New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-27

the great powers Of Europe. Upon the
hands of the sick man damned spots are
discerned, which all the waters OF the
Golden Horn can not wash away.
Lord Derby contends that the atroci
ties in Bulgaria occurred when entire
anarchy prevailed at Consta ntinople and
the Sultan was VIGOROUSLY insane; but
Mr.. Gladstone replies that so late as the
eleventh of August the Turkish govern
ment, in formal defensive document,
had the audacity to speak of pretended
excesses' in Bulgaria, and rewarded and
decorated with what they call "honors
the miscreants who perpetrated the most
inexcusable of the outrages complained of.
In this manner the governmental au-
thorities at Constantinople are held to be
directly implicated in the horrors at
which the civilized world now stands
aghast, and Mr.. Gladstone trusted that
England, with intelligent promptness,
would join the other great powers in de-
handing not only that the outrages III
question should be promptly checked,
but that all possible atonement shall be
forthwith made. For his part, he would
virtually place the government of the
mixed Christian provinces of Turkey into
the hands of their own inhabitants, say
ing to the Turk:
You ehall receive regular tribute, retain
your tituIar sovereignty. your empire shall
not be invaded, but never again, while the
years roll their course, so far as it is in our
power to determine, never again shall the
hand of violence b. raised by you, never
again shall the f1oodgstes of lust be Opeded
by you, never again shall the dire refine
ments Of cruelty be devised by yOu for the
sake of making mankind miserable in Bull
garls.
That the hesitating policy adopted by
the British government in relation to the
outrages committed by Turkish troops is
heartily condemned by the people of
Great Britain is fact SO plain that he
who runs may read and this condemna-
ton is intensified by recollection of
the readiness with which he who was
Disraeli, but is now Beaconsfield, sent q
feet to Besica Bay as threat to Russia
when the troubles in the East commenced.
Meetings on the subject have been held
all over England, and the indignation ex-
pressed has been of the most pronounced
and emphatic kind. Men in all depart
ments of life and of all shades of religious
and political opinion have joined in the
demand that Turkish atrocities shall
cease, and that the British government,
in its action on the Eastern question,
shall place itself in full accord with British
sentiment
A speaker at one Of these meetings, the
Right Hon. Robert Lowe spoke of the uni
form conduct of the Turkish government
during the four hundred and twenty years
of its existence. It presents a continuous
record of cruelty and intolerance. The
tendency has been, as Mr.. Lowe ex-
pressed it, "to lead life of the most
complete idleness, coupled with the
grossest sensuality; to learn nothing, to
teach nothing, to improve nothing. and
to destroy everybody who thwarted Turk
ish inclination"
Such record is certainly by no means
fattering. The thinking world, however,
INDUCED hope that the tolera,ion and
protection extended by Christian nations
to the Ottoman Empire had effected such
change in Turkish sentiment as to place
the Moslem people more nearly in line
with the progressive spirit of the age OF
themselves, the Turks could never have
maintained the integrity of their empire.
They owe large debt of gratitude, as
well as of money, to their Christian neigh
bors, and it was supposed that the conse-
quent relations existing between them
would have developed kindly and neigh
borly disposition. But the turbaned
Moslem questioned the disinterestedness
of bis Christian neighbors. He knew
that his existence was considered
necessary to the maintenance of that ira
ditional balance Of power, born of the
fears and animosities which Christian
nations entertain toward each other, and
therefore regarded himself as released
from the obligations which received bene-
fits might, under other circumstances,
impose. We notice, however, that the |
balance of power is no longer spoken of
with any degree Of reverence by the
and orators of England. Glad
stone has 10 fear of disturbance of the |
balance through Russian encroachment |
or Tartar treachery, while Lowe pro-
nounces the balance humbug, for the |
OF which neither British |
blood nor British treasure should any |
longer be expended. He indeed gave it as
his opinion that if the wish Of the British |
people found expression in governmental
acts the unholy alliance which the So
called balance involves should at once be
abandoned.
As we write, the news from the East is
more stirring and the Eastern question
more and more involved. Our prescience
Is at fault as to the ultimate solution, but
t is to be hoped that when the interna-
ional conflict is quoted new guarantees
IN behalf Of political and religious liberty
will have been secured and cleaner hands
presented by the great powers of the
world. This is certainly consummation