The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-08-31

grave and terrible questions shall never be put
to these States.
PLAN FOR SETTLING THE EASTERN QrEs.
T1oS.-That troublesome and indefinite issue.
the Eastern question, promises to give busy oc
cupation to European dipIomatists for come
years to come. The difficulty in bringing it to
settlement is occasioned, however, less by in
herent obstacles than by the interest which the
leading European Powers have in continuing
the present unsatisfactory condition of things in
Turkey. They all feel, like the Emperor Nicho
las, that ii will be better to let that empire fall
to pieces than to reconstruct ii, for they may
then come in for a share of the fragments. If
they could only be prevailed on to make ga
crifce of their selfish views the Eastern ques.
ton would be susceptible Of an easy and def
mite solution.
The idea that has been recently started, Of
erecting Syria into an independent Pashalik,
and making Abd-el Kader its sovereign, pre-
homedan conquests we're consolidated into one
empire. with Constantinople as its seat Of 60
vernment, the sway of the Sultan extended from
the pillars Of Hercules to the Persian
gulf. and from the Caucasus to the Lybian
desert. The encroachments Of Russia the
revolt of Mehemet ALI the revolution in Greece
and the conquests of France in Algeria, have
contracted this once vast dominion within COM
paratively narrow limits. But even this the
decrepit government Of the Sultan is unable to
keep under subsection, and it is to its weakness
that we owe the atrocities that have recently
shocked the Christian world.
1t being admitted that the present political
system of Turkey is inadequate to the protec-
lion OF its Christian subjects, who form more
than half its population, and that owing to the
iealousies Of the three leading European
Powers there is no possibility of its being 30
reconstructed as to insure that object, what is
the plan that recommends itself as being likely
at once to effect it, and, at the same time, to
place out of the reach of France, Russia and
England the bone Of contention over which
they are ever ready to come to blows: OBJ
viously that Of so dividing up its provinces into
small but Independent States that the unruly
population Of each can be kept in perfect con-
troll by Its chief. The example Of Egypt will
suffice to demonstrate the feasibility of this
scheme. Its Pasha is equal to all the requirements
of his post. while bis responsibility to the Euro
pean governments Is full and complete, without
occasioning him any anxiety as to their de-
signs upon bis territory. Let the other pro-
vinces OF the empire be disposed of in the same
manner. Syria, which is Distinct from Turkey
in its language, its customs and its prejudices,
might be given to Abd-el Kader, whose abili-
ties as a ruler and friendly disposition towards
thu Christian population point him out as emil
nently fitted for its government The two
Armenian provinces could be combined under
the rule Of one Of their old princes, many fami-
lies Of which are still in existence. This would
leave Turkey, on the Asiatic side, the whole of
the peninsula, from Kill Irmak to Marash. or
Whereabouts, as well as the command of the
Black Sea. In Europe it would be good policy
to make the Balkans her artificial, as il is her
natural. boundary. which would still leave 70
her noble territory, comprising the Her
zogovina, Albania, Macedonia and Roumelia
with Constantinople as its capital. Bosnia
and servia might then be united under
one prince, as are Wallachia and Mol.
davia, whilst Bulgaria should have sepa-
rate government Of its own. BY this arrange
ment the misgoverned provinces of Turkey
would be placed under better, or at least more
stringent rule, and rendered separately respon-
sible to Europe for their treatment of their
Christian population. The sick man, thus re-
lieved from the cares with which be Is at pre-
sent unable to cope would be In a condition to
do full Justice to bis people, and Europe would
no longer be frc.ted by anxie.ies regarding
the fate of Constantinople and the disposition
Of On Inheritance which SO many coyet.