Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-08-23
The Syrian Massacre.

letter from ConStantlnopie, dated July l,
encloScs the following from Beyrout:
"JUNE so, 1860.
81 should like to give you a true state
ment of what has passed, but l almost
finch from telling the truth. The so-cal-
led Christians are so palpably in the wrong
that any one calling himself Christian,
and having any respect for the name, must
a! all events paliate the conduct of the
Druses.
Last year there was Druse and Chris
tian quarrel at village called Beyt Mary.
That quarrel was settled by compact be-
tween the Christian Einirs aud the Druse
chiefs TO maintain peace, the Druses pay
ing thirty thousand piasters as indemnity
for Christian property destroyed. How
ever, as the Christians found, to their sur
prise, that they killed more Druses than
were slain of themselves, it appears that it
either entered or was put into their heads
that matters were now altered, and, rs the
Christians were by far the most numerous,
they could now overpower the Druses. Be
that it as may, it is now positive that a
society was formed, of which it is said that
the Roman Catholic Bishop, Tobia, and
the Emir Kais Shehob, Tobia, were presi-
dents, for the very Christian purpose of
exterminaiing the Druses Of Lebanon.-
An executive committee was organized,
composed of native merchants an bankers
Of Beyrout The duty of this committee
was to furnish arms, ammunition and mon
ey to the Christian population, which they
did chiefly through the priests of the Will
age, gratis, on the sole condition of fight
ing the Druses. 1t is asserted that up
wards of fourteen thousand muskets and a
proporlionate quantity of ammunition were
in this way delivered to the peasantry.
Gas soon as the Christian leaders
thought things ready they began to assem-
bic their men, and it was evident that mis-
chief 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 every
thing in their power to prevent it, or at
least to delay it. They wrote to the Chris
tian Emir, pointing out the evil that would
ensue to both parties by the loss of the
silk harvest (the most important of the
country and asserting their willingness to
settle all differences amicably; but the
Christians would listen to nothing; they
were determined; and the only steps taken
BY the Turkish authorities 10 prevent blood
shed and disorder was TO march handful
of men from Beyrout to the foot of the
mountains near the new Damascus road,
wheae they encamped.
''It appears that it was arranged by the
Christians that the first Druse place to be
attacked were Shweyfat and Aitat. On
their way to these places the Christians
had to march past the Turkish camp pre-
viously alluded to, aud they positively did
so within fifty PAGES of the regular troops,
without single effcrt being made to arrest
them! The Christians pushed on to Hadat
and Babda, where they were TO be joined
by the Emir Shehab and some others. In
the mean time the Druses, who are natur-
ally bold and high-spirited, and accustom-
ed to look on the Christians as no match
for them in fight, did not wait to be attack
ed, but made a simultaneous run from
Aleih. The Christians made but poor
show of fight; the Druses carried all befor
them, and destroyed by fire Hadat and Bab-
da. Thus the war began, and afterwasds
the whole Mittu was one continued scene
of battle and burning, until the Druses
were victorious at all points, with the ex-
ception of Zahelh and -el-Kamar.
''In the meantime, the wild, lawless
Druses eff the Haouran were rushing to the
assistance of their brethren on the Leban-
on, and having, no doubt, been informed
70 the avowed purpose of the Christians
to extermnatc the Druses, these Haouran-
ese committed the most deplorable excesses
ON the first of the Christian population
they met-vis., at Hasbeyah and Rasbey-
ah. AT Hasbepab. believe, at first they
cut down Druse and Christians indiscrim-
inalely, and although they were Turkish
soldiers there also the 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, un-
til they came opposite to Kub Elias, when
part of them encamped, while the rest
continued their march furthar east, and en-
camped opposite Zahleh, on the south side
of the plain.
"The Zahleh people had taken possession
of Kub Elias, but after skirmish or two
with the Druses under Arnads they retired
to Zahleb, which they fortified by erecting
breastworks, and sailed out occasionally
to annoy the Druses. In Zahleh were as
sembled nearly all the best tihgting men
of the Christians, and they, no dobt,
thought themselves very secure, for they
committed the most revolving atrocities on
two Druse women (mother and daughter)
who had been left in charge ola Christian
by Druse, who was his partner in agrl-
culture. TO the honor of the Christian be
its said, 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 supplicating them on his knees,
but all to no purpose.
s.The attack on Zahleh was made by the
Haonrauese from the plan, supported by
the Lebanon Druses under the Arnads, and
they were kept at bay for good while BY
the Zahlemen when few hundred (aoout
three hundred) Druses from the Ghuro
made a rush from the heights above, got
or QUAR- tham. and