American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-10-11
Commercial Prosperity of the Greeks.

commercial prosperity OF the 0Ieeks'
Commerce and navigation which had
been given upto them, as mercenary oc-
equations, by the pride of the Ottomans,
had also concentrated in their hands the
whole wealth of the empire. Municipal
liberty, and the governments of towns and
islands by elective councils, chosen from
among the neutrality-suspicious., and pay:
ing only the tributes or exactions to the
pachas, constituted these islands and these
Greek provinces into a species Of fedora
ton, very aptt revolt against the common
oppressor, and to combine together in the
cause of freedom. Finally, the law which
only permitted the Ottoman armies to be
recruited from among the conquering race;
diminished that source from year to year,
and allowed the conquered race to increase
and multiply. All these causes together
had lessened the masters and magnifed the
slaves so that the number Of Christians in
the empire very much surpassed the num-
Der of Mahometans. The Turks still reign
ed, it is true, but they were nothing more
than an armed aristocracy in the midst of
disarmed multitude. The Greeks, how
ever, had long felt their strength, and look
ed outfor allies in Europe, to give them
the signal. the opportunity, and support
They had found these natural allies in the
Russians, attached to them by two causes,
which did not require preconcerting to be
understood; identity of religion and com
munity ofhatred against the Turks. The
first insurreclion had been fomented and
sustained by a Russian fleet, in the Morea.
in 1890, under the reign of Catharine II.
Though 1t miscarried, in consequence Of
the French revolution, which had recalled
the attention of the empress to the side Of
Germany, and had made her defer the
ambitious views Of Russia on the side Of
Asia, this insurrection in the Morea had
left sovenirs, hopes. and seeds of liberty,
in the minds of the Greeks, who reckoned
if not upon auxillaries at least upon sym
pathy at Petersburgh. The triumph of
the Russians on the Danube, and the ar
rival ofa Russian feet, from the Black Sea,
before Constantinople, combined with an
insurrection in the Pelopennesus and the
islands, would leave nothngfor the Turks
but fight into Asia. The reign Of the
Russians over the Bosphorus would be the
reign of the Greeks. establishing the
empire of the East in its capital, so long u
surped by others. This idea, or this
dream kept hope alive in the Morea and
the islands. Greece was going on to make
the attempt, and Europe was going to as
sist her, but never did fatality, that ur-
ges nations on to results which they see
the best and dread the most, exhibit itselI
more distinctly in human affairs. Russia
once mistress of the Bosphorus, Constan-
tinople, and of Greece, this was universe
monarchy over Europe, over Asia, land the
Mediterranean. But never mind, the cry
of freedom resounded upon the mountains
of Epirus, and Europe was about to echo
it, and to precipitate itself bodily, agains
her own interest. down the declevity OF
which hung the world. Religion was tc
serve as pretext for liberty; and while
modern philosophy was sapping or refor
ming Christianity in Europe, European
liberalism was upholding the cause of Chris
tianity in Greece, and preaching crusade
r in the name Of the Revoluton.--Hstory o
the Restoration of Monarchy in France.