Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-09-08

superior TO any ether Asfor the works which
have been poured out from the London and
Paris presses, within the last six months, they
are scarce worth reading. The news-prints are
still less to be depended upon, SO thai, IN 'lie
absence OF direct communication win ureece'
| hardly know how to advise ou to act, IN OIL
der to learn the truth The exaggerations are
equal on both sides: ehelfriends OF Greece mag
| nifty her success and exalt her advantages, as
| much as her oaemies would undervalue her ex-
ertions blast her hopes. 1t is an error which
| / EAR has much injured Greece, well meant as
! 1t has been, to hope to assist her cause, oy
spreading abroad such exaggerated accounts;
every skirmish is magnifed into victory; eve
ry hope into reality, until her distant friends
look upon her as secure, and cease to labor Tor
her assistance.
Long before this letter shall reach you, you
will, doubtless, have received accounts OF many
of the transactions of the season, but so imper-
feet or exaggerated are they generally, that
think rapid sketch of the events of the last
three months may not De useless to you.
The opening of the year found Missolonghi
besieged by large body of Albanian Turks,
who had been sitting before ii for light months;
the Alexandrian fleet bockaded it by sea, and,
in few days, Ibrahim Pacha himself, with a
bout twelve thousand Arabs, Joined the be-
siegers, thus augmenting their number TO thir-
ty housand-Although thus closely invested,
and holly pressed, Missolonghi made SO stout
resistance. that no fears were entertained oil
of its falling, except from famine, and these
were relieved by the arrival Of Admiral Mioulis,
on the 18th OF January, who Immediately gave
battle to, and dispersed the eneiny's feet:
burning one large corvette, taking a fire ship,
and completely destroying the feet of boats
which piled in the shadows in front of Misso-
longhi. Eated by this success, and supplied
by Mioulis with provisions for two months, the
Missolonghiotes gallantly repulsed the almost
daily attacks ofthe enemy, and SUPPORTED with
admirable fortitude, the shower of shot and
shells which was rained upon them day and
night. Poverty, the great enemy of the Greeks,
soon obliged the fleet TO return, as the sailors
had not been paid or the vessels provisioned
for longer than one month Thus was the enc
my left to operate, unmolested, with his fleet
and army conformity. About the 5th of Feb
ruary, he succeeded in carrying Vasiladi, a lit
tie island situated at and defending the mouth
of the harbor; and, in few days after, Anato-
lico, another and larger island, about six miles
from the town, shared the same fate; and most
of the soldiers were killed fighting, the rest cut
their way through the enemy, and the women
and children were carried off to serve the bru-
tai lust of the vanquishers. Exertions were
then making at Napoli to get out the fleet to the
relief OF Missolongti. This was extre mely diff
cult, as there was not dollar in the treasury,
but it was finally and principally accomplished,
by the loans of the members of the representa-
tive body. We heard of its arrival few days
ago, and wait with the most intense anxiety for
news; the fate OF the place is, ere now, decided;
if the Greek fleet has been able to throw in
provisions, all is well; if not, Missolonghi is
gone, and the situation of Greece rendered
doubly perilous.
This year has been signaised by the calling
into action, forthe first time, of the Greeks reg
ular troops; division of two thousand FIVE
hundred was led on by Col, Faviar to the inva-
sion of Euboea. Favar intended 10 surprise
the fortress Of Negropont, the strongest In the
isiand bat, on his arrival, finding every thing
prepared for his reception, he fell ba ok TO Mar
athon, from whence he crossed over TO the ISL
and After ravaging considerable tract OF
country, he laid siege to the fortress OF Carsto,
and even succeeded in carrying the town, but
was unsuccessful upon the Castle. L ne arrival
Of a large Turkish force and of a fleet rendered
Fayiar's situation rather critical for some days.,
but he extricated himself, and his troops are
now at the island Of limos.
With the last year expired the time for which
the Provisional Government of Greece had
been appointed, and an unanimous wish having
been expressed by the People for general con-
vocation of the nation, deputies were appointed
from every part of the country, but their assem-
bling was deferred, from various causes, until
the first of April, when they met at town cal
led Piada, about eight miles from ancient Ep-
idaurus. The first grand question was, "what
steps shall be taken to free the country from
the present imminent danger; and shall the of
fered inlercesson Of the English Ambassador
with the Porte be accepted" 1t was resolved
that peace should be asked of the Sultan, but
upon terms which you may we'll suppose the
naughty Turk would not grant, were the
Greeks at the very gates of his city, and he
menaced by every power in Europe, viz. that
all those parts of Greece which had taken up
arms, including Gambia and the other isles, the
Peloponessus, Roumelia, as far as Yavina and
Negropont, should be free; that all the castles
should be given up TO the Greeks, and not
Turk be allowed 10 remain in the country. In
return for these concessions, the Greeks'were to
pay ar annual tribute. Such terms would not for