Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-01
THE SLAUGHTER IN SYRIA,

LIE IN
The whole civilized world will be glad to learn
that France and England deeming the claims of
humanity stronger than the obligations of tradi-
tonal policy have resolved to interfere for the pro-
lection of the Christian Subjects of the Ottoman
Empire. Ii is to be hoped that this interference
will be no more pretence and that the atrocities so
recently committed in Asiatic Turkey will not only
be checked, but that some substantial guarantee
against future outbreaks will he secured II is
suggestive fact that the Anglo French feet now in
the harbor of Beyrout has been dispatched there to
override that same weak and despcable authority,
which the Western Powers few short years ago so
carefully endeavored to prop up Their present at
titude tells in language not to be mistaken, that
even they arc convinced how foolish and how use
less were their efforts to sustain decayed and
broken-down despotism. The Emperor Nicholas
spoke truth when he described Turkey as % the Sick
Man." France and England may have prolonged
his life by brief span but his dissolution they
could not avert The folly of supposing that the
supremacy of Abdul Medjd was worth fighting
for is made practically clear to every locker on
and the presence Of foreign feet for the protection
Of the Portes subjects in the roads of Beyrout
is Almost an admission that the Crimean war was
huge mistake.
Every one has read of the wholesale massacres
that have recently taken place in Syria-the most
important portion of the Turkish-Asiatic Empire.
The slaughter has been on such frightfu scale
to exceed belief Whole towns and villages have
been destroyed. Neither sex nor age has been
spared and French English, Russian and American
citizens, with many thousand Christian subjects of
the Porte have fallen victims to the sectaran erocity
of the savage races of the Lebanon. The last ad-
vices from Beyrout report the fall of Zaheh large
town Of ten thousand Christian inhabitants. 1t had
been CALAMITY and desperately defended for a week
but the fear Of DEATH and of fate than death
for their wives and daughters could not enable the
besieged to contend forever against enormous odds.
The same steamer that brings intelligence of the
fall of Zahleh, brings also particulars of massacre
at Hasheiya village at the foot of Mount Hernon,
which, month ago. contained ), 900 Christian souls,
and now has not one Only thrty-three men
escaped to spread abroad the tale of this fearful
destruction. So, in like manner, fell Rasheiya an
other village at the foot of Mount Hermon contain
ing population of some 9 900 Christians. Of these
about one-third succeeded in making their Escape to
the coast Thus, the work of determination, begun
at Sidon, has been carried on with jealous pcrtnac
ious and unchecked ferocity at Dheir-ef: Kaniar,
Hasbeiya Rasheiya and Zahleh the whole of the
Christian population from Aleppo to GAIA is in wild
alarm; Damascus itself is threatened, and even
Beyrout is only safe under the protection of large
foreign fleet
Very little seems to be known of the Druses, the
perpetrators of these dreadful outrages except that
they the most numerous and powerful of the
ancient races that inhabt the mountainous regions
of Syria, where the feeble sway of the Sultan is
scarcely felt or recognized. For some cause that is
not clearly ascertained the Druses have for long
time entertained the most bitter hostility towards
Christians of all denominations; and it is but too
clearly proven that their fanatclsm and natural fe-
rocty of disposition have been used by the Turkish
authorities to bring about the determination of
Christianity in the Turkish Empire. All accounts
agree in stating that the turkish authorities have
openly aided and abetted these massacres. At ST.
don, Dhelr- -Kamar and at Rushelya the Turkish
commander had sufficient troops in readiness to de-
feat the Druses had he so wished and at Hasbeya,
when he that the Christians might gain the
day. he treacherously induced them to give up their
arms, and then assented to the appalling massacre
that ensued.
This is specimen of the government of that En-
pre- which, several years ago, France and England
interiered, at immense sacrifice of men and mon
ey, to save from humiliation The wholesale saugh-
ter Of Christians in ASiatic Turkey is bitterly in
structve moral to the Crimean war. One of the
settled objects Of the to Syria to the
Sultan. We hope the parties to it satisfied with
the result.
The simple fact is, the Turkish Empire is an I'M
mtigated nuisance, and ought TO be suppressed 1t
is thoroughly barbarous and savage in its policy
and its instincts the most depraved band of
heathens in the remoteSt islands of the sea- 1t has
no business in the heart of Christian Europe; and
if Russia shall ever again undertake the needful
task Of sweeping away the whole dynasty, and
bringing the territory it deles under more civilized
authority we trust she will be aided by the West
ern Powers which have resisted her attempts hith-
erto. Indeed, we should be very glad to see them
undertake the job on their own account-N Y
Times