Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-01-28

ton on the institutions of society!
The next question is, "What can we do2"
If we are in danger, how can we avoid the
danger? Formerly, question of this kind
was answered by the amount of subsidies
which could be brought into the field. But
there is a force above all physical power, and
this is the force of opinion. An enemy from
abroad could scarcely annoy US. We have
among us a spirit of manly independence
which can never be put down. The force Of
public opinion is irresistible. An hostile ar
ray of armies had indeed gone from the Py-
renees to Cadiz; but what of that? Public
justice was not satisfied; the opinion of the
world which, he thanked God, composed the
greaterpart oft, would ultimately prevail.
But to proceed to the immediate object of
the resolution,-a docum ent is on the table
showing the population of Greece, In ner
political and commercial character, she has
made great advances within the last forty
years. Her sailors are the best of any which
navigate the Mediterranean. There are now
seven millions of Christian Greeks under the
power of the Ottoman. Mr.. Hobhouse SAYS,
they have $1,000 seamen. He thought this
AN exaggerated estimate but taking it at
one hall, ii was an important number. They
'have ll6 ships, and an extended commerce.
In their moral condition, they are making
rapid progress. Printing presses are intro
duLed among them, and works have been
translated. All this has been done in the
face OF an oppression, the most destructive
which could be imagined. The Turkish gov
erumcnt was cruel, military tyranny, and
they had been well described as AN encamp-
ment, rather than settled nation. 1t is in
It's nature entirely despotic; there is no pro-
perty, no security. One great source of rev.
enue isthe sale ofjudicial Offices; and every
membEr of This COMMITTEE, knows, that there
can DC no oppression equal to that with which
the turks have afflicted Greece. The history
OF the worId shews nothing like it. We have
REID oireOelions, and conquests, but nothing
hike lhls; there is nothing on the page of his
tory wnlca comes 10 our feelings in so en-
pnauC tone, as the cries of Greece. She
has sut-fed too, all this oppression under the
syas >. all the civilized, and Christian nations
oi Europe. He reviewed rapidly the history
II >freeCe, and her former connection with
ater, aud expressed his surprise that any
II. mpt on the part of the Greeks to throw
off the yoke of the Turks, should excite the
dspieasure Of Russia. The Russian religion
was the same as that of the Greeks. yet
when the Greek patriarch lost his head in
1871, aud 1t was placed on the top OF the Sc
raglio, to avenge this murder is stigmatized
by Russia, as throwing tre-brand into the
Ottoman emnre. He adverted TO the asser-
ton OF Baron otrogonof, the Russian Minister,
when the Porte inflicted his unequalled cruel
ty on the Greeks in 1921, that il persisted in.
such acts OF barbarity would be good ground
Cor uniting all Christian nations against the
Porte. Yet the massacres of Scio and Cy.
prus had not then been perpetrated.
He reverted TO the improvement of the con-
ditlon OF the Greeks. society had been form
ed in Germ my for the purpose Of aiding this
improvement Her political Improvement he
sketched, from the first kindings of the spirit
OF freedom, Though all the ardent acts which
rad subsequently resulted from them and
embraced in it the bold aud gallant rising of
Aii racha, aud MS unfortunate fate, the cam
pagn q 1922, AM the catastrophe of Scio,
ma; tavaured isle, that seat of Grecian liber,
where the wealth and the learning and
NC thief population OF Greece were concen-
es.N'. lie described the valor OF the Greeks,
arJ ave suCC;nct narration of the awful
s:1lh'cr which depopulated this isle Of
Ncss.,, sending 10000 Of her women and
-lsidrcu INTO slavery; the destruction of the
lEfeeE hostages, &c. sc. Many fatherless
Greeks, children whose parents had persisted
@: led to avoid destruction, had been thrown
oN the common compassion of mankind. and
some had been picked up by American agents,
and '9are now in this country. Every effort
Of The Greeks, in the last campaign, had sue.
cesded they had gloriously repealed the at,
IA; Ks ofall the Turkish power and had al.
most driven the Ottoman from the Morea.
Gambia, Athens, &c. Their Navy, instead
81 icing weakened, has been strengthened.
they have formed a regular government, a re-
publican government, .ounded on equal rights.
ney had done more than any country has ev.
or done under the same disadvantages: and
they well deserve the cheering countenap q
Ct the civilized world. They have withstood
che Turk and the Algerine, and, the GOODNESS
o. the powers which ought to have assisted
them, and they still hold out.
.may be asked ifthis resolution will do them
, y good. He had no doubt it would. AL
Tough he would not oppose the contributions
witch were about being made for them
throughout this country, he thought public
expression OF opinion from the representative
body would have more powerful effect on
thom than the most extensive subscriptions.
II could not inJure us commercially; ana he
thought the resolution imposed no new duty
en- the President. twas only enabling him TO
to That openly, which would be injured in its
effect, If done secretly. If any thing could
he suggested 10 make his resolution more ex
Piclt, he was willing to receive the suggestion.
Tie thought the only question was, whether il
was worth while for the House to come TO a
vote on toe suhject.-The resolution can Of
.end no one. If the Tnrk takes offence, he
takes offence against law, and we cannot pre-
vent him from doing this. The proper course
would be, to send an agent-If any thing to
endanger us was contained in this resolution.
he should not urge it, but after the contrbu,
lions which were openly making in this coun-
try, and even the correspondence ofthe Score.
tary Of State, with Greek agent in London,