New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-15
49, -
THE SfHfss-' !" -sSACRES.

]
ksi Of q many Thousand Christians who have suffered
kop ,hg late war ON Mount Lebanon.
Though the circular perhaps, sufficiently explains
f.e VET some additional facts and statements will nor
be deemed inappropriate.
The var thus far has been confined chiefly te the !
Southern portion of Mount Lebanon lying to the east
sof Beyrout and embracing territory OF some forty |
aiei squsre. Lebanon rs not as some suPpose
single isolated mountain, but an immense chain of
mountains extending for hundred miles, parallel TO
se ses coast commencing few miles east of Tripol
and terminating little southeast Of Sidon. Two
thirds Of the entire range, that 49, the northern and
middle sections, are peoped almost exclusively by
hieo,ed sect of Pspa Christians called Maronites.
The soutsern section of Lebanon contains mixed
population of Dresses, Maronites, Greek Christians,
and Greek Catholics The former, though embracing
only about onehrd Of the number Of the Inhabitants,
have for ages pact been the feudal lords OF the SOIL
but, In later years, the power OF the Druses mas
greatly diminished, not only by reason OF frequent
quarres among themselves but also by reason OF the
interference of European Consuls and other foreign
officials in behalf of the Christians As the Chris 1anS
became prosperous and 20 wefu they became insoent
andoverbearog toward the Drases their landlords and
hereditary rulers Jealousy and strife were engendersd
on hntb s5des and in 1871 a war broke out between
them which resulted III the complete snccess OF the
Druses ,nany Maronite villages being plundered and
bnned, and the inhabitants either killed or compelled
10 Zee to the plain.
The d. adv b ca n has never been healed, and from
that time 70 this snolderng fires OF rancor auo na
have been burning III the hearts OF the opposing rae
For the cast twelve months murders have been me
among Them IL not unfrequently happened that hal-
.,dozen armed Druses, falling suddenly upon parry
nj unsuspsctng MarOntes, would ROD ana 10 arneI
them. and the Maronites IN their turn were sure 10
ize the first opportunity TO retalate and Obtain tnelr
revenge. -,,I.. co,
u,ent did poshisg or nothing TO bring the la ~
Irss offenders 10 justice. Accordingly, the STATE OF
affair grew aud worse AID finally on the 2Ith
of Nav last the Druses sounded their warcry, ana The
conf 4 com nenced IN earnest BAa0da and III hadeth,
two large Marone villages, only an ho1r distant from
BeyIouL were attacked piundered, and burned Scores
OF smaller Christian villages aud conyeuts, on the
mountains TO the of Beyrout aud Sldon suffered
the sane fate The Christians, seized With panc, TOOK
refuge ia cities and towns on the sea coast "A
prat multitude of men, women, and children ned TO-
ward Sidon; out, reaching that city, the Moslens
out UPON them, aud tue Christians being Tor ne
most part ds8rmed and attacked IN front and rear Tell
easy victims the fury OF their foes Six hundred at
least of these unhappy fugltives were massacred.
Women wire outraged, children were slaughtered, and
many priests la class particularly odlous BON 70 Drus
And Mosle mtl we're metcilesss cut down. Seventeen
priests and monks were found lying dead IN one place.
The anger WAS imminent that the Moslems would
rise IN the city itself and massacre the Christian portion
of the population Two American Missionaries resld-
ing there requested OF the Governor guard Ios the
protection OF their houses bat were refused WORD
having been sent 10 Beyrout, English war steamer
WIS dispatched to SdOn and having exacted from the
AUTHORITIES promise to keep the peace good degree
OF quiet was restored A few days aferward, how
ever, matters became worse, and French vesseot-
war and also an English war steamer, appeared be-
fore The place. The Mosem Governor having dec AIRED
his inability TO protect the town against the mob, the
French landed detachment OF artillery on a small
island the harbor and the Moslems having becOmen-
tndaed by these and other warke demonstrations re-
framed from carrying out their fell purpose upon the
Christians and OF day the foreign soldiers and
yetsels-ofwar returned TO BeyrOut. The Christians
of Tyre also delivered from the horrors OF Mos
lem insuueeton and fanaticism by the timely inter-
ference of a small English vessel-ot-war.
AT Hasbeya, however a large interior town twenty
thirty miles east of Tyre the loss Of property and
life was grest-the destruction OF life being caused
manly by the tTeachery Of the Turkish authorities
The Druses appeared there about the first OF June; for
time the inhsbtants defended themselves brayely,
ano finally the Turkish Governor (kaimmekam1 prom
ised that if they would 10 his palace, and sarren-
der up their arms him, he would protect them and
dsperse the Druses. The Christians at once laid down
their arms and focked to the palace. The Governor
merely fred two blank cartridges over the heads
of the attacking party and then left them 10 accom-
pish their work of destruction. They first burned the
large Protestant Chapel, built few years ago under
the direction of the American Missionaries, aud the
dwellings Of the inhabitants soon followed. The Chris
tians in their hasty fight to the Governors house,
took no provisions with them, and as the Governor
refused TO feed them and they dared not venture out
10 procure anything for the nselves, terrible famine
ensued. Finally the Druses by the connivaace OF the
authorities effected entrance 10 the SeTasa or pat
ace and the slaughter that followed was terfltc. A
few n EN- escaped BY throwing themselves from the
windows and some Of them found their way TO Tyre,
and thence to Beyrout their clothes saturated with the
blood of their wives and children, and AL averrlng
that tie Turkish soldiers, under the Governors COM
mand participated in the butchery! Inc people OF
Hasbeiya, Rasheiya, ana other nelghbOrmg villages,
were OF the Greek Church, excepting small comuu-
nty of Professionals. Neither the Greeks nor che ProI-
esants had had any quarrel with the Druses Dut IL
would seem that the latter had determined upon an
determination OF all Christians, without regard TO
creed OF sect The number of Christians masstered al
Hasbeiya is said to be not far from eight hundred
The stronghold of the Christians of Mt. Lebanon
was at Zahle, town OF elk eight thousand nhaD-
itants and situated about halfway between Beyrout
and Damascus. The people were well supplied with
arms and ammunition, an1 made every effort IN tneIr
power resist the attack; bus the Drdses gathered
upon them from all quarters and elng aided by bands
of kOords and Arabs from the great PLAIN east OF the
River Jordan invested the place, and after siege OF
hve DAYS fell into their hands The people He'd with
their wives and children TO the mountain businesses Oi
the great district called the Kesrowan. Their beauli-
fui Town was razed the ground their houses were
pluudeIed the churches psged aud the pictures ana
images of the SAINTS and the Virgin Mary, upon wnom
the people depended for deliyerauce were carried of
by the conquerors as trophies Of their victory.
IL remains for me TO mention the tragedy of DER FL
Komr the most bloody perhaps, that has occurred In
che bsory of this Empire since the fearful massacre at
Sco In lS and all the result OF the basest reachery
on the part Of the Turkish authorities. Der ii komr
iy-or rather caS, for it exists no lOnger-a well built
town Of some six or seven Thousand INHABITANTS; on |
MI. Lebanon, two miles southeast OF Beyrout The
people defended themselves successfully against the
Druses when first attacked; but few lives were lost,
and few houses burned y truce having been agreed
upon the main body Of the Druses took up their |
march foy Fable. Returning victorious from the siege,
o. IT'D I,evr