The Litchfield County post., 1827-01-02


 of Asia.
 It is now unimportant to follow the fates of the Greek Empire. Yet there is some curiosity in marking the course by which the Turk advanced to the triumph, over the last citadel of the mightiest dominion that was ever placed in the hands of man. In 1858 the Ottoman armies crossed the sea and established their camp in Europe. Constantinople seems to have been rcspi- ted, like the churches. Her feuds, her op- ulence, and her feebleness, equally invited the military ardor and avarice of lie Sul- tan. Yet, though within a few hours march, ,and perhaps a few hours possession of this most magnificent city of the earth, he drew off his squadrons to the north, and pitched his tent among the solitudes and marshes of Dacia.s Iu 14O3 Bajazet, a chieftain of proverbial boldness and cruel- ty, advanced towards Constantinople. But he was suddenly summoned to, more deadly struggle by the approach ofTimour. The Tartar destroyed his army, but soon turned to triumphs in a more genial climate, and in 14S1, Mahomet the First restored the fallen honors of the Turkish standard. The end was now at hand. The Mosleim had been gradually narrowing their circle round Constantinople commencing almost from the ground on which the Russian troops stand, they had formnd vast cres- cent, touching Asia with one horn, and the Mediterranean with the other. In 1451, {, Mahomet the Second mounted the throne. Constantine Paleologus, the last of that race of Kings which had exhibited such momenteus variety ofguilt and fortune, twas yet not unworthy to close the line of the mightiest of all empires Pious to the best of his knowledge, ,and unquestionably brave, he saw the coming of the inevitable ruin, with determination to treat it as became < a king. He might have probably escaped, but he had evidently determined to perish with the wreck of his empire. He passed the night before the assault in the offices of religion, and on the next morning led his few troops to the breach, and died sword in hand. Constantinoplc was taken May the 29th 145s.
 The sudden cessation of the Turkish conquests is scarcely a less singular phe- nomenon. The conquerors of the Greek empire had the thunderbolts 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 warlike population of the Saracen faith, and whose discipline and equipment excited the aston ishment of the most warlike and enlighten- ed Europeans.t They had the old native thirst of rapine and conquest :; and more formidable than all, the combination, ,enthu- siasm, and devoted bravery of Islamism.-- But their career was suddenly closed it was said to this Ocean of living power, "Here shall thy proud waves be stayed. ."- The conquest of the territory ofthe prim- tive church was complete, and the work of the dynasty of Othman was done. The last permanent possession of the Turks was acquired in 1872, scarcely beyond a centu- ry iron, their sitting on the throne of Con- stantinople. In that year Mahomet the Fourth took the city of Kamcniec. Its territory of for,y-eight towns and villa ges was given up to the Ottomans by the peace.f ~-.
 Another not less singular phenomenon is the permanency of this empire. Forthese hundred and fifty years it has had upon its countenance all the symptoms of falling power. A fuctuating government, assail- ed by perpetual and bloody revolution, re- bellous provinces, and a mutinous army, a frontier pressed upon by two gigantic military despotisms ofthe South and North, Austria and Russia, long wars always att tended with defeat; yet what has Turkey lost All the politicians of Europe have for this century and half been predicting her speedy ruin :; yet, until the Greek in- snrrection, she had not lost province.- We disclaim the common rashness of at tributing things in the ordinary and trivial courses of life to an interposing Provi- dence; but it is not unsuitable to humility, nor unsupported by the declared acting of the great Disposer, to conceive him exer- cising his high perogative in the fates of nations; and above all, in the fates, the punishnents, and the preservations of his Church. When it shall be his will to re- lieve the fairest portion of early Christen- dom, the land of the apostles, the saints and martyrs, the Mount Zion of Christian ity, from the trampling of it's savage iords, it shall be accomplished, but not till then. The very difficulty in human eyes of con- tinuing this broken and tottering dominion, may have been for the purpose of compel lin0 ne in follow the path of that mightiest