The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-17


IL the European powers are seriously and
unitedly resolved that the Eastern question shall
not burst into confagration. apropos of one OF
the chronic difficulties between the Hellenic king.
dom and the Porte, the mischief can undoubtedly
be got under in time to give the various European
chanceleries and foreign offices decent Christ.
mas vacation. The Athenan minister's half
creatures of domestic turbulence, half puppets
OF foreign intrigue, will easily be brought;to their
senses in spite of their magnoquent declarations
and their magnificent attitude, and the Turkish
government will once more be requested TO leave
TO the protecting powers the task of satisfying its
Just claims against State which refuses to &C.
knowledge any other duty to its neighbor than
that of insulting and defying him under cover of
protectorate, and taking advantage of its own
weakness to repudiate its responsibilities. No
clspasslonate observer can pretend to doubt that
II the Greeks and the Turks were left face 10
face, exempt alike from protection and restraint
omar Pacha would occupy Athens ia a week
and Hobart Pacha would blockade every port
OF the kingdom as he is now bockadng syra.
But the most sanguine Turk-even the member
for Southwark himself-does not suppose that
such settlement as that, il any such were posi-.
bic, (which It is not) could be final. Every
province that acknowledges, more or less reluct.
antly or hctitlously, the suzerainty of the porte
would be up in arms every province in European
turkey, In which all but an insignificant minority
are Christians, would be insurgent before the
guerrilla war IN Thesssly and Epirus had lasted a
month, and all the powers excepting always
Great Brittany that signed the treaty of Paris. for
the maintenance Of the integrity of the Ottoman
empire, would be bottleholding with the utmost
gravity OF countenance. each waiting for the mo-
ment TO break up the ring and pounce upon the
stakes. Who can then define the actual policy of
France, Of Russia of Austria or of Prussia in the
east? Russia, we know, is bidng her time ; but
what Is the understanding between Russia or Prus.
sla, or between France and Austria, as to future
contingencies AS a French contemporary re.
marks. the eastern question has in fact become
pre- eminenty the western question.
Nor is II enough to say that the powers which
Geated the Hellenic kingdom are responsible for
the results of that great sentimental enterprise.
and that all that has happened since might have
been foreseen forty years ego. The struggle of
the Greek race and OF the Christian populations
OF European Turkey against the hussuman domi.
nation was apparently arrested for while by the
creation of the Hellenic kingdom; il was really
developed and in q manner sanctioned That
struggle did not begin with the Greek kingdom:
nor would IL be st an end il the Greek kingdom
disappeared tomorrow. The slow but sure pro.
cesses Of decay by which the Mussuman power ia
being hoDeycombed and undermined throughout
It's European dominons would still go on, while
the restless and aggressive genius Of the Greek |
would sow discomfort broadcast through his |
counting houses 10 every city and his |
cargoes in every harbor of the Mediter. |
ranean and the Levsnt. Prince |
Leopold, OF Coburg, afterwards king Of the Bel.
gians, prudent and discerning statesman, if ever
there was one, declined the crown of Greece be.
cause the territory allotted to the kingdom was
not made large enough to furnish an ADEQUATE
Geld for the legitimate expansion of the energies
and imsginations of her subjects. Il was not that
be was unwilling TO accept a small kingdom, so
lar as bis own ambition was concerned but that
be discerned at once what the French would call
The irresistible logic of such situation as that of
an in1Diessimal kingdom, representing infinite as |
iIatons, and destiny bounded only by grand
dea," face TO face with ancient foe, represent
ng faith, force and domination which En-.
'ope would most willingly let die. The original |
Inherent flaw of the Hellenic kingdom, which King
Leopold discovered, has justified all his anticipa.
ions.