New-York tribune., 1869-01-05
TBE E4STERN QUESTION.

A conference OF representatives of the Great
Powers Of Europe, with those of Turkey and
of Greece, will assemble at Paris on Saturday
the 9th inst, to consider and settle the Eastern
Question, so called No gift of prophesy is
needed to warrant the cnnfdont prediction thas
no real settlement can Thus be eiiectcd-that
such settlement will only be postponed by this
meeting. The first decisive step toward real
settlement of the Eastern Question will have
been taken when the Turkish power 10 driven
from Europe, and not before.
The Ottoman or Turkish dominion nominally
covers about 100000 square miles of Europe,
100000 of Asia, and a rather larger area of
Africa--neary 100000 in an--much of it
among the fairest and finest portions of the
Temperate Zone. If we estimate that one
third of this vast extent is absorbed by Ara
bian and African deserts, ylere the Ottoman
sway is but nominal and 4 source of weakness
rather than of strength, there will still remain
nearly or quits One Million square miles Of
generally excellent soil, lying under the most
benignant skies, and more eligibly situated,
whether for a seat of Industry, of Commerce, or
of Power, than any other region Oh earth; !;
while its populatioH-though far less than it
had one, two, or three thousand years ago. and
still declining-ranges from Thirty-fi TO Forty
Millions
But its government is an absolute dcspotism,
and its ruling race bgoted tNvotees of the faith
first propounded by the Arabian impostor. Ma
hOmed, wherein unbrdled sexual lust is hal
lowed by an irrational and intolerant faDati-
cism. The "twin relics of barbarismn are here
still cherished and, while Slavery seems to
ho cIo olv f1.
as vital as ever. The Mohamedans are obsti-
nate fatalists; like all shareholders, they shun
work while, like most Asiatics and Polyga-
mists they are intensely unprogressive and slow
to adopt the improvements made by others.
Inhabiting the very cradle of European civili-
zatiOn, the Turk is essentially and inveterately
a barbarian.
Ali this Is beyond the control Of other peo-
pies, so far as the Asatic and African divisions
of the Empire are concerned; for they are pre-
ponderantly Turkish and essentially Mahome-
tan. But Turkey in EurOpe-embracing the
countries recently known as Macedonia and
Thrace, with Gambia Tor Crete) and most of
the islands Of the Archipelago-is essentially, un-
changeably Occidental and Christian 1t is pre-
sumed to contain about Sixteen Millions of inhab-
tants, whereof Eleven Millions arc Christians,
mainly of the Greek rite, leaving less than
Five Millions of dovotees of the Koran. Be-
tween these diverse races and creeds, fraternity
is impossible and mutual regard unknown.
! The Turks broke into Europe, over the wreck
of the decaying Roman Greek Empire of the
East, nearly six centuries ago, and completed
the ruin OF that Empire by storming the ram
parts Of Constantinoplo (caled by them Stam-
bouD in 1453. The last Christian Emperor per-
ished in the assault, aud the Turkish Sultans
have ever since made his capital their own
They soon afterward subjected Greece and
! Albania b. their sway, and in the next century
extended that sway 80 far northward as Hun
gary, the more important portion OF which
/ was possessed and ruled 10y them for nearly q
century. Under Solyman the Magnificent, they
laid siego to Vienna in 1870, but we've c0m-
| PEELED TO raise il with the loss Of $1,000 men
In 1888, during the reign of Mahomed ", the
Grand Vizier Cara Mastapha again laid siege
TO the Austrian capital, but was driven out Of
his trenches and headlong down the Danube
by hastily mustered Christian host, led by
John Sobiesld. King Of Poland, with fearful
losses in men, arms, and munitions From that
hour TO the present the Turkish star has
steadily declined; aud the rapid rise Of Russia