Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-05-07

dent pretence of liberty tended to nothing
else, which may Heaven forbid! than to
make fall into the hands of the lnfidels the
whole of those countries in Europe and
Asia. where the Greeks were mixed with
the Mussulmen-to place by degrees the
! Rayahs in the place of the Ottomans, and
the Ottomans in the place of the Kayaks
to convert, perhaps, our Mosques into
/ Churches, and to ring bells within them;
in a word to annihilate lslamlsm with ease
and promptitude;-neither reason, nor law,
nor religion, could admit of such proposals
! being accepted. The Sublime Porte gave
repeatedly both by writing and by word of
mouth, the necessary answers, with all
official formality, and according to the
tenor Of treaties-Although the object of
the Franks had been obvious from the be-
ginning, and although every thing announ-
ced that, at last, the sword must answer
their proposals, nevertheless not to trouble
I the repose of Mussulmen, and, on the 9th
er hand, to gain the necessary time for
warlike preparations, the Sublime Porte
endeavored to tempOrize (se'horga de tenn
poriser) as much as possible by sahsfac-
/ tory answers and official conferences on
the subject of the dishonor and Of the inlu-
ry winch the proposals of the three powers
would cause to the empire and TO the nation.
Il here proper to observe, that although
the demands made at Alderman by the
Russians on the subject Of indemnities.
and especially in respect to the Serylans,
were notin anyrespect proper to be granted,
nevertheless, circumstances being pressing
we complied with them whether we would
or not as matter Of necessity, in order that
we might seize an opportunity Of making
peace favorable to the Mahometan nation.
Up to this time most Of the articles had been
executed, the conferences respecting the
persons to be indemnl6ed, and respecting
Servia had also been entered upon. and
although these two affairs were not of a
character to be arranged with a good grace,
they were, nevertheless, taken into con
sideration as acts of yiolence.-RUssla,
however did not stop them. The military
reforms adopted by the Sublime Porte of
Tended her; she was aware that some day
that surrender might hurl back upon her
the evils which she had prepared against
! Islamism. From that moment she resolved
to leave no moment of relation 10 Mussul-
men. Russia, England and France, a
mong themselves, agreed to establish for
chilly the liberty which we have mentioned.
About year ago, the three powers stimuli
taneously demanded the liberty of Greece,
by the means of their ambassadors, ofiicl-
ally and openly, as quite a simple cOnces
sion. The Sublime Porte could not sub
scribe to this, neither according to law, nor
according to reason, nor according to poll
cy, nor according to religion. The Mus
selman nation was indignant at it and it is
quite impossible ode toni impOSabiHte) that
it should be consented to. The Ottoman
Government endeaYored to prevail en- them
to renounce their prejudices by every sort
of arguments and answers, but its language
produced no cffect.-Proud of their power,
they obstinatoly and vigorously persisted
to press their demands; and they finished
by sending fleets into the Mediterranean:
they openly hindered the Egyptian and OF
toman squadrons, destined for that pur-
pose, from attacking the islands. These
two squadrous having entered the Porte Of
Navarin, were there TRANQUILITY waiting the
orders of the Sublime Porte, when the
Russian, English and French fleets sud
denly entering the same harbOr, and all
three began to fire al once, and every one
knows the catastrophe which resulted to the
Imperial squadron.
The three powers, having openly violat-
cd subsisting treaties, and declared war,
the Sublime Porte had a right to retaliate
and TO act otherwise than it has done to
wards the Ambassadors, the subjects, and
the vessels which were in this place. But
the Ministers of the three Powers have en-
deavored to Justify them by declaring that
1t was the commanders of the Imperial
I Turkish fleet who had been the cause OF
the battle; the Sublime Porte considering
the circumstances, remained still silent.
and by last effort of policy invited the
three Ambassadors to abandon together the
affairs Of Greece. Deaf TO the voice OF
I Justice, those in6dels did not cease to re-
quire that their demand respecting the in
dependence of Greece be admitted such as
it had been made. 1t may even be said
that their solicitations become more press
ING. In word, the hostile intentions OF
} the Franks against Islamism became evil
dent. Nevertheless, for the purpose Of
gaining time, at least till summer, every
possible show of moderation was used IN
the conferences and conversations which
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