The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-04-23


Armenians cherish the most inEeterate anpathes and
the orthodox Catholics consider the Greek church schs
NAUTICAL Whenever and wherever they have bad the
power they have persecuted each other, and the tO
Grafton Of their respective sects would be the signal
for intolerance among themselves Such is briefly the
picture sketched by all travellers in European and
Asatic Turkey. The Greek and Latin Christians We
former of whom by far the most numerous in the
Ottoman empire, especially in European Turkey are al
ways eud with each other Speaking of the conquest
Of the island of scio that excellent old traveller Toune
fort says "The Turks entered as conquered eOuRtry
but the Greeks very artully threw all the blame the
atns though they had hand in the Eruption of the
Vsnans. They hanged four Of the most eminent per-
sons of the Latin persuasion The Latins were
forbidden to hats, obliged get shaved "a mark Of
the deepest disgrace among the Turcs) and quit the
Genoese habit; the churches were pulled down or con-
vered into mosques These poor Latns, who at
the nsdgaon of the Greeks every day leased with
fresh disputes and new insults and impostons take all
very patiently and assist deyouy divine service in the
French vice-consls chapel" 1t idle to expect any
thing like liberal liberation among hostile and
bigoted The ascendency of would be signal for the
persecution of the Others and the intolerance of the Mus
snlman be transferred to the predominant sect of Chris
tians
But be this it will and whatever may be the result Of
the Congress Paris cannot but look upon the egene
ration Of he Ottoman empire beyond the reach Of any
rational anticipation It's destisy to to be
tam Reforms must have solid basis to rest upon,
and that basis is the moral and mental condition Of the
people Ifthey ignorant debased and corrupt if the
heart itself is diseased it is in vain to attempt TO restore
health to the body the foundation is wanting, and
supersructure be erected Stern and unreentng
the anatcism of the Mussulman it the basis of
almost all his virtues and when he becomes indifferent
his faith he will be both morally and politically without
guide monitor II is stated by late travellers that this
is becoming the at Consantnope among portion of
the higher officers of the Porte who gradually losing
all respect for Isamsm and substituting the Chris
an creed but utter indifference to all religion what
This is the worst of oil signs since without the
sheetanchor of creed of faith the vessel will float at
random and in all probability reach haven of re-
pose.
On the other hand it is stated by the authorities
that within the last five and twenty thirty years since
the commencement Of Sultan Mahmouds system Of REFORM
the decenson of the Ottoman empire has been rapid and
decisive In European Turkey the condition of the people
has become far worse than before; and in Asia Minor
the Bosphorus and Immediately opposite to Con-
stantinope everything is going to ruin large portion
of one of the richest regions of the world where the ia
churches of Asia founded by the apostles
and their successors is uncuvated waste abound
ing in deeterious swamps generating malaria and produ
cling endless succession Of fevers OF all the
dlestcks that enlightened this portion OF Asia Smyrna
alone remains relic of faith that has given place to its
oppressor Ephesus Sards Philadelphia, Laodicea Per
gso in ruins and their sites either deserted or
cupied by wretched villages, inhabited by still more
wretchea Mussulmen Greeks and Armenans Taxes have
been doubled rebed and in places quadrupled and
the mode of collecting them become arbitrary and op
pressve AFFECT poverty decay and desoation every
where seen and the sentiment is that Of despair
ing people whose exertons paralyzed by conviction
derived from long experience that is useless to labor
where the acquisition of property is only the signal for
extortion Their exertions are consequently limited
merely earning miserable subsistence will be
the case where there security for property and con-
equeny Indictment to il to The reputation
for wealth the signal for eroron and the only secur
g Of the posessor is to deprive himself of all its enjoy
ments by living in poverty.
Such according to the latest and most reliable author
tiles is the condition of all the Turkish provinces Of Eu
rope and Asia or all the higher characteristics of our
nature that Of hospitality alone remains The stranger is
still welcomed the door Of the most wretched Mussu
horah and il the has but single loaf he win
share II equally give the whole But this Is fast dying
away and charity sorey pressed home that she
ha, alma for the stranger Under all circumstances
feel assured that the Ottoman pire the Of dis
solution. Neither diplomacy craftsmanship avert
its destiny. II hold together long and win event
uay be dismembered The Congress of Paris may botch
up temporary adjustment Of the complicated questions
before II but the seeds Of inevitable future will
remain in ground vegetate by invsrable law Of
Nature and the harvest will later Who
will reap the greatest portion Of tbe sick mans bert-
age remains TO be seen We think could make Yam
kee aguess" But as our excellent old friend Thomas
Richie, used to say, Nou, purons.