The New York herald., 1851-12-04
1R1 x10FvRa sHAsoM.

the brooklyn institute, before the members OF the
Philomsthean Society, BY the Rev DR.. Bacon, Of
New Haven. The subject Of the lecture consisted
ofremarks on the Turkish empire, and comprised Q
sketch Of his recent wanderings in Western Asia
The Rev. Dr. began his discourse by few PREDATORY
observations, explaining to the audience that he
had not expected to meet such an assemblage as
that present. his lecture was rather intended
for meeting OF young people. He, however, saw
that there were gray hairs present, well ss the
more youthful members of society, for which latter
the present discourse was moro particularly in
tended. He had, therefore, come unprepared with
the usual details requisite to form regular lecture
the staristics, and ether information, connected
with the subject as all that he had proposed to do
was merely to point out the places he had visited
during the past year, in Asia, and then subjoin Q
few remarks on the present condition Of the Turkish
empire. The first place he visited in this interest
ing part Of the world was Beyrout ancently called
Buetus situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon, the
e,trsp0t Of the commerce of Europe and America
with the East Beyrout, like all the other cities of
that part ofthe world although picturesque in draw
ings and other Representations, was in fact, very
dirty, the stores very small The platform on which
he stood oontained more square feet than q Syrian
dry goods store. The Turkish storekeeper has but
one price, and in this respect superior to the
tonate, and appear never satisfied with what they
have obtained. At the period when the American
mission was first formed, Beyrout contained ABOUT
5000inhabitants, but 1t bad since 70 900.
This rapid increase OF population he attributed to
the impetus given to commerce by the steamers
that now ply about the Mediterranean, and come to
Beyrout, which, like Tyre of old, the seaport of
all the country about Mount Lebanon. In travel
ling through the country, the greatest har iship
the badness Of the roads, which was occasioned by
the neglect CT the government, and the worst of
nicipal liberty. In Turkey, there was no municipal
iberty-no mayor, no corporation. nor any other
municipal officers for the cities There was, to be
sure, Pasha, who governed the place, but all
power emanated from Constantinople. Again,
ism; no attachment to the country; no attachment
to the soil. None Of that feeling seems to exist
which was to be found in America, which makes q
man proud of belonging, for example, to Old Ken
Applauss) No such feeling existed there In
similar manner, there existed no attachment among
the people to the sovereign-to the Sultan. The
Christians did not like him, for they were slaves
the Mohammedans did not like him, for they were
suspicious Of his government. Indeed, their fanata-
clam was nearly worn ou,, and the Sultan himself
was looked upon as NO better than he should be-
There was, therefore, general dissolution of so.
cety, and it was only kept together by the sectaran
feeling still predominant, and which stood ia place
of patriotism of love of home or of loyalty to the
sovereign. Yet there existed love Of liberty in
this mountainous country, and the ants were
with difficulty kept in check by the Turkish govern
ment. They consisted of two races-the Maronites,
who are Christians, and speak the Arabic and the
Drews, kind Of heretical Mahomitan, who are
more energetic people than the former, and
would destroy them, but for the interference
of Turkey, assisted by other European 20 wers.
1t was now twenty years ago since Damascus was
first visited by Americans. At that time residence
in that fsnatcal city was very dangerous, but now
it is as safe for an American as Vienna Bsyrout.
The only danger was of being attacked on the road
by robbers, a circumstance which made the route |
tDtnv tsnxs AL .u.aL
whole skin. The district called Anti Lebanon was
filled with ruins of the various epochs in the history
of the world, but the inhabitants could not under
stand why the Franks, as Americans and Europeans
are called, should feel such interest in mining
them. On his return to Beyrout from visiting that
region, he sailed in company with missionary and
family, and q native teacher, who spoke English |
to Scanderoee, the sea port Of Alsppo. The voyage
was performed in Arab schooner, without comp
or chart, so little was the art of navigation under
stood in the country Of ancient Tyre, where it first
took its raise AlePpo, at the time ofhs VISIT was
in ruins, the result Of the conflict between the |
Chris tian and Mahomitan population, and which |
was quelled by General Benz, Hungarian refugeein |
the Turkish service Ii was here that another Hun
garian leader observed to q American gentleman,
that he owed Horace Mann no i'll feeling, but be |
heartily wished that the Austrian government had |
hung hi N for it would have been the last act ofthe
house of Hspsburg. From there he went to
and sailed down the Tigris on raft. q mode Of |
travelling necessary from the rapidity Of the cur
rent, and which will always be an insuperable
obstacle to steam.
Here Mr.. Layard has labored with indef..igable
industry, and brought to light the ruins of ancient
Nineveh, its immense masses of sculpture, ancient
objects Of worship, and the various emblematic re-
presentations of the old Assyran race. From
Moupel, he attempted to cross the mountains into
Persia TO mission that had been esta blshed there
but was seized, and made his escape, blythe help Of
Providence, from the hands Of those who intended |
murder. On his return he travelled By land the |
IA thof had haan tpav ad hu
and his ten thousand Greeks, to Erzeroun, beau
tifully situated in the midst Of an extensive plan
$500 feet above the level Of the sea, high
or than the white mountains, surrounded by other |
mountains, on which snow was visible in June |
Thence to Trebixcn, and from there, in Turkish |
to Csnstantinople, and so home. The
reverend lecturer, after this account Of his travels
remarked that the Turkish empire was in q state Of
dissolution; it was only kept from falling by the
mutual jealousies of the other European powers. |
On the north the vast Russian empire passed upon
gion all through Turkey, was the advanced guard.
In like manner, those that Professed Catholicism,
looked for cid to Austria or France - ssme other
Catholic powers, that might bring back the time,
vilizstion and humanity, that the Turkish govern.
ment, at present, might stand, as IL was the guar
dian Of civil and religious liberty in those barbr.
Gus and wretched countries. The ameliorations |
that had been introduced we're chiefly owing to |
that most excellent and enlightened man, Sir |
Canning, the British Ambassador, |
whose influence was very powerful with the |
Turkish government. He mentioned this, be-
cause Sir Stratford Canning ought to be held |
in respect by all Americans, for the kindness exh-
bited to their untrymen, when there was no |
diplomatic intercourse between the United States
and Turkey. In his opinion nothing could keep up
the Turkish Empire-it was attem pting 10 put life
under the ribs Of death. There must be new
opinions, new ideas, and new faith, to bind them
into one, before they could emerge from their pre-
sent state of chaos. 1t was the people that made
the county, and they had been so de PRAYED and
destroyed BY absolute despotism and Mahomet-
anism, that there was no hope for them, and they
must consequently fall under the dominion Of
other races OF all the various descriptions the
Mahometsns we're the worst the rslaved popu-
a.iens might have their vices-.hey might be- as all
slaves we've, liars cheats aud steal, but he found
The Mahometal as fsithless the Christian, aud
the Turk would m S-der when he would ,corn to
lteel The Mahometap religion had this incur
able corruption that IL subvsrtv the Christian in
titution Of family-th that conjugai rei..ion, which