Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-09-07
.-.--e From the Ohio Statesman.
What the Comet saw i'm HISS and
i'm 1853. .

= The Astronomers have cphered him out fogy o
the date Immediately subsequent to the American
Revolution. His last recorded pilgrimage to the
earth belongs to the year 1888: When'you look
ed out last night and saw his bright nucleus and
streaming radience, could you help ndulging in
some reflections at the viesstudes our earth has
undergone, since this vagabond last shot athawart
our sky! Ifsome power the s'gitie would gle u.s. -
by which to infuse perceptive and reflective fac
ulty into the aerial ranger, it might be curious,
if not a useful employment, to indite his impress
sions our world as he saw it 1888, and as it now
appears. Three great events have taken place,
which have produced marked changes in the world;
the Russian domination the French Revolution !;
and the United States Constitution. This comet
saw in 1888 the potential commencement of each
of these influences. @T 80
/ !. The coming of comet was formerly presage
of war. The present comet was just vsable by
telescope on the 18th of June, and its coming
might we'll have been considered as the "dread
Ambassador announcing that conflict upon the
brink of which all Europe and Asia seemed to
stand Strange as it may appear, the same mar
tal attitude, with little variation in the force and
situation of the contestants, appeared in 1885,
| The beginning of that year found the Turkish
spirit blazing out against Russia for the attempts
| of the Empress Catharine, to corrupt the Turkish
beys, and increase her dominions by intrigue and
conquest. The capital chapter of the worlds
history written for that year it has been for
this, along the Danube, and the Black Sea. The
most extraordinary efforts of the Sultan aroused
the desperate courage of the people and drew them
from all parts of his dominions. They were op-
posed by the vetran armies of two of the first pow
ers of the day, as of this-Austria and Russia.
These powers were flushed with the prestage
which the wauton spoilation of Poland had given
them. The Russians, then now, endeavored
to create the old Juror of the crusades against the
Musseman and was greatly concerned for the
christians under the Turkish rule. But this did
not succeed Genoa only allowed Russia, to arm
her Mediterranean fleet in her harbor. Vienna
then free Republic, and Sardinia then indepen-
dent and proud, though weak as she is now, repu-
dated the Austrian and Russian alliance. Spain
received the Turkish ambassador with great dis
tinction, and threatened the Russian fleet, which
was attempting to sail into the Mediterranean.
with the guns of Gibra1ter. France and England
looked upon the expansion of Russian territory
with Jealousy. The commerce of France in the
Levant-of which she then had the monopoly, |
might Be crippled. England, always too ready to
pander to Russian ambition, had been dsobliged
by the refusal of Russia to renew certain old COM
mercial treaties. Prussia had lost much of her
importance by the death of Frederick, and weigh
ed little in the balance of power. Sweden under
the impulse of young king, and with the old fire
of Gustavus and Charles, dashed into Finland with
~, IJo ocl
Russian insolence and interference. She of
course became the ally of the Turk
This was the state of the European world, when
the comet saw it in 1888! Every power in Eu-
rope disdained to become the dupe of Russian
ambition, except Austria, whose suppleness fur
nshed $4,000 troops to harrass the frontiers Of
Moldo Wallachia, while Russia fought the Otto
man along the shores and on the waters of the
Black Sea! 81.
Never before or since, unless it be during the
past few months, was the ancient Mahometan
spirit so aroused. Catharne had pompously held
her court at Cherson, near the mouth of the Dnei-
per, and within few leagues of the Turkish ter
ritory. Crmea, that famed peninsula between
the Black Sea and the Sea of Azoff, had been
wrongfully wrested from the Porte. The Rus
slams crowded around their Empress, predicting
for her universal dominion and for the Ottoman
speedy destruction. Poland slept the death sleep,
and the time was inviting for further robbery
The Hospadors on the Danube then as now play
ed into the Russian hand. Russian Consuls were
everywhere busy with money and management.
The real and avowed object of the Russian, we'll T.
matured at Cherson, was to place the second
grandson of Catherine-Prnce Constantine, on
the throne of the ancient Greek Emperor at Con-.
stantinope The Comet saw that, and dashed on!
These events so aroused Turkey that in mo-
ment of noble rage, she sent the Russian Ambas-
sador prisoner to the seven towers. She then
hurled defiance at the Muscovite and German unit
edly. She had Grand Vizr who followed up
the defiance. Defending Belgrade from the Aus.
trians in the spring, he pushed through Wallachia
and, during the summer of 1888, overran south
eastern Hungary, until Vienna trembled at the
audacious foe. The very Danubian provinces,
which in this year of 1858, have again covered
before the Russian, were then the scene of glori-
Gus adventures, such as Ottoman history cannot
parallel. Upon the Black Sea- the Russian ships
were then under the command of the prince of
Nausau, who had our Paul Jones as his second :;
and various were the fortunes of the year on that
tickle element. To assist the Russian fleet, there
moved down the river Bog on its way to the Black
Sea, in June 1888, one hundred and fifty thousand
soldiers to join the Austrians, and crush the Otto
man. They moved in vain. The time had not
yet come. This is what the Comet saw in East
ern Europe in that year 1888. The events of