Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-14


'l rae other side.
, Ths London gSp'ss publishes letter from |
Heirous, which accuses the Syrian Christians |
Of drawing slI the evils of war upon their |
. own hvnds, BY plot TO exterminate the
Dfusesi who have bnIy paid them back in
their owe coin, II states that last year there
vaa .pruss and. Christian quarrel, at a vii
lags called Beyt Mary, which was settled by
,,Areompact between the Christian Emirs and
the Drufe Chiets, the Druses agreeing to pay
10000 piasters as indemnity for Christian
property destroyed. But, the letter states,
the Christians found, 10 their surprise, that
they had killed more DruScs than their own
number Of slain, and by that they were en-
couraged 10 enter into an organization fer
discriminating the Druses. The society went
on, actively procuring arms and ammunition,
and distributing them among the Christian
population, which was done chiefly through
the priesta. Az soon as they thought things
were well prepared, they began to assemble
their men, and the Druses saw that mischief
was intended. The Druse Chiefs we're un-
prepared and adverse TO fght, and they
wrote TO the Christian Emir, pointing out the
evil That would result TO both parties by the
loss Of the silk harvest, and asserting their
willingness to settle their differences AMIGA
bly,; hut the Christians were determined for
4 . war, and the only step taken by the Turkish
authorities to prevent bloodshed and disorder
80 was 10 march a fcw soldiers from Belrout to
tho foot Of the mountains, near the Damascus
road, where they encamped..
The Christians pressed on 70 the attack of
the strongholds of the Druses; the latter
were reused to their old valor, and the party
which took up the sword, perished by the
sword.
The New York Methodist, after reciting
this account. says
I'VE regret that We must give this new
version Of the case, but fear il ia too true
nevertheless II does not in the least quail
p ify the atrocity of the Druses and Moslems
nor the right of interference on the part of
Europe ~ ~ WN
II seems to Us that If the Christians went
out TO exterminate, and were themselves ex-
terminated, 4, does not make a very urgent
call for outside interference. Nor do the
atrocities of the Moslems. They are proba-
bly, no worse than the Christians would have
perpetrated, If they had conquered. 1t Is
the custom of war in that part Of the world,
and the religion of the Christians of Syria,
instead of mitigating the cruelties Of war;
would probably have added to them. In
Oriental countries, the Christianity partakes
more of the biblical nature, than in the West,
where the character of Christ governs the
spirit Of religion, and the spirit of the Old
Testament Bible is almost ignored. But in
Syria the Christians would have regarded a
war against the Moslems MS the crusade of
Joshua and Gideon and Saul against the Ca
naanItes, and would have appealed toall those
indiscriminate massacres Of men, women
and children, which the Israelites perpe-
trated, aud which the prophets enjoined, as
examples of what their duty required, and of
what Cod commanded against unbelievers.
We naturally suppose that Christianity re-
volts at atrocities but that is the spirit of
our civilization, and we find all the teachings
Of Christ congenial to 1t; but likewise the
spirit Of the Old Testament lie more congen-
sal 70 tho feelings of the people of Oriental
countries, and they naturally look more to
the edifying example Of Samuel reproving
Saul for sparing any portion of the Amale-
kites, and hswing Agag In pieces before the
2 Lord, aud to Joshua, commanding the sun
and moon to wait that he might complete
the slaughter of the Canaanites, than they do
to the teachings Of Christ--to love their enc
mies, aud when smitten, to turn the other
cheek. The examples which the Maronite
Christians would have taken as divine au-
p thority for their treatment Of the conquered,
are not equaled in atrocity by all that can
bss found in any other history, and, in
stead of the cruelties Of the Druses making
any tsuse for Intervention, they are probably
no worse, If as bad, as the Maronites would
hove perpetrated, If they had succeeded.
The atrocities of this war make no case
dsuanding the Intervention of European
Powers. It was Intervention alone that left
the Syrian population without any govern
rnent which could protect them from civil
y war Nothing but the Intervention of the
Western Powers has kept the Turkish Gov
eminent In existence and these atrocities are
the legitimate fruits of that intervention.
The history of this case Is interesting, es-
pecially % showing the fatality which has
always attended the Intervention of England
in the affairs of other nations. After all her
wars and her debt of over eight hundred
millions Of pounds sterling, brought upon
her almost entirely by her intermeddling In
the affairs Of other nations, she can not point
TO single instance in which her Intervention
has not resulted against freedom and human
ity, andto her own damage. Russiademanded
osTurkey the removal of the disabilities from
the Christians In the Turkish Dominions,
and some gusrauties for their protection.
England raised the combination TO back
Turkey n resisting this just demand, for
fear II would curtail the power of Turkey, and
give Rusgia some hold on Turkey which
would result In the acquisition Of territory.
The Crimean war was the immediate con-
sequence; the massacre Of the Christians the
next; and now this consequence of England's
intsrfereace has made q case for France to
interfere 70 protect the Christians, All
Christsndom Is calling for intervention and
It Is announced that II, 900 French troops are
on their wsy 70 Syria. French troops are
not innthe habit Of leaving desirable
country where they once get foothold.
c1...n. - 80 1ha rl1ar ,ubfY.,