New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-18
APPEAL IN BEHALF OF THE SYRIAN
SUFFERERS.

instant the undersigned were appointed Committee
to devise measures whereby the sympathy of our
American people in behalf of the sufferers in Syria
may find practicable and effective expression. In the
discharge of this duty they beg leave to submit to the
Christian and benevolent public the following appeal
in behalf of IS 900 people, most of whom are women
and children ard many of them widows and orphans
reduced to the greatest misery by dreadful war that
partskes of both civil and religious nature. This
war has been raging for more than six weeks on the
sides of Lebanon and Anti Lebanon aud in the valleys
betwt Them in the middle part of the Turkish prov
ince of Syrda and serious fears entertained that 1t
may soon extend far north as Aleppo, and south
ward to Joppa and Jerusalem.
The Committee do not deem it necessary to speak of
the Of this war; further than to saw that 1t Is the
result Of intense long cherished, and iconcealed
feeling of hatred that has subsisted between the Mos
lems including the Druses and other tribes that sym
pahiZe with MOhammedanism onThe one hand and the
Christian population consisting of Msrones and mem
bers of the Greek and Syrian Communions on the
other In this bloody war, the Druses and Moslems
have everywhere been triumphant and seem to be
determine d TO make it one of determination On the
western slope of Mount Lebanon the important town
Of Beir Fl Kamer and many hourshing villages as
far South as SldOn, have been destroyed and many
lives have been lost In the central portion of the
country, whose vallies 80 beautiful and fertile,
Rasbeiya, Hasbeiya with its Protestant church and
sci oos, Zahlsn and a vast number Of villages have
utterly perished and many thousands of the inhabitants
have been massacred Even Beyrout, the most impor-
tant seaport the Syrian coast in imminent danger
while Damascus the largest city tn that country, has
been visited with all the horrors of war, and 25 600
Christians have been driven from the ruined haba lions,
and 900 of them have been slaughtered the most of
them in cold blood
Down till the latest dates, the Turkish troops though
sufficiently numerous to put end to these of
blood, have in no case that we have heard of made
any earnest interference TO the wretched vicms
but have on the contrary, often killed with their
bayone and swords, without regard to age sex,
them
tioD.
The enormites perpetratedi in this horrible equal
if they do not surpas any that were enacted in the late
Sepoy rebellion in India. 1t seems TO be the settled pur
pose of the Duses and Mosems 10 destroy all the male
Christian population above ten years of age; while the
and children, if spared too often saved for
treatment cruel than death itself More than
hundred and fifty towns and villages have been utterly
destroyed In this ruthless war, not only the houses
but the mulberry forests and the vines of the miserable
inhabitants who, two months ago, were living In COM
Portable and many of them aluent circumstances, have
been destroyed-as if these demons in human shape
were resolved that quality ingredient of misery
should be wanting wherever this des0atng wave may
roll "Tens of thousands Of people have been ruined
their houses burned TO the ground their crops de-
"strOyed, their focks and beasts Of burden stolen
"ther fathers, sons brothers, husbands friends, mas
" sacred in cold blood, we quote the language o
one of our countrymen the Rev. Mr.. Jessup), who
was an eye-,citness-" and they turned out pen
"niless homeless, and almost literally destitute of
"cothiDg live upon the charities of Others die
of exposure and starvation. Thousands have fled TO
Beyrou and other thousands scattered through the
Gland The poor Notwithstanding converts through
the labors of the American missonarelsl, marontes,
a end Greeks ake-are driven about and slaughtered
like sheep and if they escape with their lives, In
sbiect poverty with not crust to eat and hardly
"rag on their backs" And if such be their state now
when the mild weather of permits these poor
creatures to live the open air. what will 1t be three
months hence when the cold of winter has get in AS
TO these people finding work, in order to snstan them
selves NJ. Jessup rightly remarks: " There is no
" work to be done; sl business is at dead stand"
There no safety in the country and all agricultural
labor has ceased Our American missionaries at Beirut
and at two three other stations where they have
been permitted TO remain, will soon have exhausted
their in aid of the thousands of these
poor creatures who have fed to them.
But what need ia there of words 2 There more
than IS 900 wretched people. many Of them widows
and orphsps homeless sheeress in want Of food, of
rsiment and many without hope. They need 0nr
help Shall We not send them aid, aud that speedily!
They bear the raue of Christ that name which IS 70
precious 10 many in this land And If this plea Is not
enough we may add, that however degraded and uu-
worthy, they are human beings as well as we! Tns
greater part of those who may have been, IN some To-
specfs TIE guilty canes OF the prfeent war nave prom
aby persisted in it, it is the more innocent who now
suffer. ..e
the puatest moment that something should be done
az speedily IS possible. They will remit to SJra,
IA fas, IS they rec i've, whaiever Sims nav be
sent To them or TO WIN. A. 9th, No 70 Front street.
New York who hes agreed 70 act IA Treasurer. IL is
opposed to make the American Consul AT Beyrout tue
Rev. DIR. Thompson, and other American MISSIONARIES
IN that CITY and those who afsocated with them In
this good work and who have recently made an earnest
appeal 20 American Christians, our almoners. NO
men In SYRIA we are persu4 AIDED do this work bet
fer There are nearly twenty OF these excellent meu,
and they are f4milpr by residence OF several years.
with the people, aud will undoubtedly distribute tne
aid which may be sent them with more discrimination
and economy than any other men could do. Whether
clotbinp and food shall be sent as well as money,
will he d. cded by the Committee when they have the
requisite information.
We make this appeal in the confidence that Chris
tian aud benevolent people who did not torn oeai ear
the cry of distress which 10 them from Greece
from the Cape de Verd sland7 and from Ireland, VIII
moi be wanting in this day OF need for the poor aud
the wretched in the land where Christianity began us
heaven.born mission, and which was trodden by the
feet of the blessed Savior Of men and LIS immediate
Apostles. ii. J.. o,,o ,,orso,oI
ornlications thew have 10 request earnestly but re-
suectfully all whose hearts incline them 10 give nny
fum whether small or great TO remit u ny mai v.
otherwise as soon they can, to the treasurer "a
full statement will be published from time 10 te III
the papers of all donations. We would AFRO IehPeYV
fny reoDest the pastors Of the Churches In this cy
and throughout our country, wherever IL is Pracuea
bic 10 bring this subject before their respective con-
gregatioDs al early day as poSs'Ofe, and take
collection in behalf of it, .,u ~, ,n,sr
PELATIAH PERT, LUIhEh bhhna9h,
FRANCIS HALL VIM. NJ. EvARTs,
GEORGE w BETHUNE, RICHARD 8 sT0RRs
FISHER HOWE, STEWART E BKOwWN;p
JANIS W I b BR2MEsSSs GERARD hAItock,
RosE SwIhLAMs hEsAG E9sd RErhE'
XRcHiBALD RUssELL GARDINER sPRINd,
JOHN COTTON SMITH, DANIEL LORD ,,,rsSrou
HIRAM KETcHUM, FREDERICK 5. WINSTON,
WILLIAM A. BOOTH.
HeO YOyk, Aug II, 1850