The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-08-13

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sotrs 10 the watering places cas- hnce the DAILY
DISPATCH aaatied TO tAew for enp length :"
ss.ys by lsaetms their oTdses the eosnfsng reo'
and pagtns IN adraaee fee the fsnie nanaed,
TAe Maronites.
Having enaeavored, on a former OCCASION, 10
give those OF cur readers who had not oeSoteo
their time 20 the study of such SUBJECTS some
idea OF the Druses, 1t is bat proper tnat we
should do the same part by their neighhors and
eneu les, the Maronites'
The Roman Emperor HRRAcLIUs, after hav-
ing rendered himself extremely popular by
six successful cam{NiSus against the enemies
of the Empire, Loaf 1, In great measure by
involving himseif and his subjects in whs is
called the Monotheli,e controversy. (Ths term
Monothelise rs derived from two Greek words,
which together signify "a single WILLY He
began by enquiring of his Bishops ~heiher
our Saviour, being one person. but Of two ma
t1Tes, was actuated by a single, or oo"oie
Wilt The answer. shaped probably 10 SUIT
the views of The monarch, was, that his will
was single. Attempting TO interpoiate this
doctrine upon tsrvCatholc creed, he met with
n violent resis lance, and the controversy thus
commenced IA d. $50 lasted through several
reicns and ended in the com plete discontinue
OF the Monothelites, or persons who main
tanned the on Ress of the will of our Saviour
happened that in the sixth century there
had been IN Syria hernit named MARION.
reputed mailman by some saint by others
bat nevertheless Of reputation sufficient TO
collect around him six hundred followers,
who, like himself, became hermits, and estab-
tlshed their cells on the banks of the Oroa ties.
This frsternity was distinguished by the
name of Maronifss, from their founders name,
NsaoS. HRRAoLIus became their proselyte,
ana threw this apple of discord into the
Church. probably 81 their instigation. The
doctrines OF this school We're propagated with
great zeal among the Il reeks and Sy rians but
when The days OF persecution came, the in
haottaats of the plain gave way, while those
81 the mountain tI.ebanop,) offered the most
stubborn resistance TO the power of the En-
perors. Another MARION. whose name was
JOHN, the most learned and popular among
the monks, assumed the title OF Patriarch OF
Antioch, which the real spiritual head of
me MaroH!Iss retains 10 this day, not
withstandlng the nominal supremacy of the
Pspe. Pursued by the vengeance of the
RJmau Emperor ANAsTAsIUs IL, these peo-
pc, amoxg their native mountains. resisted,
with the most determined bravery, pow
erful army sent to destroy them; but
they were scattered, and hunted like deer
from mountain 10 mountain until they
were almost exterminated. From their doc
Urine, derived from the Maronite monks,
&he nation was called Maronites. When the
pressure was removed they recovered, and
now. four hundred and sixty years after the
fall of Ccnstantinople, they are still distinct
people, defending their rights boldly, at all
times, against the Mahometans, whether those
-T~h,r
rure, paying no tribute 10 the Porte, and until
this last outbreak, always brewing themselves
fully match FOR their enemies, the Druses
with whom they have been at feud- ever since
their existence. Their government is strictly
military, every man being a soldier ana they
sUbsist by ealtivating the cereal crops and the
vine among their mountains Their manners
are simple, and they pride themselves upon
-heir hospitality TO strangers. They esteem
revenge for murder a virtue, like all imper-
fecLy civilized people.
The Maronites submitted to the Pope, as
long ago as the 18th century. Yet they can
hardly be called Roman Catholics, in the
strictest sense of that term. Indeed, until the
year 1886, when CLEMENT XII induced them
10 accept the DEGREES of the Council of Trent
at Synod held i'll their own convent of Mar
hanna, hey took the Sacrament after the fash
ion Of both the Greek and Roman church and
even 10 this day, the priests are allowed to
marry, the church service is celebrated in
Arabic, and Mass is read in the ancient Syriac
instead of Latin. Nevertheless, their patri.
arch, who styles himself of Antioch, although
lie resides at The Monastery of kanobin upon
Mount Lebanon, gives an account every ten
years to the Pope, of the condition of the Ma
Ionite church. There are in all kesruan
<such is the name of their country about
Two hundred Maronite converts and hume.
Ties> the inmates OF which devote themselves
10 gardening and agriculture, aud profess TO
b OF the order of St. ANTONY. There has been
Maronite college al Rome for three hundred
years, for the education of priests Still, large
NUM- hers of the MaroniIes retain their ancient
liturgy.
The promptuess with which NAPOLEON III
has esroused the cause of the Maronites has
in it historical significance that does not
seem to be generally understood. When Louis
IL. entered upon the last rash crusade in
which he lost his life, the Maronites sent
y, 900 men, laden with provision. LOUIS, in
return, sent the chief letter in which he ex-
pressed his profound gratitude, spoke of the
nation as a part of the French people, and
promised for himself and for those who might
succeed MIN, 10 render the MarOnites always
the same protection he would give to the
French. The Maronite Chiefs still exhibit this
letter, and II keeps alive their hope in the
ruler CT France as the Defender of the
Faith,' so far as they are concerned. Two
HUNDRED years ago, Louis XIV. or rather
II AZARIN for him, acknowledged himself
bound by it, and gave protection under
his own hand to the patriarch of Antioch
The same obligation was afterwards ac-
knowiedged by LOUIS XIV, and when Gen
eral BoNAPARTE was before Acre, in 1898,
he recognized the fact that "the Ma
TOnites have been French since time imme-
mortal" To crown all, the Turks themselves,
Ia their dealings with the Maronites, always
speak OF them as the " Franco Maronite" ma.
ton, and the French consul, whenever the
Mass is read in his presence, draws his sword
as the sign OF the protection his nation is bound
10 afford 10 the Maronites. Verify, NAPOLEON
III. has an excellent pretext for taking pos
session OF the country around Mount Leb.
anon.
Abd.el.kader.
In nothing have the unfailing tact and good
sense Of LOUIS NAPOLEON been more conspic-
uous than in his treatment of this Arab chief
who ha. been justly styled the Saadu of the
nod do o.