The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-07-19
The Terrible Cival War in Syria.

er. writing from Beirut. Syria, under date
of June 6, gives an account OF the civil
war now raging near that vicinity. He
says:
Druses and Christians, numbering hun
dreds of thousands; are now engaged in
wholesale murder, arson and pllage, in
which fendish work they are aided BY
Turks, Moslemens, Arabs and the people
known as the Metawslies.
From my window last week I counted
from twenty to thirty burning villages
upon the mountain, few miles from Bel
rut, from whence the fash of musketry
may easily be seen, and the volleys heard
one after another in rapid succession, as
they echo through the valleys. The dy.
ing and the dead are brought daily into
the town in large numbers, and the win
dows and the orphans may be seen in
great crowds weeping and wailing about
the streets.
The barbarity OF this war is truly
shocking. Men. women and children are
overtaken while fleeing for refuge and
without arms, and ruthlessly slaughtered
while praying for quarter.
The Christians have thus far suffered
most terribly. Their villages have been
burned, their crops destroyed, and great
numbers have been brutally murdered,
while the Druses, who are better warriors
and far more courageous. assisted by
the Turks, Moslems and Metawalies, and
up to this time have proved successful.
The bloody war which is waged on both
sides as war of determination, has its
origin in religious and political causes
The Christians and Druses hate each 9th
with deadly hatred on account Of the
difference in their religious faith-snd
the Christians hate the Druses with q
special hatred because Druses are in a
great many of the mountain Christian
districts feudal chiefs and rulers over the
Christian or Maronite and Greek Catho-
lie villages. The more immediate causes
of the war may be traced to the fact that
last summer at Bait Marri quarrel a.
rose, in which the Maronite Christians
we're victorious, having repulsed the Dru-
ses, killing forty or more, while their own
loss was less than one third of that num-
Der. Although peace was then declared,
the Druses have since assassinated every
Christian who came in their way.
This aroused the Christians, and so ex-
asperated them that they made an attack
upon several Druse villages. Atirst they
were successful, but the Druses rallied
under their warrior cbiefs, and burned
every Maronite and Greek Christian viii
lage within their reach. The provincial
authorities pronounced the invading par
| ty-tbe Christians-to be rebels, and the
Governor General proceeded with all his
available force to the mountains, and
brought his cannon to bear npou the
Christians. The Christians are rallying
for the forlorn hope; for they fear that
the Druses. thus aided, will endeavor to
exterminate them. This, however, will
not be an easy matter, as the Maronite
Greeks and Greek Catholics number a
bout two hundred and fifty thousand.
The American issonaries in Mount
Lebanon have been greatly exposed, but
as yet have suffered only for the want of
provisions.
Upon the breaking out Of the war Mr.
Consul johnson sent guards for their pro-
tectoin, and in some cases provisions
Some of the families of the Mission have
come down to Beirut under an escort fur
rished by the Consul, and others are dai-
ly expected No personal danger to the
Americans in Mount Lebanon is appre'
hended, as they are well known and well
protected. But their work is stopped by
the war, their houses become asylums for
the wounded and the fearful; in feet they
are crowded out By the people who seel
their protection; for, wherever the Amer
lean flag is seen waving on the housetop
the people flock in great numbers for sd
mission.
The humanity shown by the American:
In Beirut to the wounded, the homeless:
aud the starving refugees from the moan
tains, will long be remembered BY the ma
tives of the country.
| The American Mission premises are
crowded day aud night by women and
children crying for bread, which they re-
ceive with comfort and consolation from
the American missionaries.
One of the largest of the towns, Delre
Kenir, is now in State Of siege, an'
great suffering is produced by the wan
Of provisions. Deirel Kenir is q Turkisl
/ town, and is garrisoned by Turkish troop
unlike the other Christian towns. Ii
thus attacking Turkish town the Druse
become rebels, but the Governor genera
allowed the Druses to burn large por
tien of the place before be iDterfered.
1t has been estimated at the BritisI
consulate that about sixty villages bav
been burned. 1t is believed that the Eu
ropean powers will now interfere in be
half of the Christians of Syria and reliev
them from the Turkish yoke.
This morning We learn of large nu ~
: Der of peasantry having been induced {
return to their villages, where they Wer
all killed in cold blood-and OF the mnr
der of Eve eceesiastics OF the Lati
-I.l Il. rora shot down near tn