The Arkansas advocate., 1830-06-23

.sis houses isiu77ise5 iiitfls: front of tfle Iown,-i fact each circumstance vied with the other in contributing to the sublimity of the scene-a scene so magnihcently aw- ful, 50 perfectly grand, and at the same time so terrific, that an attempt at de- Ineation must even check the pencilbe- fore they became exhausted; they at last became extinguished, having burned from l200 to l5O0 houses in the short space of an hour and half.9
 A private letter in the French jour- nals, dated at Salonica, in Turkey, March 1, gives the following view ofthe state of the Ottoman Empire and the course of the present Sultan:--
 "We now enjoy the greatest tran quillity. The calm is perfect, but 1t IS perhaps not that kind of lethargy which preeeles the convulsions ofnature. The Turks throw up 10 Heaven their hag- gard eyes and their hands, agitated by convulsiye movements, as they dolefullY pronounce the name of Allah. Theysay that their Sultan is 8 renegade, who has been baptised in secret; that he has betrayed the faith of his ancestors, and is now nothing but the kaia Qieuten- ant of the emperor Nicholas. They complain ofhis having debased the Ot- toman sabre-of lis being tributary to Russia. They pretend that he has con- cluded a secret treaty with the latter power, in order to be maintained in spite of every thing. file Vagabohd dervises, and the Ulen.as, foalent and i1l- crease the public rumors, and stir up the provinces to rebellion by their discour- ses. Notwithstanding all this, the Sul- tan continues to pursue his course ofre- form; and it is certain that he will cease to wear the urban as soon as he can possibly do 1t. Will the cause of hu- manity gain by this revolution? itseems probable; for the pure deism which must result from the religion of Mahom- ct, were it diyested of all its supersti- tiens, would undoubtedly change the character of the Turks, who, then look ing upon the other nations as brothers, would enlist once for ali under the ban aers of civilization. GonstantinoFle may therefore become d great centre oflight and knowledge. Tn that case fanati- cism must be left to itself, and t is very necessary not to renderit interesting by persecution. Let the fakirs howl and preach; yoeiferations will eyaporate in the air if Mahmoud acts prudentiY. He may do what he likes in his capital; but he must temper with circumspection his conduct towards the provinces of his empire.-lie ought to begin bF seizine the property of the Mahometan clergy, land bY keeping in his pay all those who I've on the mosques; hemast enlist in his regiments or embark in his ships all the parasite species oftbe softas and monks who live in the tekeS (Convents' and give themselves up to the most infa nous vices; in fine, he must become Pa. discha and Muffi ike Peter the Great But it is objected that Asia is in a state of fermentation, and the state of Europe
 is alarming. We allow that the crisi. Iis imminent; however. as the Osnarlls
 are inclined to ease and slothfulness, ad
 vantage may be taken of this common
 weakness of tho 0rientals, in order tC
 regenerate them without any comnao
 tion.
 SeFhe Greeks have been too much ac
 customed to reckon on foreign subsidies
 they ought now to act for themselves if they wish to become men, and there fore # would be wrong to burden then
 with the sterile maintenance of a mon
 arcflY, which is concordant neither witt
 their habits nor the nature oftheireoun. try"
 The numerous disasters which have
 lately taken place on board of steane
 boots in this country, and more particu larly the unprecedented loss of life
 which has been the consequence has
 naturally drawn the public attention
 towards the best means of guarding
 against their future recurrence. We
 are glad 10 perceive that Congress has
 taken up the subject. Eitherthat body
 or the State Legislatures should imme. diatcly enact mestatute, which would
 as far as human power may, put stoE
 to the shocking tragedies which have lately drawn forth so large share O
 public sympathy for the unfortunate sui fercrs. There can be no doubt, tha1 in every instance in which boiler ha. bursted, it has been owing to an origin al defect in the machinery, which might I =