The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-07-17
CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA.

Great Destruction to Life and Property
4 correspondent Of the Boston Traveller writing
from Beirut under date of June 9th, gives an ac-
count Of the civil raging that city.
lie says:
Druses and Christians, numbering hundreds of
thousands, are now engaged in wholesale murder,
arson and pilIage in which fendsh work they are
aided by Turks, Moslem Arabs, and the people
known as the Meawalies.
From my window last week | counted from
twenty to thirty burning villages upon the noun
tain few miles from Beirut, from whence the
flash of musketry may easily be seen, and the vol
leys heard after another in rapid succession,
as they echo through the valleys The dying and
the dead are brought daily into the town in large
numbers, and the widows and orphans may be seen
in crowds weeping and waling about the streets.
The barbarity of this war is truly shocking
Men, women and children are overtaken while fee
ing for refuge and without arms, and ruthessly
slaughtered while praying for quarter.
The Christians have thus far suffered most ter
ribly. Their villages have been burned, their
crops destroyed and great numbers have been bru-
tally murdered, while the Druses, who are better
warriors, and far courageous, are assisted by
the Turks, Moslem, and Metawaes and up to
this time have proven successful
This bloody war; which is waged on both sides
as war of determination, has its origin in religion
hate each other with deadly hatred on account
Of the difference in their religious faith-and the
Christians hate the Druses with special hatred
because the Druses are, in great many Of the
mountain Christian Districts feuda chiefs and
rulers over the Christian or Maronte and Greek
Catholic villages.
The American missionaries IN Mount Lebanon
have been greatly exposed, but yet have suffered
only for want of provisions
81 III n \
Johnson sent guards for their protection, and in
some cases provisions Some of the families of the
| Missions have come down to Beirut under an
escort furnished by the Consul and others are daily
expected. No danger personal to the Americans
in Mount Lebanon is apprehended, as they are
well known and we'll protected, but their work is
stopped by the war, their homes become asy-
lums for the wounded and the fearful; in fact they
are crowded out by the people who seek their pro-
lection; for wherever the American flag is seen way
ing the housetop, the people flock there in great
numbers for admission.
The humanity shown by the Americans in Bel
rut to the wounded, the homeless and the starving
refugees from the mountains, will long be remenl-
bered by the natives Of the country
The American Mission premises are crowded
day and night by women and children crying for
! bread, which they receive with comfort and con-
ISOLATION from the American missionaries
information IS daily received Of fresh cases of
the most horrible butchery Of native Christians and
it would seem as if the Druses and Moslens were
leag ued to exterminate them root and branch
This morning We learn of large number of
peasantry having been induced t. return to their
villages, where they all killed in cold blood
and OF the murder Of five ecclesiastics of the Latin
Church, who were shot down near the walls of
Sidon.
The success Of the Druses has undoubtedly
stirred up all the Moslem hostility to Christians,
and a general insurrecton seems to be trembling
in the balance.