The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-03-30

| clearly their previous sacrifices for liberty and
! the expressions which drove them to the present
| uprising, and asked the moral influence of tn,
| United States Government to obtain for then
favorable consider ON from the European
powers.
The island has been surrounded by Turkish
vessels, but the blockade has been far from efFec
tive, for one or two little steamers have mad,
regular trips from Athens without serious him
drance. One English and one Russian vessel
tthe Grand Admiral, which was built in New
York in 1854 have taken off a number of the
destitute and suffering families Of the insurgents
and brought them TO Athens. We are clad tc
learn thatEat last, by the efforts of Mr. Morris
our minister at Consan tinope, there is hope that
United States steamer viii be sent for the sam,
| -umane service. The refugees already here
numbering between two and three thousand. are
| supported by the charitable contributions of the
Greek people, with generous aid from private
sources in England and in Russia
The political aspects OF the question are very
complicated and serious. 1t threatens to force
upon Europe the dreaded solution of the terrible
Eastern question" 1t has led to outbreaks in
several parts of Thessaly and Epirus, which
are still under the despotism of Turkey The
condition of the "sick man" is worse than ever
and shows signs of the insanity which the gods
send as the harbinger and unconscious agent of
ruin. To-day we learn that the Sultan has or.
dered out of circulation the Egyptian copper coin,
which Is the principal money OF the lower orders
OF Constantnoplc, but continues to pay his troops
in it at the value it had before this decree! The
feeling OF the people against such Il government
| cannot be repressed, and has broken out in riots
already. England and Russia and the free press
throughout Europe seem to favor the cause of the
Cretan people, but no government has vet dared
to Interfere They stand. like gentlemen at door,
each bowling to the others, "After you. SIR" but
each fearing the ether if he takes step forward
The lady within the room has favors which each
is jealousy watching to secure for himself, or at
least to prevent any one else from getting
France alone has shown herself hostile to the
success of the Cretans and it is generally beiev-
ed that she means to secure the leland for herself
and sees that this would be made more difficult
by its being united to Greece. There is at least
reason to believe that French agents encouraged
the uprising in the beginning, while it is mani
lfest that the French influence in the Levant has
been decidedly against it since the insurgents
made known heirdetermination toaccept no settle
ment except a union to the kingdom of Greece
The days Of the Mohammedan power in Eu-
rope seem to be numbered. Every year sees the
number of the Mussulmans north of the Darda.
nelles diminishing Where there were whole
towns OF them few years ago, now but few
families or none at all remain. They are moving
voluntarily across to ASIA where they belong
and where only they can live. What shall take
their place, and how shall the change be made?
That is the Eastern question" Is it not possi-
BILE that a Greek kingdom, having Thessaly and
Epirus on the north and Crete on the south, and
Servian kingdom, if you please to call it so, oc-
cupying the rest of Turkey in Europe, may be
allowed TO constitute themselves by the natural
process of revolution, and may be thereafter
strong enough to hold this key to the East, for
the benefit Of all nations, but for the exclusive
use of nonep IRP.