Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-01-27


most atrocious, unparalleled Tartarian barbarism
that ever oppressed the human race. This
House unable to estimate duly, is unable even
70 conceive or comprehend it. 1t must be re-
ineinoered that the character of the force which
mas SO long domneered over them is purely mi
itary.-lt has been as truly, as beautifully, said
that " the Turk has now been encamped in Eu-
rope for four centuries" Yes, sir-it is nothing
else than an encampment. They came in by
the sword, and they govern by the sword. They
hold the captive Greeks to be their property,
and when wretched Greek has yielded up bis
years earning to some rapacious exactor, it has
truly been said that he "pays his ransom to live
another year." 'Despotic power is there, if the
phrase may be allowed, formed into regular
system OF anarchy. The power delegated to the
inferior tyrant is AS absolute within its sphere
as the power OF the Sultan himself--and hence.
there is scarcely great post under the whole
government whose incumbent is not virtually,
OFTEN actually, at war with the Porte. Between
these two opposite powers, both dcspotic, it is
dangerous to take sides, and yet sides must be
taken; IN all the empire there is TO property,
no security. The well known and undiseuised
SAFE oil all Offices, Is of ITSELF sufficient index
OF the state OF society. In the whole world, no
such oppression is feN as that which has crushed
down the wretched Greeks. In India, to he
sure II Is bad enough in principle, but in the ac-
tuai JeeStng oil the oppression, it is not to be
compared. There the oppressed natives are
themselves as baroarous as their oppressors, but
here have been seven millions of civilized, en-
lightened, Christian men, trampled into the
very earth, century after century, by a barba-
rous, pillaging, relentless soldery. Sir, the case
Is unlque-there has existed nothing like it, be-
tore or since. The world has no such misery to
show. Surely, there is no case in which we
In, tba< ,,t-,l,
with such an emphasis OF appeal. What, du
! ring all this time, has been the co,:duct of the
nelghbolng AUTHORIZATIONS professedly Chris
tian! 1t has been disgrace to Europe. As
early as the Congress at Laybach, in 1921,
the papers of that council spoke of the risinp of
this oppressed people as culpable, as criminal.
And tins charge comes from the Emperor OF
Russia. Certainly, he did not al,onus think il
quite SO criminal in Greece to resist the Porte.
On the contrary, is ii not known to all the world
that Russia advanced claim of some kind "a
gamst the Porte to the allegiance of Greece ,
Did not Ivan Ill. discard the banner of 81.
George, and take the double-headed eagle in its
stead? Did not Peter the Great secure for
them the passage of the Dardanelles Did ne
not adopt the far-famcd banner of Constantine,
" en- hoe s1gnO risces 2" Did he not stamp upon
his coin Z" PETRUs |. Russo GREcoR IMpERA
TOR? From 1869 TO l774 did not Russia en-
gage IN successive campaigns against the Porte,
and did she not fill Greece with her armies p.
Were not the Turks compelled to admit, by
treaty, the independence of the Car of the
kilmea! And did not the Empress Catharine.
when she conquered the Krimea, inscribc over
the gate OF kerson, seTHE ROAD TO BYzAN-
T1UM?" Strange, indeed after all this, that
Greek instruction against the Turks should
excite the indignation Of the Emperor of Rus
vol he VI
held no longer ago than last yearl 1t denoun-
ees " the rash and culpable conduct of the
Greeks, who have thrown frebrand into the
midst OF the Ottoman Empire."-If they did.
that was done long before they did it, and they
were by this very power encouraged to do it
Might 1T not have been expected that at that
Congress some relenting of compassion would
have been felt for these suffering Greeks? No
body doubts the power of that Congress to aid
them-one word would have delivered the whole
nation. If, as that alliance protested, they took
Christianity for their guide, what must be said
of their abandoning seven millions of Christian
people to be trampled upon by barbarians p
Nay, at their being accused, because they turn
ed upon their oppFessors, of &c throwing fire.
band into the midst of the Ottoman Empire 9n
But farther, Sir: In 1921, Baron Strogonoff. the
Russian minister at Constantinople, saws, in a
public document, that the most unheard of enor-
mites were perpetrated against Greeks who
had no share whatever in the rebellion: and
that the conduct Of the Porte toward these neo
pie, was sufficient to furnish good grounds for all
Europe to unite on the subject. This was in
1921. This was followed by that indescribable
enormity, that appalling monument of barbarian
cruelty. the destruction of Sco "a scene /
will not attempt to describe-froFn which hu-
man nature shrinks shuddering away; scene.
thank Cod IUithnut n norolIaI ~, oil a.
of fallen man and that was quickly followed
by the massacres in Cyprus. All these things
were perfectly known, when the Congress of
Verona accused the Greeks, for their inslrrec-
ton, OF " throwing firebrand in the midst of
the Ottoman Empire ~
Now, then, repeat, that if such are the re-
suits OF the system Of modern European soye-
relgns, it Is system which demands exarnina-
ton. That this was fruit of that system is I'M
demable. This was an interference against the
Greeks, in favor of the Turks; and it was far
greater than any thing propose for the Greeks
against the Turks. Yes, sir, with that instru-
ment in their hand, Christian Sovereirns, there
protesting to take Christian Religion for their
guide, have advanced to check Christian ma
ton IN resisting the bloodest cruelty of a horde
of Mahonetan Tartars.
Such has been the conduct pursued towards
this people. now ask the indulgence of this
House, while state a very short account of their
late revolution.
The situation Of Greece had excited the SYM
pathies Of Western Europe for 80 years past.
Societies had been formed in Germany to i'm
prove the condition of the suffering people
branches Of those societies were extended into
Greece-many Of their youth were carefully
instructed into literature-mauy disbanded Off
GERS from the European armies entered into the