Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-08-09

Massacre of Christians in SYRIA.

Chrlstlans IN SYRIA, and the European pow
ers have at last been awakened to sense
of their duty by the utter inoapaeity of the
Turkish government to protect the inhabi-
tants of Lebanon and. other portions of
Syria France it is said is preparing a
formidable expedition to chastise the bar
bareus hordes, while England and Russia
are talking Of doing the same.
Details to the lst of July say it was
then ascertained that the Druses had burnt
and pillaged 151 villages since the 29th
of May, while from 800 to 5000 Chris
tians, inhabitants of Lebanon, many of
whom were wealthy men, and all strangers
to anything like poverty, are homeless beg
gars, depending on charity for daily bread.
Over and above the number of Christians
shot in actual warfare, it is believed seven
or eight thousand have been butchered in
sold blood. The massacres at Damascus
were not known at this date. The most
sickening details are given of the barbara
| ty inflicted on all ages and sexes.
Correspondence Of the London Ne,os
BEYRouT, July l, 1860.
Until last evening = had hopes that this
mail would take home more cheering news
respecting this unhappy province Unfor-
tunately our prospects get darker every
day, for each hour brings news Of either
fresh atrocities committed by the Druses,
or more decided proof that the acts of the
latter are connived at by the Turkish gov
ernment 1t is now ascertained, and a
,aminal list has been made, that up to last
nigLt the Druses had burnt and pillaged
NJ less than 15l Christian villages since
the 29th of May last, while no less than
from 1900 to 5000 Christian inhabi-
tants of Leba uon-many Of whom were
month AGO wealthy men, others in quite
easy circumsts onces, and all strangers to any
thing like poyt t'rty or Want-are homeless
begears, dependnog on actual charity for
their daily bread. Over and above the
number Of Christians shot in actual war
fare, between seven AMI eight thousand
have been butohered-ha cked to death
would be the 'b2tter term--as no butcher
ever used in hie calling halt the cruelty
Of these bloodthirsty miscreants--in cold
blood.
And besides this, more than 5000 wild
ows, who, until this Dru5e campaign, were
happy wives and mothers, have lost their
husbands, brothers, fathers, and all male
relatives, even to the male infants at the |
breast; and sixteen hundred children are
very carefully compared with others, and |
weighed in the balance of English (locaD |
opinion, before being given as facts. And
a tier conversing, comparing and digesting
all | hear, after bringing my own four
wears experience in Syria to bear upon the
subject. [ am bound to say that have con-
siderabiy understated the case. Moreover,
fftv millions .erling would not pay for the
towns. villages. han2lets and silk factories
DESTROYED throughout the mountain, all the
property of the Christians. There is, be-
sides, fearfully long list OF converts,
churches and nunneries belonging to the
same people, all of which have been plum
dered and then destroyed by the Druses'
In short what commenced as civil war
between the two sects can no longer be
called by that name.
For the last twenty days it has been |
nothing less than wholesale massacre OF
Christians, and wanton destruction of all
property belonging to them. To give you
some idea of what these Druses are, | will
enumerate few instances of their fright
full barbarity, all of which have heard
from the unfortunate sufferers themselves,
now refugees from Lebanon One poor
woman-L knew both her husband and her.
self we'll at Deir-el Kamar, where they
were wealthy people-told me that when
the Druses attacked the town the second
time, q should mention that it had sur
rendered, and all the inhabitants had CIV
en- up their arms to the Druses some twen-
ty-four days previous, and had been prom
ised protection by their sheiks) her hus-
band was hacked to pieces before her eyes
By the large knives of the Druses, who
then declared that they must kill all male
children in the house.
The mother tried to hide her two sons,
one Is, the other 8 years old. The Dru-
ses, however, found them out, and she beg
ged and prayed for their lives, and endeav
ored to cover them in corner with her
person, but they hacked at the lads over
her shoulder and gashed them until they
both fell down apparently lifeless. The
Druses then made off, and the woman,
thinking her sons dead, remained in a sort
of stupor for two hours, as near as she can
calculate. At last she was aroused by
hearing the eldest lad call her in faint
voice, trying to assure her that he was not
vet dead. She felt the body of the young
est boy, and found his heart beating. She
got some water, and after giving it to both
her ehildren-so far as she could get them