National Republican., 1876-12-05

consent to the occupation Of Turkish ter
ritory even by the most friendly Power.
However true all this may be, and what
ever may have hitherto been sad of the
Turks suicidal system of government in
his Christian provinces, his persistent re-
fusal to listen to the urgent remonstrance
Of the great Powers; his stolid indifference
to his fate, and astonishing pertinacity in
repelling all appeals to reason and advice
profered by friendly Powers tending
toward the perpetuity of his Government
upon European soil, no one can fail to OBJ
serve that the immense pressure brought
to bear on Abdel Hamid by the Gar has
resulted in at least one most remarkable
concession by the dogged despotism Of the
Bosphorus. A frman recently promul-
gated abolishes the slave trade in the Otto
man Empire. An assault by the Sultan
against the sacred tenets of the Koran itself
could not have produced greater consterna-
ton among all true Moslems, and would
have been regarded year ago as equally
improbable and preposterous. 1t is the
general belief that the destruction of the
harem system of enslayement must soon
follow as natural sequence. This
absolute renunciation of what, We
would almost say, has long been
looked upon as one of the fundamental
principles of Mohammedan social economy,
is only an additional assurance to the civil
lied world that the grasp Of the Osmsni
upon his European sceptre is indeed rap
idly relaxing, and that his presence as
ruler among the princes Of Europe is at
best extremely limited. Yet with all our
inherent dislike of the Turk, as well as dis
gust at his almost unparalleled inhumanity
and shocking barbarity, we cannot but &C.
knowledge the intelligence, the rare skill
he has displayed in the conduct of the late
campaign against his insurgent enemies.
Moreover, we are forced to admire in him
latterly bravery not inferior to that which
80 eminently distinguished the redoubtable
JsnIzsries in their palmiest days-valor by
no means unworthy the great founder of
the Mussulman monarchy. We are told
that the Turkish army, fighting from day
to day against the Servians and Montone-
grins, has entirely regsined for itself that
formidable name in military history for
which 1t was once so justly famed. 1t
was always known that the Osmanlis, as in
dividuals, were brave the record of their
deeds of daring for hundreds of years
will verify that. But we were moi
prepared, after our experience
with Omar Pasha and the Turkish troops
of the line during the Crimean war, to sec
restored to the wesrers of the fen that
reckless regard Of life, that indomitabls
courage which once carried them as con-
querers into the heart Of Europe, and who
flashed their defiant scimetars before the
very gates Of the capital Of one Of the
proudest monsrchies on earth and spread
CONSERVATION throughout Christendom.
The Turks are fighting with degree Of
desperation which only the moro conclu-
sively proves how hopeless even they
themselves regard their prolonged political
existence among the family Of European
nations, in their death throes appearing,
as Of old, only too happy to be able to
infiict another and still another blow upon
'the hated dog Of Christian" ere they
depart for their great prophets franchise
of the houris.
The Turk knew his doom was sealed
just so soon ss the star of Russia began its
ascendency and when the ambitious pro-
jects of Peter the Great first became
known in Europe. Though years have
since elapsed, with all their varied eI-
periences, the House Of RomAno6 has
never once lost sight Of the great Cars
designs upon Turkey, nor has it
ever relaxed for . moment its most
vigorous efforts toward the consum-
nation of their hereditary policy efforts
during peace that have been characterized
by profound statesmanship, and during
war marked by that almost crushing power
which the mighty arms of their mighty
empire can exert. Therefore. however
emphatic may be Russia's protestations to
England and the Continental Powers re-
garding her present intentions towards
Turkey, all the dialectics of sophistry as
embodied in the sblest State papers of that
most consummate diplomat, Prince Gorts-
chakoff, cannot reconcile the English Pre-
mier to other than the stern logic of stub
born facts, nor will they explain away, es-
pecially when we consider the immemorial
course Russia has pursued, the true motive
which snimstes Russia's jealous philan-
thropy towards the Christian subjects of
the grand Seignor. Behind the himsy
veil which sympathy for Christian perse-
cution has suspended between Russia and
the Sublime Porte we discover the vast
battalions of the Muscovite eager for the
signal from their Autocrst to cross the
Danube. Meanwhile Christian Europe
pauses with bated breath, remaining an
armed spectator, ready, possibly, to profit
by an error on the part Of either combatant
in the coming conflict. A general war on
the continent may possibly be precipitated
by Russia's inordinate ambition, yet
in any event ii is not at all
likely that the Gar will at first willingly
throw down the gauntlet to any of the