The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1869-01-22
Tho Turks aud the Greeks.

The Greeks are not raising them.
selves in the public opinion Of Va
rope, by their conduct in their pre-
sent conflicts with Turkey, They
seem to be under a firm persuasion
that all the European powers, except
Russia, dread the reopening, among
themselves, of what is called the Eas.
tern Question, involving the ultimate
disposition of Turkey; and that what.
ever aggressions they make ngains.
the Ottoman Empire, j, will not be
permitted, in its own defence, to re-
sort to arms, which may draw on in.
,crventions to break the peace of Eu.
rope, or to bring any disastrous con-
sequences vpon Greece itself.
The question between Turkey and
Greece simply is, how and how far a
government May require, of neutral
and neighboring nations, abstinence
from direct interference with revolu.
,ionary parties in its own territories,
and whether one government can per.
sistcntly carry on Unprecedented wsr
against another, by encouraging in.
surrcction and fitting out expeditions
in favor ofinsurrection against its au.
thority, without tho liability to be
called to account under the law Of
nations. 1t is difficult for the warm.
est Phil. Hellenist, who has read the
accounts from the East, to fail to see
that the Greeks have been coveting
the Island Of Crete, have intrigued
to get possession of it, have been 70.
menting instruction against che soy.
ereign, and have indirectly furnish
ed the agitation and the material
with which the struggle has boon
prolonged.
The instruction would have long
since died out, but for the incessant
feeding from, and now when the
Porte had nearly regaincd its full au.
thority, aud had invited the emigrant
Cretans to return, and was furnishing
them with the means Of returning,
the Greek population interferes to
obstruct their return, gather riots to
intimida.e the exilss, and drives out
Of Greek ports the vessels which tie
Turkish Government forwarded for
transporting them ::to their homes.
These facts strongly conarm tho bs.
lief that Crete for the Greeks, and
not for the Crctans, has been the
source Of Greek inspiration in all
their acts.
The recent acts which have called
forth the peremptory action Of Tur.
key arc ovcracts OF feeding iasusrse.
ton in Crete, by tho Government Of
Greece. 1.srTs corps Of volrnsecrs
are openly enlisted and uniformed,
and parade openly with a.gs, without
Disgusting their destination. Ships
are fitted out in Greek ports and sup
piled ffom Government asscnsh via
guns and ammunition, as cruisers
for tho Cretans. What tho Govern.
mcnt OF Turkey demands of Greece
is y promise to prevent the departure
Of these troops, to stop tho fitting
out of armed privateers and blockade
runners, and to give protection to
the Cretan emlgrants who wish to re-
turn home.
These are reasonable requests be.
tween two Independent governments,
and cannot DO refused without incur.
ring the moral responsibility Of hay |
ing provoked war by wilful neglect
'f tho duties of neutrality.
The explanation offered for this
refusal, and for encountering all the
is, so far MS We have
been able to find ii, that tho Turkish
Government is very bad one, and,
BY implication, that the Greek Gov.
'rnmcpt is better one that tho
Turk is an in6del, and tho Greek a
christian Of some sort, and, there. !
ore, between these two tho laws of
International morality ought not to
DC permitted to obs,ruct the doom Of
extinction against the Turk. Upon
he exact vaiao Of this plea VIC shall |
nv nnthiu, H.. ~, 49, ~ n i