the interest was thrown
upon the three guaranteed powers. With regard to that point,
he would take leave to ask the Government why they did not at
length insist upon the execution of that treatied stipulation, by
which the Government of Greece was bound to apply to the
pas ment of the interest of the debt the (list produce of the
pil:ilk.. revenue. He was sure that if that were done it would
go some way to 'sieving. those debts. The Government a
`Greece would be compelled to have recourse to some method,
of economy, and as they were in the rapacity of creditors
of Greece, and guarantees of the independence and integrity
of Greece, they ought to give strong admoniti.ons and urgent
representations to the Government of Greece on these matters.