The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1854-04-19

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session Of Constantinople.-- Of the finest
capitals IN Europe.-for the last four hundred
years. They came originally, pastoral and
predatory horde, from the centre lands Of
Asia, and marching at last into the pleasant
and fertile field Of Roum. or Asia Minor, re-
cruited their strength and resources for their
invasion Of Europe, across the Bosphorus, in
1858, and for their crowning conquest in l453
the conquest by Mahomet XII, Of the last
remaining ramparts Of the Roman Empire.
In the last mentioned year, Constantinople
was vigorously besieged by sea and land, and
at length taken by storm, over the dead body
of Constantine Palaologus. the Emperor, who,
surrounded by the princes of bis blood and
the Narangian guards of his person, died as
became Caesar, and worthily closed the long
reign Of a renowned and military people.
The fall of Constantinople spread through
out Europe the terror Of the Turkish name
and the rayishers did not fail to take advan-
tage Of tho sensation they created. They
kept all Eastern Europe in continual hot wa
ter. They invaded and rayaged the monar-
chief Of Austria, Hungary and Poland, and
in the FIRST fresh period of their conquest,
nothing could withstand the charge Of their
numerous and splendid cavalry. ln about
hundred years or so, the Ottoman crescent
stood highest in the armament the domin-
ion of the Padishehs ranked with the finest
that ever spread over the surface Of the earth.
It included European Turkey, Macedonia,
part Of Hungary, all Asia Minor, Armenia.
Georgia, Daghistan, part Of Kurdistan, Meso-
pOtamia, Cyprus. Syria part of Arabia
Egypt, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli; while
Crimea, Transylvania, Moldayia. Wallachia,
and the Republic Of Ragus, we're vassels Of
the Sublime Porte. Since that time, the vajt
circle of the Turkish monarchy has been con-
tracting. Austria and Hungary recovered
from their former reverses, and S0bieskl and
Eugene succeeded in rolling the MahOmme-
dan invasion along the Danube.
Meantime the power Of Russia began. un:
der Peter the Great. that formidable march
which at last carried the banners Of the Gar
TO the Pruth, and, if we do not mistake the
meaning Of the great cotempOrary hubbub, to
the left bank Of the Danube.
Peter and his successors continued steadily
TO sncroach upon the Turkish territories In
the time Of the Empress Catherine, about 50
years ago. the Sultan lost great number Of
provinces and fortresses; and Russia gained
all ihe region between the Bog and the Dnie-
per. the free navigation of the Black Sea,
free passage through the Besphorus aud ths
DardaneIles, the territories OF the Greater
and Lesser Kabarda, near the Caucasus, and
other advantages Assailed by the Russians
from without, the Sultans we're opposed and
distracted by their own rebel pachas within.
Ali Pacha, ofEpirus, that fine old gladiator
of whom Lord BYRON speaks in the second
canto of Childe Harold, made himself inde-
pendent Of the Porte, but was at last assault
ed in his fortress of Jannina and slain
The Pacha Of Widdiu was another irebrand /;
but he was also put down or put out. Then
the Greeks rose in rebellion, aud maintained
against the Turks fierce aud bloody resist
ance for over ten years; till. at last, the Eu-
ropean powers interfered to procure tho lib
Grafton Of that renowned region. The Sultan
Mahommed refused TO surrender so splendid
an appendage to his dominion whereupon
the English, the French ard the Russian
fleets fell simultaneously upon bis ships IN
Navurino, and destroyed them, in l7l1.-
Greece was then released, and has been liv-
ing ever since in beggarly 5rigandish sort
of way, under Bravarian king, called Otho.
Next came the rebellion of the Pacha of
Egypt, Mahomet Ali, who, 1888. helped
Egypt and Syria independently Of the Sultan.
But the English, in 1910. beat him out of
the latter province. and obliged him to con-
tent himself with the Egyptian Pachalick,
which is now ruled By his grandson, under
the suzerainty OF the Porte.
But, after all these subtractions. good
deal Of Turkey yet remains-enough to cover
a million of square miles, and contains pop
ulation OF about 35 million whom about
IL millions are Turks, genuine children of
Othman,-and the rest Slayonians, Arabs,
ReumeEotes. Armeniaus. Kelenes, Druses.
Chaldeans, Tartars, Syrians, and so-forth--
/ Il is to be observed that the Tayals or
Christians Of all kinds IN the empire, greatly
outnumber the Turks.
The present war between the Russians and
the Turks, is only the inevitable consequence
of that hereditary desire Of the Gar to obtain
exclusive possession ofthe Black Sea, and then
as 4 next step, Of Constantinople. In the be-
ginning Of last year. the Emperor Nicholas sent
4 Prince Menschikoff to demand that the Sultan
should permit the Gar to joint protector Of
the Greek Christians 10 the Turkish Empire
and to argue the reasonableness Of this, seeing
that the Czar is a priest as well as monarch
the Visible head of the Greek Church in all
parts of the Russian dominions. But the
Sultan firmly refused to let such a powerful
interloper have anything TO do with the inside
of his houses-with the internal policy OF hfs
empire; and sent Menschikoff of with a flea
in bis ear. The Gar then marched his Cos
sacks into the Moldo Wallachin Principali-
ties, which are subject to the Porte; and
there they have remained ever since. Al
first. England aud France. assisted BY Austria
and Persia, tried in a very vigorous and impo-
sing manner, to beat Nicholas out Of the Da-
uubian fields with paper-diplomatic note
paper but il made no impression on him.-
He dish6bored il. lie would not 90 back
AT the end Of eight months, England and
France swear they rilltry bullets, this time :
Meanwhile Nicholas encamps upon the Prln-
Il 6nalities He does not want to cross the Da-