The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-23

before especially rs regards the ports, for which
reason the present packet also arrives without re
mittance for the b0ndholders. The Minister Of FL
nance had resigned, and resolution had hitherto
been obtained to the division of the funds at the
bank here. The expected battle between Miramoa
ana dn a1"s mao not taken place as yet ba; 0soe
considered great loss to the government.
The Massacre u Americass In Turkey.
QUE LONDON CORRESPONDENCE.
LONDON, August 4, 1885,
forward You by this mail an extract from the
London Sun of the Both ult, which reached me in
Paris, desiring to draw your attention to para
graph regarding the prisoners of Jafa, which runs
as follows:--
tnople ssysA letter from Beyrout ia the Vienna Gasee
arrived here on the 50, having In mis- custody i've
Becouns who had been gwen u, 80 MIN 70 be punished
a. uurderere Of m American family ut Jaffa-
have been long enough resident in different parts
of Turkey to know something of the modes of
thought of Orentals, ami have not been from
there so long as to have forgotten how ignorant my
countrymen. in common with all Christendom, are
In all that regards the East 1t is therefore, that
l now write to you, feeling how important il is
that all American citizens should understand fully
the meaning of this paragraph, which, however
willing am to think 30, take to he in the main
true.
have watched with extreme interest the whole
progress of this affair." in which not American pre-.
ge alone is at stake. 1t Involves question of life
and death, not for Americans only, but for all Eu
ropeans nay, all Christians resident in the Turkish
empire. With sensation cannot express | read
some time back the narrative regarding the muir.
ders in Jafa, and the prompt measures taken to
secure the malefactors, though felt some disap.
pointment that the Presidential message IN April
contained no alluslon to their punishment An Anne.
rcan citizen, or protege was murdered in January;
his wife and motherin-Iaw, native Americans, were
subjected to the greatest outrages; and now it would
on the Sd OF July the miscreanis still lived.
In the East we all know how easily the appeals
Of the Turkish government, ad mise'sc0yd,unl, are
admitted by the Old nations OF Europe, and how de-
trmentally 10 their considefat, and their sub
jects' safety, But /, for one, had hoped that,
trammelled by the exigences which lead European
powers, per nttas, even more readily than per tas,
to support Turkey, young country would have in
sisted on receiving from the Mahommedan the same
satisfaction which she would have exacted at the
canDon's mouth from the far more powerful Chris.
tian.
The length of time which has been suffered to
elapse between the condemnation and execution OF
these wretches is already grevous wrong; for 10
the interval the crime IS forgotten and the ven
gesnce, II 1t ia Is at all, Will fall with weakened
effect. 1t is unjust to the Christians of Palestine
TO the Mahommedans, whom seeming IMMUNITY may
encourage TO fIesb excesses it is especially unjust
to Mr.. De Leon the Consul General in Egypt. who
seems 10 have ext rted him eli meritorO lsly III
this affair, and to have displayed throughout such
perfect knowledge of the people he was dealing
with. AS times go public officer who takes upon
himself a necessary responsibility acts bravey but
when he assumes in the interest OF his country az
unnecessary one his action is nothing short OF hero
ism. His countrymen bave right to expect that
such actions should not be without their fruit
Now, If the paragraph refer 10 in the Sun b.
true, IL b tie practical qualification of the Coasu
Generals acts; it is also the humiliation Of that
growing influence which his policy, If consistently
followed out, would have secured
What does il announce? That the Secretary
some other high official Of the American Legation
had been sent TO Jaffa to take possession of thos
criminals, whom the ordinary course of justic,
ought long since 10 have reached to remove then
from the scene of their crime. and to transfer thei
punishment from its theatre to remote part of th,
empire. where both the crime and its punshmen
will be entirety unknown.
As far rs the people OF Syria are concerned, tn
criminals will virtually escape punishment. Neve
will the Mohsmmedans Of Jaiia believe that the,
have suffered the tate that they deserve, If they
not behold 1t with their own eyes, and thus th
criminals escape punishment in the only sense tina
punishment mas meaning g. the warning example Z
others. This point seems to have been perfect
understood by the consul referred to, who strenu
ously insisted upon and received promise OF execu
ion without delay. and on the scene Of their crime
thirsty tyrant; but mercy has its limits, an
no principle Of mercy can be pleaded for the n
moval Of criminals from the place their person
and misdeed, are known. What care the popuiac
OF Constantirople for the hanging or beheadng o
five Arabs? The Sultan has the legal right to tax
fifteen lives daily Il think this is the exact number
without either reason or trial. II is only when b
exceeds this number that legal forms are requisite
or at least a plant Uetwah IA the word) from th
Chief Of Religion. Here are only five, and be ca
add to them without blame, If he wishes to be YER
polite 10 his good allies, the United States, any te
he pleases-the next ten for instance, found in tn
crowd Of sisbtseers But il Is not i've lives that ja
tice demands; not the rst five, fifty five bur
dred wretches taken frum the gaeys or the bazaar
whose heads are required 1t is NOT The pouring fort
OF so much blood in revenge for that which has bee
shed; but an example To strike terror into the ~
completes, the would be imitator OF the evildoen
and they are TO be found not In Constantinope, bu
In Jsfia.
The unwillippness 10 shed blood II nm amiahl
trait in the character of the present "bood drnker
BLOOD il assure6ly not the beverage be delights II
but 1t is not this feeling that prompts his minister
To change the scene Of the execution they WILL.
may be hoped be forced To sanction. principl \
guides them one not Of mercy, but Of polio, I
by the removal Of the criminals t5ey obtain all the
desire. They save the prestige OF the Mussulmat
whose right " has been for centuries 10 ssy u
Christian dog without question.
The removal of the culprts Ii q public fact
Jsfa; but they will take care that u shall never
known there that they have been capiially punishe
No proclamation IN mosque or market place vi
ever induce the Mohammedaus to believe that the
have suffered death for triling an offence. II the
do not with their own eyes see II; they know on
that the murderers Of Christians and Franks ha'
left Jafa alive and uninjured.
With the sowness OF Turkish movements, whe
not the honor of the Sutans harern Is at stake. h
the lives of Franks, IL may not yet he too late
defeat this trick OF Turkish diplomacy. II is, Their
fore, that appeal, sir, TO you, "a a chief organ
public opinion, 10 interpose your influence In ma
ter which affects the safety Of all Christians, not
Jafia only, but throughout the Turkish domnions.