The semi-weekly mountain Democrat., 1860-09-19
who are enc Druaeai

EIVm tue tOUe VI tno puOuC JOuTUHIS III
England and the debates in Parliament, AZ
well as from the preparations for interven-
ton in. Turkey which are being made by
France, Great Britain, Russia and the
other Christian Powers, it is highly prob
able that the land Of Islam will soon be-
come the scene Of new crusade. The
massacre by the Druses Of the Mnronite
Christians is the cause OF this new move
ment against "the sick man." But it will
be found on inquiry that the Druses arc
as much tinned against as SHINING, and
that they were not the aggressors in this
war Of Grcligion. Twenty years ago, in the
struggle between Mehenet Ali and the
Sultan, the Maronites espOnsed the side
of the Turkish Emperor. The MaronitcS
were ordered to levy troops from among
the DruSes. But the latter refused, and
the Marontes then waged war against
them, which then, for the first time in
their history, became religious war. II
has been renewed at intervals since, aid
the cnmity then created has never died
away. Bcyrout, whose Christian inhabi-
tantS are now 50 full with tcrrorS, was It's
troyed in lS40 by the Anglo o-Austrian
fleet because Meheinet Ali, who thtn
Swayed that country, would accedc to tho
propositions of the Sultan and the four
| allied Powers. All ChiiStcndOm seems now
to be thirStng for the blood Of the Dru-
Scs and the Turks, to whom they ARE trib-
utary, and would unchartably send them
all to the bottomless pit, with their sins
and their errors on their heads.
1t is a curious fact in the history OF the
thuN t,,..,
waKrncd the Sympathcs Of all Christen-
dom as warmly as they now excite its in
dignatiOn and wrath At that time tho
intelligence reached Western Europe that
a bold and gallant race in the mountains
ofSyria was maintaining desperate strug-
glU against the overwhelming forces Of
the Ottoman Empire. 1t was known that
they did not belong 10 the followers Of
'Molnnlmed, whence it was enormously
concluded that they must be Christians.
The origin Of the name Druses became .
subject Of Investigation, and afforded am
pie scope for conjecture. At length an
ingenious etymo'o sist suggested that they
had dccrudcd from the followers Of the
CSunt " Nrcux, who was supposed to
have settled in Palestine during the first
these sturdy mountanecrs, takiHg adrant-
age of this delusion, lSbcred hard to prop
agate it, in the hope Of gaining assistance
from Europe. He visited Italy, and rep
resented himselfas allied by descent to tho
powerful house of Lorraine. The Nor
man origin of the DruseS was instantly
received throughout Europe as an est0b-
lished fact 1t is even introduced into the
graphic description Of this interesting
people given in Bishop Hebers poem of
Palestine - ----'---.'-.-1--.- '---'------..-
Fierce, hardy, proud, In conscious freedom bold,
Those stormy seats the warrior Drusscs hold;
From Norman blood their lofty lines they trace,
| Their lion courage proves their generous race.
| They, only they, while all around them kneel
In sullcn homage to the Thracian STEEL
Teach their pale dcspot's waning moon to fear
The patriot terrors Of the mountain spear.
1t was soon proved that the theory of
their Norman origin was fable, and that
they were remnant of the widespread
Ismaelians. They cull themselves Unita-
rians, asserting that they alone rightly
understand the doctrine of the Divine
Unity. The chief difference between
them and the other Ismaelian sects is the
authority they attribute to their prophet,
AL Hakem, for, though they believe in the
Koran, they are SO far from rcverencing
Mohammcd that they never pronounce
his name without cursing his memory.
They are divided into the initiated and
profane, and all the ceremonies Of their
religion are studiously cnvelOped in mys-
terry. Their Het,cds, or lodges, are iSola-
ted, usually built on the tops Of hills, and
none but the initiated are admitted to
them. All writer's complain of the diff
cNlty Of getting accurate information
about them, and their Turkish hcight,Ors
and rulers are just as ignorant on the sub
iect as the Christian travellers, for the
Druses outwardly conform to the estab-
liShcd religion Of the country where they
may happen to he. while they practice
their own peculiar rites only in their Sc
cret meetings.
They are thorough democrats in their
social habits and domestic government
The relations between the chiefs and the
people are of very republican character
Their chief Emir would not deem it deg
radiation to admit the meanest peasant to
his table. ll,nce their intercourse is
marked by those traits Of rustic simplicity
which recall the memory OF the patriar-
chal ages The Druse governments there
fore, species of aristocratic federal re-
public. One of the chiefs enjoys nominal
supremacy, and has the privilege of assess
ing the tribute paid to the Turks on the
different chiefs Of districts in proportion
to their wealth.
Compare ! with these wild warriors the
Maronite Christians are feeble, pusillan.
imous race. The present deadly strife
has been iomentcd between them by the
agents of other Powers, in order to give
them an opportunity to step in and divide
the possessions of the dying man who can
not keep his subjects in ordeT.-N York
HcmM.
FIRST TnINGS-Thc celebration Of mar
riages in churches was first ordained by
Pope Innocent iii, 1900; before which
the only ceremony was that ofa man pub
liciy leading his bride home to his own
house.
Blankets took their names from Thomas
Blankets, who, in 1880, first set up looms
for weaving them, at Bristol.
Tho first n0nOrama exhibited in Lon.