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

Kinrs which had exhibited such momentous
variety OF guilt and fortune, was yet not unwor-
.hyto close the line Of the mighIiest ofempires.
Pious 10 the best Of his knowledge, and unques-
tionably brave, he saw the coming Of the ineyi-
table ruin, with a determination TO treat 1t as
became a king. He might probably have es-
capped, but he had evidently determined to per-
ish with the wreck of his empire. He passed
the night before the assault III the Offices OF re-
ligion, and on the next morning led his lew
troops to the breach, and died sword in hand.
constan,inople was taken May 10Th, 1853.
The sudden cessation Of the Turkish con-
quests is scarcely a less singular phenomenon.
The conouerors Of the Greek Empire had the
,hunderbolts in their hands. Europe was open
to them through the Mediterranean; they saw
before them a vast continent Of struggling and
rival states; they had an army Of unlimited
numbers, sustained by the whole warike popu-
lation Of the Saracen faith, and whose disci-
Dline and equipment excited the establishment
ofthe most warlike and enlightened Europeans.t
They had the old native thirst of rapine and
conquest; and more formidable than all the
combination, enthusiasm, and devoted bravery
of Islalnism. But their career was suddenly
closed; it was said TO this ocean of living pow
err. Here shall thy proud waves be stayed"
The conquest Of the territory Of the dynasty OF
Gilman was done. The last permanent pos
session Of the Turks vas acquired IN 1879,
SCARCELY beyond a century from their sitting on
the throne Of Constantinople. ln that year Ma
homet the Fourth took the city OF Kamenlec.-
It's territory Of the forty.eight towns and villa
ges was given up 10 the Ottomans by the peace.f
Another not less singular phenomenon is the
permanency of this empire. For these hundred
,,J Eitv ~ bac had 1noi IFS cOuptPnanCe
all the symptoms Of falling power. a %auctuat-
ing government, assaulted by perpetual and bloc
dy revolution, rebellious provinces, a mutinous
army, a frontier pressed upon by the two 81
gan,ic military despotism Of the South and the
| North; Austria and Russia, long wars always
attended with defeat; yet what has Turkey lost!
All the politicians OF Europe have for this cen
fury arl a half been predicting her speedy ruin;
vet, until the Greek insuTrection, she had not
lost a province. We disclalm the common
rashness Of attributing things in the ordinary
and trivial courses Of life to an interpreting Pro-
whence; but it is not unsuitable TO humanity,
nor unsupported blythe declared acting Of the
great Disposer, Locomotive him exercising his
high p@rerogatiye in the fates Of nations; and a
bove all, in the fates, the p~unishments, * pre-
serva,ions of his church. When it shall be bis
will 10 relieve the fairest portion OF early Chris
tendon, the land Of the apostles, the saints and
martyrs, the Mount Zion Of Christianity, from
the trampling fits savage lords, it shall be
accomplished, but not Till then. The very diff
iculty in human eyes OF continuing this brok-
en- and ,oltering dominion, may have been for
the purpose Of compelling US to follow the
path of that ~mightiest ~iootstep, which is not
the less powerful and suie because it treads in
clouds. The situation Of the Turkish affairs,
a,a~ - Into &c 10 10 TnsvexrIfe come coD sr ions.
ness of a higher order than that Of the mere
politician. The Ottoman forces had been de-
feated in every encounter, and driven across the
Danube. There was now but the solitary bar
rier OF a mountain tract, ordinarily crossed in
six hours, between the conquercrs and Constan-
tinople. The Turkish camp had been taken,
and the mob Of the city would have been the
only army left 10 the Sultan. Turkey was with
out all ally, or without one near enough TO stand
between her and ruin. The Russian army was
headed by its favorite chief; tina, noble old man
was yet to be the more than conquerer, the de-
liverer Of Europe. The Russian government
was al last in sight Of the realization Of all its
splendid dreams; and was pouring out its whole
infinite strength TO take possession of the Mo-
Their City of the Eastern Empire. In a mo-
ment, the whole assault was checked, even at
The foot of the rampant. The French trum-
petS SOuIlutU III lllC ICdI vi nlS SOEllueHl ana
triumphant host. A new invader had been
urged against Russia. \. grea: work was to be
done there too. The long arrear of Western
blood and blasphemy vast be paid in the Rus
sian deserts, and it was paid with a terrible
t%ulness, beyond the power or the expectation Of
man. But ii stopped the ruin that hung over
the empire Of the Ottomans. The Russian ar
mics were torn back from the prey, like hounds
,ha, had already fastened their fangs in its pal
pitating flesh, and been sent TO hunt down a
still more savage and guiltisr victim. The
Turks, from broken and almost supp!iant enc
mics, were instantaneously raised into equals
and allies, and by the treaty of 1912, were glad
ly reinstated by Russia III every right and pro-
vince lost by the sword.
All those are things out of the ommon course
of earth. II is an extraordinary thing 10 see a
nation Of barbarians fixed in a Christian land,
and that too the most sacred, the most fondly
revered by Christian feelings. 1t is an extra
ordinary thing to see a nation utterly resisting
the approaches Of that brilliant and productive
civilization which absolutely surrounds and urg-
es itself on ii in every form; a stubborn anG
more than iron mass that lyjno in the very fur.