Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-08-08
Tne Terrible Civil War in Syria,

The Terrible Civil War in Syria.
A correspondent of the Boston Traveller,
writing from Beirut, Syria, gives an account
OF the civil war now raging near that vicin-
ity. He says:
Druses and Christians, numbering hun
dreds oftbousands, are now engaged in whole
sale murder, arson and pillape, in which
Iendish work they are aided by Turks, Mos
lens, Arabs and the people known as the
Mctawalies.
From my window last week | counted
from twenty to thirty burning villages upon
the mountain a few miles from Beirut, from
whence the flash of mlSk etry may be seen,
and the volleys heard one after another in
rapid succession, as they echo through the
valleys. The dying and the dead are brought
daily into the town III large numbers, and
the widows and the orphans NAV be seen in
great crowds, weeping and wailing aboutthe
streets.
The barbarity of this war is truly shock
ing; men, and women and children are
oVcrtaken while fleeing for refuge and with
out arms, and ruthlessly slaughtered while
praying for quarter.
Inc christians have thus far suffered ter
rloly. Their villages have been burned.
their crops destroyed, and great numbers
have been brutality murdered, while the Dru-
ses, who are better warriors and far more
courageous, are assistedby the T--rks, Mos
lens, and Metawalies, and up to this proved
successful
This bloody war, which is waged on both
sides as a war Of determination has its orig
IN IN religious and political causes. The
Christians and the Druses hate each other
with deadly hatred, on account of the DIFF
terenccs IN their,religious falkland the Chris
tlars hate the Druses with special hatred be-
causeth the Druses are, in a great many of the
mountain Christian districts, feudal chiefs
or rulers over the Christian and Maronite or
Greek Catholic villages. The more imme-
date causes Of the war may be traced to the
TACT that last summer at Bait Marri a Quarrel
arose, in which Maronite Christians were
victorious, having repulsed the Druses. kill
ing forty or more, while their own loss was
less than one-third that number. Although
peace was then declared, the Druses have
since assassinated every Christian who came
in their way.
This aroused the Christians, and SO exas-
perated them that they made an attack upon
several Druse villages. At first they were
successful, but the Druses rallied under their
warrior chiefs, and burned every Maronite
and Greek Christian village within their
reach. The provincial authorities pronounc-
ed the invading party-the Christians-to
DC rebels, and the Governor-G General pro-
ceeded with all his available force to the
mountains, and brought his cannon to bear
upon the Christians. The Christians are raj
lying for the forlorn hope; for they fear that
the DruSes, thus aided, will endeavor to ex-
terminate them. This, however, will not
be an easy matter, as the Maronite Greeks
ana Greek Catholics number about two hun
dred and fifty thousand.
The American missionaries in Mount Lcb-
anon have been greatly exposed, but as vet
have suffered only for the want Of provisions.
Upon the breaking out of the war, Mr..
Consul johnson sent guards for their protec-
ton, and III some cases, provisions. Some of
the families of the Mission have come down
to Beirut under an escort, furnished by the
Consul, and others are daily expected. No
personal danger to the Americans in Mount
Lebanon is apprehended, as they are well
known and well protected, but their works
stopped by the war, their houses become
asylums for the wounded and the fearful.
In fact, they are crowded out by the people
who seek their protection; for wherever the
American flag is seen waving on the house
top, the people flow in great numbers for
admission.
The humanity shown by the Americans in
Beirut, to the wounded, the homeless and the
starving refugees from the nominations, will
long be remembered by the natives of the
country.
The American Mission premises are crowd
ed day and by night by women and children.
crying for bread, which they receive, with
comfort and consolation from the American
missionaries.
The Bohemia with Tivornool dotes 70 Tho
18th ult, has arrived at Quebec, and the Aus
tralia with dates to the 21st. The number
OF christians massacred in Syria reached
1900 to 5000. The number of villages de-
stroyed was 15l. The details of the bar
barlties inflicted on all ages and sexes, are
sickening. The Sultan has addressed a
brief upon the massacres in Syria, announc-
cling his determination to employ all his pow
ers for establishing security there, and pun
ishing the guilty.