The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-12-02
The Eastern Question.

Taxing = broad cunipltLcn~4Ne view ANt rtAHhHH
that has lately been going on in the East Is but
continuation OF The old quarrel between Chris
tiaai,y and Nahometanism. and g must continue
in spite Of intervals OF palcbsd-up peace and o.
treaties and protocols. until the crescent disap
pears before The cross. The creed Of MahOmel-
Conversion by The swoTd-wAs promulgated A. d
6e4, and to-day, cut Of our estimated worlds popn'
lAiion Of something over a thousand millions
about one fourth are. nomlnally At least, followers
Of the Prophet History tells US how bravely
these people SIGHT for their faith. tAugh, as they are
that death in battle Is a sure passport TO paradise.
And the totally diverse nature Of the two reli-
gions-CbristiAnity and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
it Impossible that they can subsist peaceabiy side
by side. Thus the Z" irrepressble conflict must
20 on between the two systems until the end. aud
the signs Of the times are that this is now approach
ing. The question of the autonomy of the prinei-
p~alities, or even the possession OF Constantin0ple
by the Russians or the English. are mere side
issues from the main one, although for the moment,
aud to the principal actors in the drama, they as
sumo proportions Of vast magnitude.
1t is q sad, sorry story, that Of the Servian pro-
vinees,-blOOd, riot. rapine, burning villages,-
violence ia every conceivable form. From the day
when il was n Roman province until now, with brief
intervals. Servia has been the seat Of war. With
the end Of the Eastern Empire and the establishment
Of the Turk at COnstantinople there followed a long
struggle between the Seryians and the Turks, the
latter spreading over the land, Introducing their
religion, building mosques. and completely driving
out the Servians, who. 10 the number Of fifty thou
sand families, took flight across the Danube, and in
Hungary found a home and friendly allies. AS for
the Bosnians, they took matters as they came.
adopted the policy of peace. set aside their Chris
tianiiy, and took to the religion Of the invader.
The Huns proved 10 be bold and daring allies Of the
Servians, and more wars ensued; for the Turk was
hated with the deadly hatred Of an opposing religion.
In the course Of time, by the help Of their alieS.
the Seryians, about the year 1856 reconquered their
country, and were upon the point Of driving forth
their invaders. Greek Christianity was about 10 be
triumphant, when the Servians learned that their
allies, the Huns, we're about to secede from Greek
Christianity, and join the Western Roman Catholic
Church. Here was a terrible cause for separation.
az Better Mahomet than Rome 80 cried the Servians;
and actually on account Of this religious difference
they separated themselves from their allies, and be-
came once more the vassals Of the Turk, who prom
ised all things now that he could not conquer. The
Bosnians followed suit, and these latter and the
Servians of position and property became r~ensgadcs.
The outcome of this is that the Greek Christian
Servians Of the present day are sprung from the
lower order, who did not adjure their religion and
follow Islamism. All the principal servians Of to-
day count back to the peasantry. Prince Milan and
Kara Georgeovitsch were both descended from the
peasantry, who had maintained their faith while
their weather. neighbors turned Moslems, were
absorbed by the Turk, and died out.
During the next three hundred years oppression
and war went hand in hand through the land Of
servia. 1t was completely under the Turk. and be-
came The battle ground in the war with Hungary.
1t was then divided-part given to Austria. and
afterwards given to the Turks. Revolt followed in
consequence. and twenty thousand Servians were
slaughtered like dogs by the MOslems. Arms for
hidden; the Servians had to salute their masters;
and matters became so bad that the people took to
living in the country, leaving the Turks undisputed
control of the towns. Occasionally they reyolted,
after some bitter piece of cruelty, fed to the noun
tains. and took to q freeboOting life. after the fashion
of Robin Hood, their victims for plundering being
the Turks only, but these were pillaged without
mercy. Their life became quite one Of romance. for
they were the idols Of the peasantry; and il pur-
sued, there were so many friendly hands to give
them shelter that they lived a life Of comparative
impunity. Theirs was the true romance Of bri-
and they lived hopeful Of the fall Of their
and waiting for the happy days Of free
10 come. Their oppressors were little Pachas,
whose followers thoroughly carried out their masters
wishes. The Jannissaries, too, had their reign Of
over the unfortunate people.
Under " Black George" a peasant who became
/ robber chief, Servia was again freed from the
Turks. Russia supported George for a time, and
n his rule he showed really great qualities, mar
ed however by his cruelties. Turks who had sur
were massacred wholesale, and 10 all the
George was a most bitter and vindictive foe.
n 1872, Russia withdrew its support, and the con-
equence was that the State Of Servia lost its CO.
ference, and dropped rapidly to pieces. The
turks, who renewed their attacks, became the
masters once more, and Kara George had TO fee
or his life, leaving behind Milosh Abrenovitscb,
me of his chief officers. This man made terms
nth tho Turks, for opposition was useless and as
DON as the treaty was signed, the Turks behaved
their customary Guplicity-breaking the
reaty In every way, and behaving at Belgrade
nth the most fearful atrocity. Christians were
npaled by the hundred, children slaughtered,
Tomen outraged, and a general massacre was car
led on, such as it seems impossible TO believe as
fact, taking place as it did in the memory Of our
ldest men.
Such horrors never die in a peoples memory, :
as a mattor Of course, they only abide their
+.
At last, in 1880, the Servians were in a position
, make good terms with the oppressors. The
rms we're that the Turks should hold six fortress
3 alone in the country, having no right else
here the management politically was placed
them, and the only claim they had was Of
yearly tribute. Milosh now became acknowl-
iRed Prince Of Servia. He was, after all, but q I
easant, and behaved with all the rough injustice I
a barbaric chief Considering himself Lord J
aramount. he was guilty Of the fOllies Of the {
Ide and lliterate-making his servants into high I
Hcers OF military leaders insisting npon buy
~ land at bis own price having his own pro- I
sold higher than the market price, and Z
nnnA Lnal lie the nrnzcrhial heQaar Z