Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-12-04
tCorresPondence of the Free Pres.
Turkey as affected by the American War.

deeply the effects Of our war. You have only /,
be reminded that Cotton is a power here twheth
er it be king or not. / cannot say) az well a,
elsewhere to know that this must be the case
The price Of cotton goods fuctuates with th,
markets OF New York and Lverpool-of course
at "a considerable distance behind, as is the cass
with everything here in Turkey.
Ii you were to step with me into the shop OF
an intelligent Turk or Armenian. most likely,
after the usual salutations o. the day, his first
/ question would be well, what news Of the
war - Good news-yery good the reply
! would be, Vicksburg aud Port Hudson taken,
( and the rebels whipped at every point - THAT
may indeed be good news for you,'' he says.
g. but both parties are alike to US; we only look
for peace" Upon this, you would doubtless
spend few moments giving him a more correct
notion Of the contest, and the only sort of peace
which he and all the world should desire. Leav-
ing that shop you would greatly wonder where
that man got such absurd notions of the war. |
will tell you; he got them from our English
brethren, who are so very neutral - in their
relation to the war. Probably he never
spoke with an Englishman in his life. and Is
quite unaTare whence comes his impression
Of the american contest. But all the war news
comes through English sources, and in the alb
sence of newspapers it passes from mouth to
mouth until it permeates the more intelligent of
the community.
The chief organ Of this English influence is the
LeraHt Herald, published at Constantinople.
THIS paper is but a faint reflection Of the Lon
don Times, which it seems to out-lo in its venom
against the United States Every rebel success
it mlgnifes and chuckles over, and every federal
success it be-littles in mportance-while at all
tunes it praises the bravery and hardihood Of
the "Confederates'' under e President Davis
AID all this under the dignifei garb Of Impair
tal criticism Of American affairs. Outside OF
Coustantinople, the chief circulation Of this jour
nal in this country is among the eonsuls located
in the different cities. and through them the pol
con spreads. As consequence, it is no uncom-
man thing to hear the war alluded to as bar
barous,' " butchery,' a mutual " cutting Of
throats.'
1t was our pleasure, a few days ago, to enter
tain two English gentlemen who were making
pleasure excursion through this part Of Turkey
They were from the first rank Of English society,
wealthy and extensively Travelled. In their pre-
sence 1 took occasion to express my patriotic
sympathy for my country in her present struggle
for existence-to which they made no reply.
Courtesy forbade them TO speak their real senti-
ments, and they were silent.
such is the lack Of sympathy which meets
Az American ia circles be would most conf
IDENTIFY expect to find H. And there is
nothing TO create a different impression save
the influence Of Armenian missionaries. But
this Is of,mean importance. They are noto a man,
heartily for the dear old flag. They are known
and recognized as Armeuians, and in their daily
contact with the people, they take peculiar
pleasure in cultivating correct notions of
the war, and thus awakening the sympathy and
prayers Of the people in behalf Of our bleeding
land Besides, the mission pres at CONSTANT
nople issues monthly journal in Armenian,
which contains brief but accurate and faithful
summary Of the war news. This Journal circu-
lates widely among the Protestant Armenians
and does much towards creating healthy SEN
timent among the entire Armenian population
Nor is the irfiuence Of missionaries confined to
the natives. They come in frequent contact
with intelligent foreign residents, including the
consus and Ministers Of the principal European
nations. And it often falls to their lot, in
quiet way, to correct some false and injurious
impression into which these officials have fallen.
An instance of this kind fell under my notice a
few days ago where very intelligent consul
supposed that the Federals were the first to re-
sort to draft.
About year ago, the Boston Post, in giving
the amount which the American Board proposed
to raise for the coming year, remarked that in
its opinion the heather had better he abandoned
for a few years and the money required for the
support Of missions, used for the benefit Of the
suffering soldiers To say nothing OF the nhdel
source Of such remark, yog have only to
glance at the above statement to see how short
sighted and impolitc it Is.
But If the people of Turkey suffer much from
the rise Of cotton, they gain something. Its
growth has been much stimulated. and although
in this immediate vicinity is too cold for cot
ton, vet 1t is much benefted by the great
quantities that 20 forward from Persia. For
FIVE and si1 hundred miles this cotton i carried
on horses before it reaches the sea at Trebizond.
Daily tie city is thronged with caravans
either going forward with cotton or returning
with merchandise.
Yours, 7.