The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-26

TIE CAa.ess Rsssnas.-TAs B.saAasn Or Pc
Aln ana tho LamalsA Of 30. Fctersburg.
From the Londoa CArcnice. July ILL.,
Among the hundred imperfect reports which have
recently reached US from China, there Is ono. de-
rived from French missionary sources, which looks
at first sight like the fabrication Of some ingenious
manufacturer OF analogies but which rests, We have
reason to believe. on basis OF truth Il is known
that the rebellion against the Tartar dynasty has
taken tie form Of an exterminating persecution Of
the priests of Buddhs or FO, whose interests are
supposed in the Southern provinces, to be identified
with the fortunes OF race OF sovereigns who have
always patronzed their faith. AS the news OF the
outrages committed by tho insurgents has diflsed
itself over the empire vast fermentation has been
excited In Mongolia, the stronghold of Buddhism
and in the Lamaite kingdom Of Thibet; and the
appeals Of the Court of Pekin for aid against the
rebels are said to have been in the first instance,
responded to in those outlying dependencies with
unprecedented alacrity But the gallantry Of the
Tartar levies has not saved the Imperial generals
from succession OF disastrous defeats and at last
the sitter the dragon throne has been constrained
to outrage all the traditions Of his government by
publicly procaiming that he has been beaten. BY
his Tartar subjects however the confession has been
received with downright incredibly and from
doubling their soveregn's veracity. they have come
it seems, to doubt his good faith In the midst of
their perpexity what sort Of guide does the reader
think. has presented himself? Why, his Majesty
the Emperor Of All the Russias. Russian ennis.
saries from the Siberian frontier have spread them
selves the Northern dependencies OF China and
are impressing on all orthodox Buddhists that, be-
trayed by the Chinese monarch, they have no alter
native except to seek the support Of that pill
lar Of Lamaism, Nicholas |. The game is absolutely
the same with that which is being played at the
other end Of the Russian empire. policy in which
Patriarch and Lama the Panagia and Buddha may
be freely nterchanged, is striking and singular
phenomenon in the region Of international affairs
nor could we find . better illustration Of the mo-
raty OF the Ceurt of ST. Petersburg, OF the audacy
OF it's conceptions or Of its constancy to single plan
of action.
In forming a judgment on the Eastern question,
it is necessary to bear carefully in mind how deeply
the religious element enters into It, The progress
made by Russia towards the accomplishment OF her
ends cannot be estimated by ordinary diplomatic
rules; for what would, under other circumstances
be trivial advantage may, in the present state OF
Turkey place the prize Of Eastern domination In her
grasp, never to be wrenched away. The proximity
of the Russian armies to the provinces in which the
Greeks and Turkish races are mixed, Is in itself q
circumstance wh:.h may in moment confound all
our calculations. In the of the first revolution,
the objects OF the French republic were already
half gained whenever o hollow truce had placed its
troops in view of neghboring population. The
potent witchery of that name Of Liberty which
France had inscribed on her banners became absO-
lutey irresistible the moment it seconded by the
outward show and visible tokens of material strength
In like manner, in European Turkey, the sentiment
to which Russia is now appealing has an energy to
which political fanaticism is mere child's play.
Those who are most familiar with the East are aware
how the whole sphere of feeling is occupied BY re-
ligion-how distinctions Of tastes fashions thoughts,
and habits, and everything else which in Western
Europe constitutes o difference between the opinions
Of one man and another. are swallowed up and lost
in the great antag0nism Of creed to creed That
the great power in the North is the patron Of the
Greek Church, and her protector against renewal
Of Turkish oppression. is belief which the majority
Of the Sultans Christian subjects have hitherto
accepted on the assurance Of monks and p0pes,
rather than from wildly realizing it. But when
things have once come to this that Russian egions
are stationed for miles and miles along the Danube
that they can be positively seen from the opposite
bank-it is difficult to measure the effects which this
religious CONSTITUENCIES Of the Christian population.
Events may occur which may, in an instant render
the crisis unmanageable. Already there is under
current Of news from Turkey, which, in the judy
poltsnce the formidable intelligence pointing to
matters more patent and public. The leading firms
in the Levant trade are said to find their TRANSACT
tions embarrassed by chronic misunderstanding
between their Greek correspondents and every Mus
suman, whether in authority or not, with whom they
have relations of business and still gloomier
source Of uneasneSs consists in those rumOr5 OF pr
vate assassinations which are multiplying from
several points
Whatever, therefore. may be the course deter
mined upon in the united counsels OF France aud
England and whatever caution The wise iorbearance
spoken Of by Lord Palmerston may dictate, we trust
that every movement which might, by any posi-
bility, he construed into symptom OF feebleness will
be deemed TO he put ont Of the question by that very
the rough. and travels about in the rough. The ap-
proach of the combined fleets, and their imposing
array, are probably by this time, the theme Of con-
yeIsaticn from the Balkan to the Persian Gulf and
in TIE judgment of many persons the vicinity Of the
Sultan armed allies has alone avaled to preserve
hitherto the equilibrium Of races and religious The
news Of any event which should render their pre-
sence less papatle less striking, would be dfflsed
as quickly and as widely; and it is impossible to say
how much cruise to the south ward in the Egean
might diminish the influence which they are exer-
cisipg. On the other hand, if DO other result io
lowed their entrance into the Dardanelles. ad
ditonal weight would, at all events, be thrown Into
scale Of that agnary balance the vibrations Of
which are so eagerly canvassed by Turk and Greek.
Let the prepoDderance once verge the other way,
and the consequences may be tremendous. The loss
Of single day might render the fall of the Ottoman
power inevitable; and, while the magnificent future
Of the Greek race would be sold away for such
mess OF pottage the expulsion Of the Turks under
Russian generalship, Western Europe might find
itself In face Of q greater danger than 1t has con.
fronted since the infdel was before the gates of
Vienna.