Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-08-15
The Massacre in Sicily.

Tile city Of Damascus-is great Aulig,ih
tie laa Massacre Of Christians Hrc-,oho
are Ute DuSe2?
The news from Syria continues to be of
the most appalling character The late
advices report that from 1000 to S,OOO
Christians have been slam and l5vilages
laid waste with fire an sword The mas
sacre al Damascus-where five hundred
Christians, including the Dutch consul
were massaCred, and the American consul
wOunded-gives renewed interest 20 tie
history ofthat ancient city. The Phjladol,
phia Bulletia supplies some particulars,
which we subjoin
Damascus vas an important place at
least as early as the time of Abraham, so
that it is not less than four thousa ld
years old. Etym)logists dispute about
the meaning of the name. 1t was the
ancient capital of Syria, and was thus the
quintessence of the quiclwitted race it
represented. 1t is called by somo the
most ancient city in the world. THIS is.
no doubt, eastern eXaggeration, but the
fact that everything SAID by the oriental
lists about the famous capital is oXaggera.
ted, only shows how strongly its real at,
fractions had taken effect upon their yiy,
id imagination. A celebrated epistlc OF
an ancient writer calls it the great and
sacred city Of Dana Gus, surprising every
city both in the beauty Of its temples and
the magnitude Of its shrines, as well as
the timeliness oil its seasons, the limpId-
ness OF its fountains, the volume Of its wa
ters, and the richness of its soil" Its
people call it "a pearl surrounded by en-,
craIds." "Of all the cities of the East, it
is perhaps the most oriental"
The descriptions of Buckingham are
not considered entirely reliable. But
there has seldom anything been written
with human pen more beautiful than his
picture Of the plain of Damascus He
compares it to an English seat in the
country, surrounded by an immense park.
The visitor inquiries for the family and
finds that they have been for a year in
Italy, Meanwhilethe place has been most
delightfully."- unkept. its rich cultivation
is everywhere partially grown up; the
trees untrimmed and dipping their branch
es in their sparkling riyulets; the roses
grown almost into trees and covered with
blossoms. Everywhere is
seen rich yerdure, luXuriant growth, with
but such touch OF wildness as to give
the finishing grace to the landscape
Such, he says, is Damascus in the bloom
of the year.
Damascus was conquered by David, who
made 1t tributary. After being held by
Solomon itreyolted, and afterwards was
at the head of thirty kings. 1t
was subsequently taken by Assyrla and
Persia. After the battle of Issus, 1t fell
into the hands of Alexander the Great.
and Pompey annexed it to the Roman
Empire. After being celebrated for its
wealth and spleuder under the Great En-.
perors, it was conquered by the Saracens,
and became fer time the capital of the
world The sceptre of Is,
lam passed over to Bagdad, but Damas>
Gus Is still famous in the history Of Sa-
ladin.
1t was besieged by the Crusaders in the
twelfth century, but they failed to take
It. Later still, it was captured, with cir
of great bal barity, by Tanner
ane, and finally fell into the hands of the
Turks under Selim |. 1t possesses, too, .
a high moral interest, for on that beauti-
Iul plain il was that St. Paul became
10 the heavenly vision"
Among the points of interest connected
with this famous city are the Damascus /
blades, so malleable that they might be |
BENT 10 right angle without losing their .
so keen that they could sever