The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-20

The correspondent of the Boston Traveller
writing from Beirut, ou the 18Th ult, gives
further accounts of the terrible slaughter of
Christians in Syria. He says:
The fall of Habeiya, an American missiona-
ry station, would furnish ample material.for a
book OF horrors. IL tains large Protest
ant community and fine church edihce. 1t
is situated near the source of the river Jordan
and had several thousand inhabitants 1t was
for some time besieged, but the con test COM
rnenced in earnest on Friday, the sth inst, and
continued for three days. The Druses were
defeated and driven back, and the town was
wholly occupied by the Christians. Then
came in Turkish treachery 10 give success to
the Druses. The commander of the Turkish
troops stationed at that place, under a pre-
tence of aiding the Christians, induced them
10 feign a retreat towards the cas- tile, promising
10 fire upon the Druses with his cannon. The
Christians did as they were desired; the COM
mander fired blank cartridges only twice. and
then ceased. The retreat became real, and the
deceived Christians sought refuge in the cas-
tie. Upon their arrival the commander re-
quired them TO deliver their arms, which they
surrendered TO him. He then allowed them to
en- ter, after compelling each one 10 say MAY
G cd give success to the Sultan.' He gave their
arms TO some muieteers, under the pretence OF
sending them 10 Damascus, but soon after put
them in the possession OF the Druses. The un-
armed were then turned over to the tender
mercies of the Druses, who butchered large
II u IN Der and burned the town, including all
the American church property. Several nun
dred OF the Christians sought refuge with the
Moslem Emeers of Ha beiya who were enemies
of the Druses. They remained in the palace
for several days. when the Emeers were
obiige to surrender for the want OF provisions.
T hirty of the Emeers were killed, and more
tha a eight hundred Christians were led out
and slaughtered like sheep.
Ras heya is another missionary station, and
contains q Protestant community. The fol-
lowing letter was written to the Greek Pa
Vka INV hl hr 10
sheya and by him sent to the L. s. Consul:
when the Druses began the attack, they
requested us To deliver our arms to them,
which we did. After taking possession oil
them they said we do not wish for your arms
but we want you TO leave the town and go 70
Damascus, to which we replied. Just as you
like" They said we must get ready to leave
on Tues day. We said. very we'll butsuspect-
ing them, We sent our women 10 the houses OF
,heir Sheiks with handkerchiets around theiI
pecks, Ia mark OF humiliation and surrender
And so also we went with our priests and
Ie iding men, having haudkerchiets on our
| peeks and going round to the houses OF all the
1 Shelks We said TO them, "our blood, our pro-
perty and our families, are all at your dispo.
| sal and behold our priests and leading men
Kill OF us whomsoeFer you choose; ana II you
wish our children we are ready TO offer them
to you.' Then they gave US peaee and pro.
claimed the same; but, alas. that peace aid moi
| continue TOR more than quarter OF an boqr
when they began to burn the town aud tire
| upon US III the DFRiu Va thc hlsAI.
| 1t was dreadful hour; they killed the men
cut the children pieces, Mroctng them INTO tn,
fire, riotated the 1c0men and ptHHdered the pro.
\ perry. If any men reached you, THESE are ali
that remain. They took the arms OF the mur.
dered We who are still alive are at the serag.
| ito without food, having no homes, The
town has been burned into ashes, and the
Druses come every day 10 the soldiers and de.
mand the remainder Of the women and chill.
dren to butcher them. If we do not die o.
hunger, we may die of fear If they allow Us
10 live until Thursday. The soldiers canno
protect us, as there are not many.
/ What fearful, horrible record is this. Iu
formation was received the folio wing day tina
all had been killed. and the Christians O.
RaSheya have been blotted out OF exist tence,
HADJI.
BEIRUT, June 16, 186O.-The plot thickens
and l fear that the doom of this people il
sealed. About one hundred of the Has beyan:
| arrived here yesterday with blood-staineC
| garments. and with bloody history of theil
! suferiugs and the fate of their com panions.-
Concealed under the dead bodies of more thar
twelve hundred of their friends and relatives
| they spent a long and terrible night; and at
| ter the fiends who had accom- pIisned this
| awful tragedy left the spot, supposiug tina
| none had escaped TO tell the tale these fugi
1 tiVes reached the coast near Tyre, and came Il
1 Beirut in boats.
1t was sad story they told and as they
| counted over to our devoted missionaries tn
| names of the Protestants whom they saw
| III COlu UiOOO, the nedFlS OF IueS
| pious men sank within them. But two of th
! entire Protestant community were Iivin;
| when the refugees left Hasbeiya, and thes
| were dreadfully Wounded-perhaps fatally
| The American church and all the mission
| property was consumed, and those benign lei
| natives who had been brought to a knowledg
| of the truth by the American missionaries
| and so instructed by them as to be able to sus
| tain their own pulpit and schools with nativ
| preachers and teachers, were all cut down, ant
the Protestant mission blotted out! How
| mys terious are the ways of Providence,
Hasbeiya contained about six thousand in
| habitants, and was governed by family 0
| Moslem Princes, OF the Great Shehaab family
| Seventy Princes, of this name, were also mur
| dered, together with the Mosem Judge, hi
| son, and about thirty other Moslems who hal
| incurred the hatred of the Druses.
We have now a Russian and French fri
| gate and AN English corvette besides a Frenci
| and English gunboat, so that in Beirut we fee
pretty safe; for the Moslems know full wei
| that an iusurrection here would bring tn
| guns of the fleet upon the town, and lay it il
ruins.
But the inland cities are in the utmost dan
| ger. Damascus, Aleppo, Hum aud Hamouti
are trembling in the balance, and ii is believed
| that every Christian in these densely popu
lated cities will be killed as soon as any act O
Intervention il seen ON the part OF the Eu
ropeans.