The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-08-19
TURKEY AND CHINA.

nc NcW lork I1eralu pfcdlctS that The
dissolution of the two great empires, whose
names have long stood foremost in the cata.
loguc of nations, is close at hand. Both
Turkey and China are drawing to their last
hour. Both of them have welded sovereign
sway, and bent fate to their will for centuries
The one has ruled the world. There was 6
time when all civilization radiated from
Byzantium. Many dynastcA have held the
sceptrc at Stamboul; many fitful war has
swept like whirlwind over its mosques and
minarets. But, until within the last century
Providence has watched over the destiny o.
the Oriental Empire.
Time has laid its hand
Upon its crown, gently, not shifting it,
But rs a harper lays his open palm
Upon his harp, to dcaden its vibrations.
The age has now passed away; and what
ever be the result of the present attempt Of
Russia, the ultimate fall of Turkey can nc
longer be regarded as problematic. Peril has
already stript the Moslem of his pride. nnd
power. Victims are no longer hurled head
long into the Bosphorus; and boatman
striking corpse with his oar, no longer
passes hurriedly by, trembling lest his unto
ward discovery should have been noticed
The Turkish sceptre is now sustained by
Christian bands; and though mutual jealousy
and fear among European nations may CON-
bine to. preserve it erect for space, its ult
mate ruin is as clearly fofeshadowcd as the
rise of to-morrow's sun.
Nor are the prospects Of China less clearly
defined in the book Of fate. Barbarism and
backwardness are being driven from their
strongholds in the Celestial Empire. A revo.
luton, springing from what causes, prescott.
ed by what men, and aiming at what ends,
we hardly know, has already shaken the
throne and convulsed the empire to its centre.
OF this alone are we confident; any change
will be for the general bereft Of mankind.
If-as seems probable-foregn aid be solicit
ed by the insurgents, and granted them on
certain conditions, the opening of China to
the commerce of the word, will of course
ensuc. Even if the insurgents succeed in
establishing national Chinese monarch on
the throne, obvious policy will require him
to pursue more liberal course towards for
eigners than his predecessor. Foreign inter-
course has already taught the Chinese the
folly of the rule of exclusion: and we may
safely take it for granted that any change in
their foreign policy will tend to abolish in
stead of reairming this relic Of barbarous
ages.
The prospect of the revolution in these two
nations, which have stood SO long in the way
of the worlds progress, must be Il source of
unteigned joy to the philosopher and the
philanthropist. A new sphere is about to be
opened to the Bible, to civilization, to COM
mcrce. 1t is not confined TO China and Tur-
key alone. Japan claims apart of the newly
discovered world. A hundred millions of
human beings, scattered over the islands of
the japanese Empire and the neighborhood,
are unconsciously awaiting an event which is
to raise them from the condition of barbarians
to that of co-workers in the great enterprise
of human Development and progress.
Such things are in store for this world of
ours. Those among us who are now in the
prime of youth may live to see them all ac-
complished, and the browning results of these
destined commissions attained. The process
may be arduous, complicated. Wars will
probably arise, and human blood will be shed
in vain attempts to countervail obvious desti-
ny. Men-tools of misunderstanding play
the part of foolish obstructives, or glorious
heroes, as chance commands; but the net con-
sequences of the conservatism of the one and
The vaor of the others will be precisely the
same as if neither had ever been born.