The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-11-01

were snatehing from the desert the most
fertile provinces, and redeeming from their
abject slavery AID contagious pestilenee,
the noblest people OF the ancient world.
/" But it is objected tkat'the Greeks are
not less sayagely cruel than the Turks
I icM not hear such ehdrgr--tlIc gentlest
animals which Providence has subjected to
us, patient of labor, and licking the teneyo-
lent hand that feeds them, when maddened
with terror and goaded with barbarous op-
preston, will change on a sudden all the
characteristics of their original natures, and
overthrow every thing in their course. 70
Judge of what the Greeks, under good g0u-
ernmenh are capable of being, we have only
TO look back To what they hare befa.-
Their pedigrees, in which we can trace so
many great men, who nerer should hare
died, ought to protectthem from the Sa-
racens who cannot show, in all their es-
cutcheons, q single man ucho should hare
HUed
Well then may we exclaim to such
miscrean,s, in the language of Milton
Lift not thy spear against the MUSES. bower
The great Hmaihan conqueror bid spare
The house of Pandurus, when temple and
tower
Went To the ground"
But although have THUS 'endeavored,
against my most predominant feelings, TO
expel from my indignant view, cruelties by
whomsoeser committed, and, in protection
of the unfortunate Greeks, have covered
them with the veil which our imperfect ma
lures entitled me TO throw over them yet,
letit be remembered, that what | have
written concerning them, applies only to
unprecedented inhumanity, such as, when
hunted like wild beasts, they have turned
upon their pursuers, but that barbarous re-
tallations can receive no pardon, ifcontinued
when they are contendng az nation for
their religion and freedom. rejoice that
they are advanced in that condition that
they are marshaIling armies, that they are
laying the foundation of civil government /;
and feel confident that they will hence
forth remember that they are soldiers and
christians.
"That our influence could fail, If faithful
y exeft'-i, ! cannot bring my mind to be-
heve. might ask those who were the
warmest advocates for the war, and who
held the highest its happy termination, and
the emlnence on which il has placed us,
what THEY would think if il could be
doubted that five spoke the word we should
he obeyed ? The misfortune is, my lord,
that ire did not speak ii at a time when ma
ny of the enormlties which have taken
place, and Tor long time must follow,
might have been averted, and fear that We
may be NOW under great embarrassments
in holding different course-I am convin-
ced that it has been entirely owing 10 the
system which the governments Of Europe
have too long been pursuing, that the great
work of humanity and Justice has not long
ago been complete, and the only difficulty
! can toresee to its accomplishment is,
that, perhaps, we ourselves must retrace
some of our steps in taking the lead to give
it effect, Our alliance with the Porte ought
TO have been long ago removed out of the
way, AS being unworthy ofthe British gov
eminent and people and without conten-
ding, that we should at once have resented
by hostility their monstrous iniquities yet
if not a man in England were prepared to
second my opinion, should assert, that
would have become us to withdraw our
ambassador from Constantinople, and re-
.Ittl SNUit Il bdiluitll dS DuT diIltS. i KING
of Great Britain ought not to be styled the
brother ofthe Sultan, whilst the desolaton
of Sco and the butchery of the hostages
are unatoned for. Those authorised muir
ders are not the acts ola civilized ration
r. The voice of their blood like that Of the
first victim OF violence, 'cries unto God out
of the ground ); and the judgment of God
ought to be an example to the nations who
worship him. let them be fugttiues and ra-
gdbon1s upon the earth
My observations, my lord, upon this af-
flicting subject, are drawing fast TO their
close. 1t has been for sometime no secret that
IA congress is to be held upon the continent,
where the subject of the Greeks cannot but
come under consideration, and that we are
to be represented al it by some minister of
state. 1t was this which determined me,
without morent's delay, to write and to
publish this letter; because it would have
been too late to make any useful appeal to
your lordship or the public, after he had
taken our part, and perhaps concmred in
measures which could then only uselessly
dissent from.
If this congress of sovereigns and their
ministers is only to have for its object the
renewed support ofprnciples and projects
already too notorious, and if, to avoid any
lncongrrity or departure from the system
hitherto acted upon, Twkeyis TO be sancti-
mon'ousfy upheld as legitimate sorereign-
ty, and the Greehs are 10 be sacrificed, or an
any manner compromised, on the gvo,t.d that
hey are The subjects Of the porte, and bound
BY their allegiance, houghdguinst Their uni
rersdl actA, to obedience and peace, desire
hereby to express my adherence of COM
pretending this country in such an odious
combination, aud am confident that the
great mass Of the British people will join
me in my protest. My alarm as to the .ft-
ture, my lord, is justified by what is past