The New York herald., 1851-12-04

IN Asosusy evonxu8 loctoro WSs oohvoIeo ~
the Brooklyn Institute, before the members Of the
Philonsshean Society. BY the Rev. DR.. Bacon, Of
New Haven. The subject Of the lecture consisted
of ofremarks on the Turkish empire, and comprised
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 rather intended
for . meeting OF young people. He, however, saw
that there were gray hairs present, ss well ss the
more youthful members Of society, for which latter
the present discourse was more particularly in
tended. He had, therefore, come unprepsred with
the usual details requisite to form regular lecture
the statistics, and other information, connected
with the subject 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 the present condition Of the Turkish
empire. The first place he visited in this interest
ing part of the world Beyrout, anoienty called
Buetus situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon, the
e~trepot 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 steod contained more square feet than Q Syrian
one price, and in this respect was superior to the
Christian tradesmen of the place, who very extor
tionate, and appear never satisfied with what they
have obtained. At the period when the Americ IN
mission was first formed, Beyrout contained about
5,000inhabitants but had since 2 900.
This rapid increase of population he attributed
the impetus given to commerce by the steamers
that now ply about the Mediterranean, and come to
Beyrout, which, like Tyre of DID, the seaport of
all the country about Mount Lebanon. In travel
Ing through the country, the greatest har dshp
the badness Of the roads, which was occssioned by
the neglect cf the and the worst of mu
nicipal liberty. In Turkey, there was no municipal
hberty-no mayor, no corporation, nor any other
municipal officers for the cities There was, to be
sure, Pasha, who governed the place, but all
there was no such thing among the people as PARROT
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
tuck, or the Bay State, or the Empire State.
(Applauss) No such feeling existed there. In a
similar manner, there existed no attachment among
Christians did not like him. for they were slaves;
the Mohamme did not like him, for they were
suspicious of his government. Indeed, their fanata-
cism was nearly worn out, and the Sultan himself
was wa looked upon as no better than he should be.
There was, therefore, general dissolution of so.
ciety, and it was only kept together by the sectaran
feeling still predominant, and which stood ia place
of patriotism, of love of h0me of loyalty to the
sovereign 1et tnere existed love OF liberty IN
this mountainous country, and the inhabitants 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, q 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.
It was now twenty years ago since Damascus was
first visited by Americans. At that time residence
in that fanatcal city was very dangerous, but now
il is as safe for an American as Vienna Beyrout.
The only danger wss of being attacked on the road
BY robbers, circumstance which made the route
more interesting, provided you come off with a
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 exa 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 Scanderoop, the sea port of Aleppo. The voyage
was sPerformed in an rabsohooner, without compass
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 ofhis VISIT
in ruins, the result OF the conflict between the
was quelled by General Benz, a 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 him. for it would have been the last act ofthe
house Of Hapsburg. From there he went to
Diarbeker, place rarely visited by an American.
and sailed down the Tigris on raft mode Of
rent, and which will always be an insuperabe
obstacle to steam.
Here Mr. Layard has labored with indef.sigable
industry, and brought to light the ruins Of ancient
objects Of worship, and the various embematie re-
Of the old Assyran race. From
Moupel, he attempted to cross the mountains into
Persia 10 mission that had been esta bshed there,
IL L-1sI IL r
Providence, from the hands Of those who intended
murder. On his return he travelled BY land the
same route that had been traversed by Xenophon
and his ten thousand Greeks, to Erzeroun, beau
tifuly situated in the midst Of an extensive plain,
c, 800 feet above the level of the sea, high
or than the white mountains, surrounded by other
mountains, on which snow was visible In Juno.
Thence to Trcbizon, and from there, In Turkish
to Censtantinople, and 80 home The
reverend lecturer after this account Of his travels
remsrked that the Turkish empire was in state OF
dissolution; it was only kept from falling by the
mutual jealousies of the other European powers.
its limits Of which the followers OF the Greek reli
gion all through Turkey, was the advanced guard
In like manner, those that professed Catholicism,
looked for Gid TO Austria or France, ~ ssme other
Catholic powers, that might bring back the times
Of the crusades 1t was, how yer, the hope Of ST.
vilization and humanity, that the Turkish govern
ment, at present, might stand, as 1t was the guar
dian Of civil and religious liberty in those barbn.
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 exhi
bited to their countrymen, whom there was no
diplomatic intercourse between the United States
and Turkey. In his opinion nothing could keep up
the Turkish Empre-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. IL was the people that m sde
the county, and they had been so deprayed and
destroyed sy absolute despotism and Mahomet-
anism, that there was no hope for them, and they
must consequently fall undcr the dominion Of
other races OF all the various descriptions the
kahomet ans we're the rorst the cpslaved popu-
la.ions might have their vicesthey might be- as all
slaves wele, liars, cheats aud steal, but he found
the Mahometal as faithless as the Christian, aud
the Tux would mS-der when he would scorn TO
slesL The Mahometau religion had this incur
able corruption, that IL subvsrt- the Christian In
stitution Of family that conjugal rei. ion, which