New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-18
AMERICA md THE cEET4Y REroLUHo

AMERICA md THE CEETAH REJOL UHON
OF the popular fallacics there is none more
pcrnicious and absurd than that which assumes
that the people of Europe are permanently UNFIT
for democratic forms of government, and that the
republican experiment, which has succeeded in
America, must necessarily be a failure in Italy
On France. There is a vague idea that Amcri-
cans far transcend other peoples in the capacity
of self government, and that Europe must pass
through some underlined experience before she can
safely dispense with the guardianship of kings.
We remember that the same theory was used
TO justify the enslav6mcnt of The negroes they
were never fit for freedom in the estimation OF
their masters, and never would have been. for
there is no worse apprenticeship to liberty than
servitude. So, the people OF Europe will never
be made fit for republics, by the governments
Of monarcbs, aud the disqualification would,
upon this theory, be perpetual The knot is
never to he united it must be cut. We have
cut it for the negroes; Crete would sever ii for
herself
Yet the American people answer with en-
tbusiasm to the call of the oppressed in the
Old World. The rebellion of Greece in 1898
the French revolution OF 1913, the Hungarian
uprising, the struggle of Italy for unity, and
that brilliant series of democratic movements,
led by KOssuth, Garibaldi, and Mazzini, APP
pealed to sympathies which are never dead
and which, as we shall show, have influences
of unreasonable value. The United States
gave little aid TO these movements,
but the American people much. Greece won
her freedom from Turkish rule, not merely
by her inherent strength, but by the help
of the prayers and cheers Of all civilized
nations. Crete might now despair were it
not that Liberty everywhere is on her side.
She is part Of Greece, and should havo been
included in the general emancipation of Greece
from Turkish rule-would have been had il
not been for the trcachcry Of the allied Powers,
which adjusted tho terms of peace. Crete
did not yield to Compact in which sho
had no part. She rebcled again in 1893; again
in 1912, again in 1853. Never for five hundred
years one generation without IN armed protest
against despotism. In 1865 the invincible do
termination Of her brave people was shown i'll
the present revolution, continued in defiance of
the utmost barbarity on the part Of Turkey,
and against odds which, till recently, seemed
TO be overwhelming. Now it appears as
if the hated yoke would be forever thrown
their brothers their enthusiasm, our cor.
respondents say, recalls that of the North
when the Southern rebellion began. Even
Russia throws tho weight of her sword,
sheathed 1t is true into the balance on the side
of Greece. The Cretans, thus inspired, have
fought not as men who risk defeat, but as vic
tors. Six hundred Cretans-immortal az tho
600 who rode into the jaws of death mt Bala.
hava--attacked by 10000 Turks, fired the
magazine of their fortress, and died with
5000 Of their enemies for companions
Such events decide the fate of nations as John
Brown dying upon the scaffold fastened by
ten years the emancipation Of the slaves. Crete
will this year throw off tho Turkish rule, need
ing only the aid, not of governments, but Of
peoples who, themselves free, feel The cause of
oil oppressed nations to be their own.
America must do something FOG Crete. Diplo.