Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-07-11
Frightful Atrocities in Syria.

"A civil war, and one oil exterminatlon,
reigns at this moment in the moaatain be-
tween the Druses and the Christians, and
during the last fifteen days the horrors we
have seen perpetrated around US are dreadful.
On every side the sounds of battle are heard,
and nothing is seen but fire and flame hous-
es, villages, churches and converts being
reciprocally a prey TO the flames. At the
moment am writing, May live have be-
fore us the appalling spectacle of no less
than eleven villages and a number Of Maron-
tie churches and converts in flames, and what
is worse, when the Christians are victorious,
they enter the Druse villages, putting to the
edge Of the sword, men, women and chill
dren; the Druses follow the example when
they are victorious. All the silk-worms Of
both parties, the sole support Of the Syrian
population, have been burned. The con-
vents of the Maronites and Catholics have
been burned, and the bodies oftheir priests,
after death, have been burned by the Bruises.
Every horror is practised on their enemies
for example, to kill by famine, massacre,
and thousand other acts Of barbarism are
momentarily committed. The Christians
at the commencement were victorious over
their enemies; but our Pasha who is out
with his regular troops, as soon as he per-
ceiyes the Christians victorious, points his
artillery against them, loaded with grape,
and compells this unfortunate sect TO take to
flight. The Druses Immediately enter their
villages, sacking them, burning their houses,
goods, &c. do not doubt but the Pasha
has secret orders from his Government to
destroy and ruin the Christians entirely, or
he could not so openly aid and assist their
enemies.
"The fanaticism of the Turks on the
coast is daily becoming more and more visi'
BILE, and we are meaaced by terrible reyo
luton. In saba they rose few days since
to massacre all the Christians, but thanks to
some European ships war, and to Reschid
Pacha, who left suddenly for the seat Of dis
turbance, calm, perhaps momentary, has
succeeded. Here, in Beyrout, rising also
took place few days ago, to put the Chris
tians to death; but, thanks to the energy ofth'
Consuls, and to some of the rich Turkish pro
prietors, a calm has succeeded.
CAT this moment, with the help of ou
glasses, we see unfortunate fugitive Chris
5000 or 1000, on the coast. Two ships o
war, one French and one Austrian, and fv'
or six small vessels, chartered by the mer
camille body, have sailed, to collect and saw
them from the dreadful death which await
them from famine. do not know what 81
many people will do here to live; or wha
we shall do, from the great existing scarcit
ofwater, when the population of our cit
will be augmented by $1,000 or 5000,
souls.
"This, you may rely on it, is no exagger
alton. do not know how European pow
ers can tolerate such denominations, or I'll
ianaticism Of the barbarians, and remain ia
active, when handful Of troops, of an
Christian nation, would suffice to caus
their insolence to cease, and to bring ther
20 proper sense of reason.
"MAY 20-Fire and battle continue I
reign with destructive violence on all side
around US, and the news we have at this m.
ment is, that the Christians have been oblige
90 FIRE on the regular troops, which place
US in very alarming position, as we fear
revolution of the Turks against all the Chri
tians, and we are now all prepared, weapu
in hand, to defend our houses, and the live
of our families Yesterday the Pasha wro
to the consular body that it was impossib
for him to reconcile the hostile parties, an
demanded assistance from them. But VIII
can the consuls do between two natior
equally stupid, ignorant, fanatical, and 81
Perstitious? Onr city is already full oful
fortunate mountaineers, Of the Christian
men, women and children, dying Of hunge
whom the consuls here are constrained
support, in common charity"