New-York daily tribune., 1854-03-29

echoed 10y the agricultural population o' 'Ae pa
have pot,p to DO with the religious ghts OF the sub
cts o. Turkey with which an attemp' is made to NIX
fhem JT
Awe lesrn Ion 'bc Eug ghsL journals aad tom no
too oiven in the House of Lords By Lord sbaesbur!
and IN the Commons BY Mr Monckton Mnes,the British
co5e-nment is TO be called upon in connection partly
a, Ieost with these Greek movements to take meas
ures 70 meorate the condition OF the Christian sub
iccts Of the Porte Indeed, are told explicitly that
tho great end aimed at by the western Powers is 70
nut the Christian religion footing OF equal rights
with the Mahometan in Turkey. Now, either this
means nothing at all II the granting political
and civil rights both to Mussulmsns and Christians,
without any reference TO either religion, and with
out considering gion az all In other words it
means the complete separation of state and Church,
of Religion and Politics But the Turkish Sase,
ike al Oriental States is founded upon the most init
mate connection we might almost say, the identity Of
State and Church of Politics aud Religion The KO-
ran is the double source of faith and law cor that En-
pre and It's rulers But how is it possible to equalze
the faithful snd the Gaour tue Mussuman and the Rs
before the Koran To do that ii is necessary in fact
TO supplant the Koran by new civil code, in other
words to break down the framework Of Turkish so3e-
ty and create a new order of things out of its ruins
On the other band the main feature that distinguishes
the Greek confession from all other branches of the
Christian faith is the same Identification of State and
Church Of civil aud ecclesiatcsl life. So Intimately
interviewer were State and Church in The Byzantine
Emrire that It is impossible to write the history OF
the one without writing the history of the other la
Russia the same identity prevails although there. in
coutradstiuction TO The b. zantOe Empire the Church
las been transformed into the mere tool Of The State
the instrument OF subugaton az home e1d of aegres-
sion abroad In the Ottoman Empire in conformity
With tie oriental notions Of the Turks, tie Byzantine
tbeccr.cy has been allowed to develop itself to such
deeree, that the parson OF parsh is at the Samo
time tie Judge, the mayor. the teacher the eN-
ecutor of testsments. tie assessor OF taxes the
ubiQuitous nctotum Of civil life, not the servant
hut the n aster of all work The main reproech
10 be cast upon the Turks in this regard is
not that they have crippled the privileges OF the
Christian priesthood but the contrary that under
their rule this all embracing oppressive uelage, con-
troland Interference of the Church has been permitted
TO absorb the whole sphere Of social existence. Mr.
Falmerayer very amusDgy tells us in his OrieaGiscle
Brpt, how Greek Priest was quite astOnished
when lie informed him that the Latin Clergy enjoyed
no civil authority at all and had 10 perform Do proMno
business. How, exclaimed the Priest, do our
Latin Brethren cODtri7e to kill time p
1t plain then that to introduce new civil code in
Turkey code altogether abstracted from reigionaUd
based on a complete separation of State aud Church,
would be not only 70 abolish MahOmetanim but also
to break down the Greek Church rs now established
in that Empire. Can any one be creduOus enough TO
believe in good earnest that the timd and redctooay
yaletudinar ans of the present British Goyernmenthaye
ever conceived the idea Of undertaking such gigantic
task involving perfect social revolution in country
Ike Turkey The notion is absurd. They can only
entertain it for the purpose Of throwing dust in the
eyes of the English people and of Europe.