The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-01
The Clouds Accumulating Turkey
About to Fall TO Pieces.

ABOUT 10 t'all TO E1eGCSs
From the Times.
1.-The Oriental question is reOpened. 1t is of
little Importance who opened it; it is given to
nobody to repress it," Thus the Steele of Paris,
OF January Is, begins its editorial on this all
absorbing topic. Our French contemporary is
probably right. The system of theocratic gov
ernment, so indiyisible from Ottoman rule, is
an exotic in Europe, has never been accli-
mated, and no diplomatic juggling can much
longer sustain and maintain it. 1t Is not from
any religious impulses that we speak so. 1t is
the irresistible spirit of progress that pushes on
events for the ultimate downfall of Turkey, and
we only utter what every one with his eyes
open, and capable of judging must have seen
and recognized ior himself While to the north,
the west, and south OF Turkey, all nations,
by liberal adoption OF the progressive spirit OF
the age, have been more or less advancing, and
the development, Intellectual, moral, material,
and political, of the lowest strata of society has
been gradually upward, Turkey has remained
stagnant in the pond OF an absolute theoCracy,
with form of government that may have been
appropriate for the Tartars, Mongols, Arabs, or
Moors, ten or even six centuries ago, but to-day
must appear repulsive to every civilized people.
1t was this very fact, not opey avowed, but
tacitly felt, which gave PhabetenlSnl such
universal spread during the years OF the last
Greek revolution, and promoted our own Henry
Clay TO his eloquent appeal in favor OF the
! Greeks; which inspired President Monroe to
''the dominion of the Turk is forever gone" and
! that ut is hoped that Greece will achieve her
| indepeEdence.n II was this that then impeled
! Englishmen and Frenchmen and Germans to
| volunteer in the Greek army OF liberation, and
| that applauded the many acts of kindness and
sympathy shown to the suffering Greeks by the
! American squadron in the Mediterranean. The
| independence of Greece, then, was the work of
! the Joint assistance of all liberalminded ma
tions. Selfish diplomacy, however, circum-
| scribed her limits, and millions of struggling
| Christians were heartlessly left to the rude
| dominion Of the Turk, under the plea OF pre-
serving the balance of power by maintaining
for Turkey in Europe mere shadow OF lnde-
| pendence
Ever since, this Oriental question has disturbed
| the repose OF Continental rulers from time to
time. The so-called Questions" of the Danu-
bian Principalities, of Bosnia Servia, Montene
gro, OF the neutrality of the Black Sea; Of the
possession of the mouths of the Danube, even
that of the possession or Christian protection o
the holy places in Palestine, are but 80 many
parts of the all-absorbing topic Of the continued
existence of Turkey in Europe in its present
condition OF stagnant and retrograde theocracy
Some weeks ago, prominent French diplom9
tlst was reported to have declared that II these
troubles be not settled six weeks thence, they
will certainly Outgrow diplomacy. And " seems
IRON latest adVices by mail as well as by tele
graph, that tLey have already done SO. Turke!
is armlng to prodigious extent, considering TN
yapid and indolent character OF her MussulmaI
population; little Greece is marshalling nearl.
all her available forces; Russia and Austria ar
concentrating troops upon every adjacent pom
where their immediate use Is likely TO b.
) wanted; the Italians are in a parOXysm of ex
element and flock in hundreds aud thousand
. to the aid OF Crete and the Greeks, for whom
they feel as tor cognate nationality. Publ
opinion in France and England Is becOmn
9 ! highly excited, and may push their unWiIlin
! Governments to some action, r.l... i
s. Thus we see nearly the whole of EurOp