Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-12-01
The Turks as a Warlike Pe0nIe.

based probably on he lack of
real knowledge, rather than on
any actual facts-that the Turks
are a dangerous people, easily to be
overcome and incapable, either in
military skill OF personal endurance,
or severe war. The facts are
quite otherwise. The following
from the N. Y. Courier, not only
puts this matter right, but imparts
some very interesting information:
/ 1t is an egregious mistake 10 sup
pose that the races and tribes which
make up the Turkish nation are
either degenerate or effeminate.-
We have been amdug them; we
have seen them; we know them
! There issnot in all Europe or Yves
tern Asia a people capable Of wag-
ing such desperate warfare. They
are strong and hardy in body; and
are skillfnlin the use Of weapons.
Their religious fahaticism is easily
excited, and when once fairly arous-.
ed, it knows no bounds. In a war
they deem sacred, they rush to a
bloody death as the surest road to
Paradise. Thus their Koran teach
es; and with them, faith is no idle
Word-it is faith This very Rus
: STA al whose name all Europe trem-
! Dies, they have before met alone
and single-handed.
i Through the whole Of the last
century the possession Of Turkey
was the constant object Of Russian
ambition, but yet in spite of several
wars that object vas not gained
From 1903 10 1912 the Muscovites
Sometimes bringing two hundred
thousand men into the fell, fought
the Turks, but game little. At
Roudschoul they sustained one Of
II lie worst defeats Of modern times,
50 that not without reason did the
Turkish General write to the Sultan
that he has taken enough inii'leI
fads to make a bridge for the
souls of The faithful from earth TO
( he aven. From 1925 to 1923, Tur-
key held ont against the efforts of
all the principal powers in favor Of
the Greeks, and in the last year
co dncted two campaigns against
the Russians without aid from any
gu arter. The very fact that the
Turkish race penetrated from the
the descrt-of Arabia to the banks
Of the Loire, anl'that it established
in Europe an Empire which has
endured for four centllries-four
eptnries this very ycar--in spite
Of attacks again and again repeat
ed by the two strongest OF the mill
itafy powers of Europe, shows an
inherent yigor of no ordinary kind
An i Turkey now is not in her de-
cline. !"
4 assert said Lord Palmcrston.
not long since, in the House of
Commons, without fear of contra
dictiun, that Turkey, so far from
hay ing gone back within the last
thirty years, has made greater pro-
gress and Improvement, in every
pos ible way, than perhaps arqs erer
made BY aay other country during the
SAM PERIOD With the advancing
civil cation Of the Turks, their mil
itary skill and military resources
have increased; and vet their tenn
per has not become so softened by |
civilization, that it will not when
provoked, exhibit its original fierce
ness True their religious spirit is,
not what it once was, it has lost It's
pros elyting zeal; il wages 20 wars
Of cd inquest; but it lives; il feels; il
can be goaded to madness; it can
fight TO the last extremity. Tur-
key IS yet able to repeat the deeds
Of tn E Osmanleys. And it must be
RENE mbered, too, that she has al
lies in all the Mahomedans Of Yves
tern Asia and Northern Africa
who far exceed in their aggregate 4
even the multitudinous hordes Off
the Muse oyite empire From Tu- 4
MS, Egypt, Syria, and Persia-lrom
the Sands of Lydia TO the SHOWS
OF the Caucasus ontingents are
already on the march for the scene
of strife. ;
We believe that war between
Turkey and Russia is inevitable, ]
and such has been our pnvarying
from the outset. The
four powers may side with Turkey l
or they m lay desert her i matters
not, the war will speedily come {
Russ ID may mus ter an oVerwhclm- .
ing fpfce, may make demonstra- f