Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-01-03
3lafrLn,an C yonrnaL.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1877.

NJ mrs. N. a. cuRrrs.



In view of present complications in the
East IL may not be without interest to give
some account of the parties most nearly con-
cened. The seat of disturbance is Turkey.
The principals in the diplomatic war are
Russia and England, and the empire except
Turkey, most likely to be effected by the re-
suit, is Austria. / shall take it for granted
that it is unnecessary TO say anything more
with regard to England, at least not to-day.
Russia is an empire with eighty millions
of inhabitants. OF these about sixty-fve
millions belong to the Slavonic race the
other fifteen millions belong to great
variety of races, scattered over various parts
of the empire, each small In numbers and
entirely isolated. In some cases large num-
bers of them are Russianized, that is, have
acquired the language and religion of
Russia in other cases they have acquired
the language without the religion, and in
still other cases neither the language nor
the religion. In all cases, however, they
are good subjects for all practical purposes.
The great Russian majority is of course that
element which gives the empire its charac-
ter and acts as a leaven to hold together and
assimilate the different foreign fragments
which have from time to time been united
to the country either by conquest or an
nexation.
The Slavonic or Slav race is the most nu-
merous in Europe, counting about ninety
five or one hundred millions of souls. This
race inhabits four empires--the Russian,
where it forms the nation the Austrian,
where it forms majority of eighteen as op-
posed to twelve millions of Majyars (pro-
nounced Madyars) and Germans; Turkey in
Europe, where it forms majority of little
more than twelve millions, opposed to a
minority numbering from two to three
millions, probably little more than two
| millions and half. In the German empire
The number of Slavs is I think, about two
millions. This gives altogether total of
ninety-seven millions. The significance OF
these figures will be understood when we
observe that ninety-fve millions of men Of
one race live in the Russian, the Austrian
and the Turkish empires; of these sxty-fve
millions in Russia and thirty millions in
Austria and European Turkey. In Russia
alone are they the ruling race. In Austria
they are struggling for political equality,
| without much hope of obtaining it. In
Turkey nothing less than driving the Turks
out of power can wholly relieve the Slavs
from their present abject and ptiful condi-
ton. This being the case, the position Of
| Russia is at once evident. The Russians are
the only members of the Slavonic race who
have succeeded in founding an Independent
state. They alone of the ninety-seven
millions which extend from the Adriatc sea
to Kamtschatka know what it is to be free
| from foreign domination. There is indeed
one exception-the miniature principality ef
Montenegro, with a population of one hun
dred and twenty-five thousand souls, which
has its independence Five hundred years
ago, when the Serbian kingdom was broken
| up by the Turks, after the battle of kassovo
Polie few Serbs, who would not bend to
the barbarian conqueror, took refuge in the
fastnesses of the Black Mountains, which
now bears the Italian name of Montenegro -
Here, with varying fortunes, they have
| struggled for five centuries, and have sue
ceeded by the aid of musket and yataghan,
| in maintaining the freedom Of their little
mountain state. Russian aid, by way of
diplomacy and money, has, of course, had
its share in securing this result. Had itnot
been, however, for the remarkable bravery
of the Montenegrins there would be no Mon
tencgro to defend or assist.
Leaving for the moment Russia and Mon
tenegro, one the miniature, and the other
the gigantic Slavonian state, let us examine
into the condition of Turkey. Since the
reign OF the Emperor Nicholas of Russia
Turkey has been known the world over a.
the sick man. The description was so true
that it was accepted at once. ltwould have
been better for the world and for the sici
man himself had he been allowed to give VI
his sorry ghost at that time, instead of wag
ing war to lengthen out sickly existence
England, however, stepped in as the "grea
medicine man," to use an Indian phrase, an,
declared that the sick man was perfectl
well that he was a humane and polished
gentleman, fit to rule over millions with wis
dom and impartiality that he was thrift
and safe in the management of his business
and that one might lend him money withou
fearing to lose either principal or interest.
Under the auspices of the medicine mar
/ hostilities were begun against Russia. Tn
Crimean war resulted in the treaty of Pari,
one part of which has been torn up b
Prince Gortchakotf, and the rest will be sur
soon to have the same fate Since the CIR
mean war Turkey has borrowed about tw
/ hundred millions of pounds sterling in Eng
land, sum of money equal TO thousan
E millions of dollars. For all this money
1 there is nothing to show but an iron-cla
E fleet of moderate size, commanded by lIobal
Z | Pasha, an Englishman. Immense sun
must undoubtedly have gone into the pocket
of Pashas and officials How much may hay
+ been left in England, as was done in the cas-
e of some Central and South American loan
,e it is impossible for an outsider to say. Or
, thing is evident--the debt remains and the
i is next TO nothing TO show for the none
n In the meanwhile the people Of Turkey ha'
\ been taxed beyond endurance and have ris,
in revolt. Here | must mention the fact tn
= taxes are collected in Turkey not in none
but in kind; in theory, tithes, or the tent
ut part of everything produced each year, b
IL in practice more than one-tenth is exacte
The tithes are not collected by governme
! agents, but are farmed, that ia, the Cover
ment sells the tithes to the highest bidd
~ % many months before the crops are ripe,
ns ceives the money and furnishes the /
NJ farmer with sufficient military force to car
through his demands, just or unjust. T
government usually sells the taxes of lar
yer district TO one man who often resells his
ZEN trict by portions to others, who in their tn
n sell to third parties, and so on and as pro
md must be had at any cost, 1t is not difficult
eI' understand in what straits the miseral
population frequently finds itself
In 1869 there was great distress in b
garia, and hunger and starvation In seye