Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-07
The Syrian aIassacre-New View OF the
Troublea-The Christians Declared the
AgEressOrs.


letter from COnstantinople, dated July I, en-
closes the following from Beyrout. It gives
some insight into the causes which have pro-
dnced the present lamentable state Of matters
in the Lebanon. The writer has been settled
for the last twenty years in the country, and is
consequently wellaoquainted with the various
tribes which inhabit the mountain.
"SHEMTAN, June 30, 1860.
'You viii, no doubt, before this can reach
! you, have seen accounts ofthe feud which has
been raging in this quarter between Druse
and Christian, and you win doubtless have
seen great many exaggerations and mis-
representations.
al should like TO give you atrue statement
of what has passed, but almost finch from
telling the truth. The so-called Christians
are so palpably in the wrong that any one
! calling himself Christian and having any
respect for the names must feel Inundated
in making statements that, if they do not
justify, must at all events palliate the conduct
of the Druses.
"You will remember that last year there
was Druse and Christian quarrel at village
called Beyt Mary. That quarrel was settled
! by a compact between the Christian Emirs
and the Druse chiefs to maintain peace the
Druses paying thirty thousand piasters as
indemnity for Christian property Destroyed
However as the Christians found, to their
surprise that they had killed more Druses
than were slain ofthemselves, it appears that
it either entered or was put into their heads
that matters were now altered, and, as the
Christians were by far the most numerous,
they could now overpower the Druses. Be
that as it may, tits now positive that a society
was formed, of which it is said that the Roman
Catholic Bishop, Tobia, and the Emir Kais
Shehab were presidents, for the very Christian
purpose OF exterminating the Druses of
Lebanon. An executive committee was
organized, composed ofKaum Kicano; Assad,
son of Isaac Tabet; Michael Fargialla, native
merchants and banker at Beyrout; and it is
said that Ayoub Trabilsy, merchant Of Deir-
el-Kamar, was attached to them. The duty
OF this committee was to furnish arms, am
munition and money to the Christian popula-
ton, which they did chiefly through the priests
of the villages, gratis, on the sole condition
of fighting the Druses otherwise they were
to be charged with the value of the arms,
&c. It is asserted that upwards of fourteen
thousand muskets and a prOportionate guam
tity of ammunition were in this way delivered
to the peasantry.
As soon as the Christian leaders thought
things ready, they began to assemble their
men, and it was evident that mischief to the
Druses was intended. The Druse chiefs began
to look about them. but being really adverse
to a fight, being altogether unprepared, they
did everything in their power to prevent it
on of IN 1a1orr a Thar~ IN, fhn
Christian Emir, pointing out the evil that
would ensue to both parties by the loss Of the
silk harvest (the most important Of the eOun-
try and asserting their willingness to settle
ali differences amicably; but the Christians
would listen to nothing; they were deter
mined; and the only steps taken by the
Turkish authorities TO prevent blOodshed and
disorder was to march a handful Of men from
Beyrout to the foot of the mountains near the
new Damascus road, where they encamped.
at appears that it was arranged by the
Christians that the first Druse places to be
attacked were Shwefat and Aitat. The first
place is the residence Of the Druse Kaimalkan,
and the other is the residence of one branch
of the TalhoOks whose chief is Sheikh Tai
hook, the most intelligent and knowing, per-
haps, of all the Druses.
"On their way TO the above named places
the Christians had to march past the Turkish
camp previously alluded to, and they posi-
lively did so within fifty PAGES Of the regular
troops, without single effort being made to
arrest theml The Christians pushed on to
Hadut and Habda, where they were to be
Joined by the Emir Kais Shehab and some
others. In the mean time the Druses, who
,,ra ,,otrroIl1- hold o,d b;rb spiritad aDd oc
customed to look on the Christians as no
match for them in fight, did not wait to be
attacked, but made simultaneous rush from
Aleih, Aitat, and Ainanib, down the Waady,
and on towards Hadat and Babda. The
Christians made but poor show of fight; the 7
DFuses carried all before them, and destroyed !
BY fire Hadat and Babda. Thus the war
began, and afterwards the whole Mittu was
one continued scene of battle and burning,
until the Druses were victorious at all points,
with the exception Of Zableh and Deir-el-
Kamar.
ain the meantime, the wild, lawless Druses |
ofthe HaOuTan were rushing ;e the assistance |
of their brethren on the Lebanon and having, !
no doubt been informed of the aYowed pur-
pose of the Christians to exterminate the
Druses, these Haouranese committed the most |
deplorable excesses on the first of the Chris
tian population they met-YiZ., at Hasbeyah |
and Rasheyah. At Hasbeyah, l believe, at
first they cut down Druse and Christian in |
discriminatory, and although there were
Turkish soldiers there also they made no
effort to stop the havoc.
"From these places the Haouranese con-
tinued their march towards the plain of
Beekah, sweeping, as it were, all the places
in their route inhabited by Christians, until
they came opposite to Kub Elias, when
part ofthem encamped, while the rest con
tinued their march further east, and encamp-
ed opposite Zahich, on the south side of the
plain.
"The ZahIeh people had taken possession
of Kub Elias, but after askiruslsh or two with
the Druses under Arnads they retired to
Zahleh, which they fortified by erecting
breastworks and sailed out occasionally to
annoy the Druses. InZahleh were assembled
nearly all the best fighting men of the Chris
tians, and they, no doubt thought themselves /
very secure, for they committed the most re-
voting atrocities on two Druse women
(mother and daughter, who had been left in
charge of a Christian by Druse, who was
was his partner in agriculture. To the honor
of the Christian be tsaid that he, poor fellow,
did all in his power to keep his co .religionists
from their detestable conduct, offering his
all as a bribe, and suppicatfng them on his
knees, but all to no purpose,
"The attack on Zahleh was made by the
Haouranese from the plain, supported by the
Lebanon Druses under the Arnads, and they
were kept at bay for good while by the
Zahlehmen, when few hundred (about three
hundred) Druses from the Ghur made arush
from the heights above, got thrOught the
breastworks or over them, and entered the
town. The retiring Haouranese, being re-
preached bitterly by their chief (Ismail At
trash), and seeing the red flag of the Druses
in the town rushed back furiously, and carried
all before them. and then ensued some hand