Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-08-01
THE s1.AnGHTER IN SYRIA.

THE SLAUGHTER IN SYRIA
The whole civilized world will be glad to learn
that France and England, deeming the claims =, o.
humanity stronger than the obligations Oh trao'-
tona policy, have resolved to interfere for the pro-
lection of the Christian subjects Of the Ottoman
Empire. It is to be hoped that this interference
will be no more pretence and that the atrocities SO
recently committed in Asatic Turkey will not only
be checked. but that some substantial guarantee
against future outbreaks will be secured 1t is
suggestive fact that the Anglo-Fr feet now in
the harbor of Beyrout has been dispatched there to
override that same weak and despicable authority
which the Western Powers few short years ago so
carefully endeavored to prop up. Ine!r p,ese". az
titude tells in language not to be mistaken, tnat
even thew are convinced how foolish and how use
less were their efforts to sustain decayed and
broken-down despotisIn. The Emperor Nicholas
spoke truth when he described Turkey as the Sick
Man." France and England may have prolonged
his life BY brief span, but his dissolution they
could not avert The folly Of supposing that the
supremacy of Abdul Mediid was ever worth lighting
for is now made practically clear to every locker on
and the presence Of foreign feet for the protection
of the Portes own subjects in the roads Of Beyrout
is almost an admission that the Crimean war was
huge mistake
Every one has read of the wholesale massacres
that have recently taken place in Syria-the most
important portion of the Turkish-Asiatic Empire.
The slaughter has been on such frightful scale.
and so barbarously and cruelty conducted as almost
to exceed belief Whole towns and villages have
been destroyed. Neither sex age has been
spared and French, English, Russian and American
citizens, with many thousand Christian subjects of
the Porte have fallen victims to the secaran ferocity
of the savage races of the Lebanon. The last ad-
vices from Beyrout report the FILL of Zahleh large
town of ten thousand Christian inhabitants. 1t had
been calamity and desperately defended for week
h,,tt rofI Of To
for their wives and daughters could not enable the
besieged to contend forever against enormous Odds
The same steamer that brings intelligence OF the
fall of Zahleh brings also particulars of massacre
at Hasheiya village at the foot of Mount Hernon,
which, month ago. contained 1000 Christian souls,
and now has not one Only thrty-three men
escaped to spread abroad the tale of this fearful
destruction So in like manner, fell Rasheiya, an
other village at the foot of Mount Hermon contain
ing population of some 1000 Christians. Of these
about one-third succeeded in making their escape to
the coast Thus, the work of determination, begun
at Sidon has been carried on with jealous, pcrtnac
ious and unchecked ferocty at Dher- ef Kamar,
Hasbeya, Rasheiya and Zahleh; the whole Of the
Christian population from Aleppo to GAIA is in wild
alarm; Damascus itself is threatened, and even
Beyrout is only safe under the protection of large
foreign fleet.
Very little seems to be known of the Druses, the
perpetrators of these dreadful outrages except that
they are the most numerous and powerful of the
ancient races that nhabit the mountainous regions
of Syria, where the feeble sway of the Sultan is
scarcely felt or recognized For some cause that is
not clearly ascertaned, the Druses have for long
time entertained the most bitter hostility towards
Christians of all denominations and it is but too
clearly proven that their fanaticlsn and natural fe
rocity Of disposition have been used by the Turkish
authorities to bring about the determination of
Christianity in the Turkish Empire. All accounts
agree in stating that the turkish authorities have
openly aided and abetted these massacres. AT ST.
don, Dheir-el- Kamar and at Rushelya, the Turkish
commander had sufficient troops in readiness to de-
feat the Druses had he so wished and at Hasbeya,
when he saw that the Christians might gain the
day. he treacherousy induced them to give up their
arms and then assented to the appalling massacre
that ensued
This is specimen of the government of that En-
pre- which, several years ago, France and England
inerfered at an immense sacrifice of men and mon
ey, to save from humiliation. The wholesale slaugh-
ter of Christians in Asatic Turkey is bitterly in
structive moral to the Crimean war; One of the
settled objects of the to secure Syria to the
Sultan. We hope the parties to it satisfied with
the result.
The simple fact is the Turkish Empire is an I'M
mitgated nuisance, and ought to be suppressed. 1t
is as thoroughly barbarous and savage in its policy
and its instincts, as the most depraved band of
heathens in the remotest islands of the sea- 1t has
no business in the heart of Christian Europe; and
if Russia shall ever again undertake the needful
task of sweeping away the whole dynasty, and
bringing the territory it deiles under civilized
authority, we trust she will be aided by the West
ern Powers which have resisted her attempts hith-
erto. Indeed, we should be very glad to see them
| undertake the job on their own account-N =.
Times