The Montana post., 1868-05-29
THE 12TH REsOLUTlON-CRETE

THE 18TH RESOLUTl0N-CR
The last Of the committee res olutions
of the Chicago Convention declares its
sympathy with all oppressed people who
are struggling for their rights" Al
though perhaps attributed by many as
principally intended to apply to the
Irish people, and a mere resolution of
sympathy devoid of any political signifi
canoe, we think it, although last, not
least of the principles declared in that
Convention. and committing the party to
al t;siy, pl c. n tlvor of an
other and one of the noblest purposes
that could actuate Christian govern
ment, and one that will assume due
prominence in American legislation at
an early day. We refer to the reeogni-
ton OF the Provisional Government of
Crete by the United States, a petition
for which has been presented to Con-
gress, the declaration of which great
AID growing moral influence in the
country is now urging persistently and
.
B and emboldened by the recent action of
the dominant party. Under these cir
] cUl lstances, ami the frequency with
/ which accounts of tho Cretan warfare
and suffering figure in our kilograms,
+ q statement of the Cretsu question seems
appropriate Crete, or Gambia, is an
Island in the eastern Mediterranean, 160
miles in length and about % wide, con-
tanning an area of 1000 square miles,
with population of nearly 100000
people Its climate is perpetual sum
mer; its plains of wonderful fertility.
In all ages, from Homer to Byron, it has
been the poets theme, as the Isle of
the Blessed" The Roman conquest OF
Crete, from the descendents of Minos,
who frat gave the world written laws,
occurred GO years B. c., and remained
Roman province until captured by the
/ Sarcens, a. d. S23 and became Chris
!, tanized. In the 10th century it fell in.
to the hands of the G.noese, and was
; finally sold to the Venetians in 1904
, who retained it four centuries, the
; golden days of Gambia. After a war o.
,, 2i years it was conquered by the Turks
: in 1919 In 1911 revolution agains
the Turks occurred in Greece, in which
Gambia and Scio participated. 1t was
: during this struggle the massacre o
!, Scio, unparalleled for cruelty, occurred
: in which the Turkish government ii
i : two months put to death, without re
e gard to sex or age, $4,000 Christians
and sold 5000 into slavery, while bu
Is $1,000 escaped. This insurrection un
: successful, it was again repeated il
! Crete, in 1S41, with the same result,th
the Island having been in the mean
= time QS3O) ceded to the Viceroy c
j. Egypt by the allied Powers in pursu
ance of the political policy of the Euro
N pean Powers as against Russia, one re
d suit of which was the Crimean war. l
\ 1910 it was again restored TO Turke,
The embers of revolution were no
- however. stamped out, and ten year
nd since. under the most inhuman outrage
Us by the Turks, the revolt again com
1T mencCd in dread earnest, when MS
9, hamedanism reared its idolatrous alta
nd upon the ashes Of the Cross. Turkt
la maintains an army of $4,000 men
10 Crete, and yet at Apecoron and Hors
il cIion, against desperate odds, the hero
ct. Christians have achieved victory ov,
Ike their Mahomedan foes on fields as grar
with gallant deeds as old Thermopyli
nv nv and ask of the civilized world but i
he moral support, the rights Of belligeran
''e and care tor their exiles, famishir
mothers, wives and children, TO hoi
les the Cross above the Crescent and dri'
Iilt the Mohamedan from their native isle.
se is war that can never end but in Il
snt triumphant success or after destructi'
2 2 !! a of a people who for centuries ha'
TO battled for their liberties, their home
their religion, the virtue of their wiv
sIv ~ aud daughters. everything that is de
r. and sacred, against formidable armies
en- the lustful. inhuman Turks. The Or
ish tsn's are Christian, the Turks are N