The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-12
The Eastern QuestiOn-The First Session
Of The Conference.
From the ". Y. Times.

From the ". Y. Times.
The Paris Conference has met and has held
long deliberation, lasting, as We learn by
the cable, from o'clock in the afternoon to II
O'Clock at night. The representatives of both
Turkey and Greece, We are told, manifested
conciliatory disposition, and confidence is ex-
pressed in the pacific issue Of the negotiations.
We hope these anticipations may prove we'll
founded, and that while Greece is compelled
to retreat from her untenable position with
regard to the Cretan ipsurrection and comply
with the plain dictates Of international law,
Turkey may be forced, by the moral pressure
of the great powers, to remove the more out
rageous grievances under which not only the
Cretans, but the general body of Christians
under Ottoman rule, have hitherto suffered.
Until this is done will be useless for Turkey to
appeal to the peoples of Europe, even thought
be the interest Of certain governments to do all
they can in her behalf. Even England, whose
traditional policy has been to uphold the in
tegrity of Turkey at all risks, cannot do so
any longer, unless the fair promises of the
Sultan, with regard to the better government
of his Christian subjects, are carried out. Ne
government in England, Tory or Liberal, could
60 before the country with cry of war on the
Eastern question, as in 1854, unless the inter-
nal policy of Turkey be materially modified.
The Sultan, there is every reason to believe,
has adopted of late more enlightened views on
the subject of religious toleration and equita-
able government than any of his predecessors
on the throne ever entertained, but he has
always been hindered, and still will be, in
giving effect to them, by the obstinate bigotry
and fanaticism of his ministers, and by the
selfish interest which nearly all the great
officials of the empire have in keeping up the
present system of tyrannical extortion in all
the departments of the administration.
1t is quite possible that the Ottoman Gov
eminent may give assurances during the Con-
ference that will enable the two Western
powers to hold out promises of support with
some prospect OF enlisting popular opinion on
the same side. The day has gone by when
the Governments of nations like France and
England can even threaten war unless sure of
cause That will arouse popular enthusiasm.
On the other hand, Russia being notori-
ously unprepared for war, and probably not
desirous of IL in any case, Greece is scarcely
likely to persist in any step which may bring
down upon her the far superior strength of Tur-
key. And yet, if Russia declines to interfere,
Greece would assuredly have to bear the
brunt of war with Turkey by herself, and
the Government at Athens must surely teel
the risk of utter ruin to the kingdom which
they would incur by preeipitating war under
the circumstances. AS a rule onferences are
sources of danger, rather than agencies for
peace, but in the present case, where the in
terests of both the powers primarily concerned
are SO strongly on the side of peace, we must
| hope that the reassuring anticipations with
| regard to the opening session of the Confer
ence may be fully borne out by its termi ma
| tion.