Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-12-05

s;a Minor had been oyerruns by the Barbara
ans &C The North. il might have retained orsre-
covered both its civilization and its religion,
for those barbarians have been susceptible oil
ho,h in Europe. lift had been seized by Fer
s;a. Il would have been in the hands Of a peo-
ME holding a high rank In Eastern civlilzalloh,
not averse 10 European improvement, not iuai-
ously bigotted to their own blind superstition.
But a tribe ofrobbers was from the
mountains, where they had been kept IKE a
frozen torrent for ages, till the moment wneh
its whole loosened might was to rush down up
on the plain. They had no letters, no legisla-
lion, no knowledge, they were ultstly a new
race, separated from all The accesses by which
civilization might approach, with no means OF
government but the sabre, no law but the Koran
and no purpose but conquest, animal indulgence
aud merciless tyranny; they were sent forth TO
take possessiono Of the land, and ~fearfully they
executed their commission.
But in all these visitaiions of Providence
which we are permitted to follow, the apparent
ta.diness Of the punishment is scarcely less re-
markable than the completeness, when all is
done. The coming Of the Turks was before
the eyes OF the Church of Asia for the astonish-
ing period Of almos, a Thousand years.-From
their Nrst burs, they were an object OF acknow-
lodged terror, the thunder cloud fixed every
eve, from the moment OF lis gathering on the
great central chain OF the Asiaiic hills; IN Its
first advances il had nearly broke over the en-
pire, but it was strangely turned away, and thus
continued The storm, alternately approaching
and retiring till il was finally rolled upon Con
stantinople. In the year 545, the Turks hrst
issued from the Inaus. In half a century, they
had conquered the huge Table land of the
North, s touched with their standards at once
the Roman borders, the Persian, and the Chi
nese. Warning at the head OF the Tartar tribes
their chief force was cavalry, and their cavalry
was computed by Millions" They then Paus-
ed. But other leaders reused them again, and
in 844 they passed the head OF the Caspian, and
fixed a government, in the Greater Armenia. In
1888, they again receded, turned TO the south,
and overrun the Persian empire.
The later priaces OF Constantlnople had
sometimes redeemed the character OF the throne
and instances Of valour, conduct, Sand virtue,
are TO be found even among chleftains bred up
in the efFeminacv Of the most luxurious court
Of the world. The Saracens had been repealed
after a long succession Of tremendous battles,
and the Roman territory had been extended by
Nicephorus, and his successor Basil, 10 the
eastern boundaries Of Armenia. The empire
reposed for a while under the banners OF this
brave and unfortunate chieitaln, when at once
il was startled by an inundation OF war. The
Turkish cavalry had overspread the whole
frontier, from Taurus TO Arzoum, 4 line OF SIX
hundred miles. Their progress was stre@ed
with massacre, and this invasion cost OF the
subjects Of the Greek emperor a hundred and
thirty thousand lives; but while CCnstantinoPie
was already closing its gates, the INVASION sank
away into the desert, and the lesson was forgot
ten. But it was rapidly renewed, IN 1862 the
"Grand Sultan" of The Turks, Arparzlan, rush
ed upon Casarea a, the head OF an innumera-
BILE army. He swept all before him for some
wears. but fortune at length gave a moments
resnjte to the Greeks, and IN 1888 the Sultan
was forced 20 cross the Euphrates. lie returned
with the swiitness and ferocity of barbarian re-
venge; and in 1917, by one bloody battle; hnal-
ly broke the power of the .Emperors in Asia.
The Blow was now ready to come down. 1t
was still averted. A civil war begun among
the Turks, which perhaps saved the whole Of
Europe from a desolation, like that Of India by
rimour. The western world had then no force
to oppose to the savage yet not undisciplined
yipour. and the inexhaustible multitudes OF the
Turkish cavalry. The fairest thrones OF Eu-
rope might have still descended TO a succession
of grim barbarians, and the mountain and the
desert might have been the desperate refuge OF
her people. Europe might to this hour have
been like Spain in the days Of Pelayo. The civ
il war divided this irresistible mass OF power
and four dynas1ies were formed, those OF Persl-
a. herman, Syria, and Ronin. In 1914, Soil
man, the head of the dynasty Of Ronin, crossed
the Euphrates. All gave way before his troops
10 the banks Of the Hellespont. Still the blow
was suspended. A new and mighticr conquer
or had arisen in the north; and the Turkish
conques,s were ~trampled down by Zingis and
his Mongols. But in the year 1899 Gilman
invaded The territory Of Nicomedia, and thence
forth the Turks never retreated. The time
was now short. In 1900 Anatolia was divided
among the Turkish officers; and in the memo.
rable year 1912 was completed the fall and ir-
recoverable ruin OF the once glorious churches
Of Asia.
1, is now unimporlan: TO follow the fates Of
the Greek Empire. Yet there is some curiosity
in marking the course by which the Turks adj
vanced to the triumph over the last citadel OF
the mightiest dominion that was ever placed in
the hands Of man. In 1855 the Ottoman ar
mics crossed the sea and established their camp
in Europe. Constantinople seems TO have been
.espiied, like the churches. Here ieuds, her
on,Ja,ce o,d bor faobIenpsS POuallv invited