The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-09
The War.

II NaTs
In all the discussions about the contest.
between Russia and Turkey we must
take into account the peculiar position
that the quasi-inucpcndent State OF Rou-
mania (Which is for the present the scat
of war; bears to the W governments.
Roumania is composed Of the Prlnclpall-
ties of Moldavia, Walachia and part OF
BcsSarabia-all OH the north side of the
Danube-Moldavia and Bcssarabia border
on Russia, and Walachia is contiguous to
Austria. Although these consolidated
Principalitics are considered a part OF the
Ottoman Empire, they yield only a sort
of qualified allegiance to the Govern
mert Of the Sublime Porte. They pay
taxes to the Sultan's collectors, but they
have a Parliament of their W and 81 he
rediturv Prince Regent, who is called a
"domnitor." Roumania maintains that
the tribute which it pays to Turkey IS in
consideration Of an obligation assumed
by Turkey to defend these Principalities
from invasion. 1t is needless to say that
the Government of the Sublime Porto
r~epudiates this doctrine Of qualified allie
giance, and claims the right to exercise
full sovereignty over 1toumanla, subject
to certain concessions and limitations
embodied in the treaties which have been
from time to time, imposed upon Turkey
by the other European Powers.
ROumania has a population OF nearly
five millions. With the exception OF a
quarter of a million OF Jews, fllty thou-
sand Catholics and thirty thousand Pro-
testants, all the inhabitants belong to the
established Church (the orthodox Grcek.)
Except i'll the Province of Bcssarabia,
which was coded by Russia to Roumania
in 1856, the majority of tho people are not
Of Russian descent, but they arc essen
TALLY Russian in feeling, and lean upon
the Car for protection. They pay tribute
to the Sultan, but they arc ut heart hos
tile to him, and the Islam religion is
scarcely tolerated. There are olli1,3O)
Mohammedans in the whole three Prin-
cipalities, and according to ommo ru-
MOI both the MohammcGanS and the
Jews arc roughly treated. Bordering on
Rounlania, on the south side of he DAN
ubc, is the Turkish Province OF Bulga-
ria. The inhabitants arc substantially of
the same stock Us the Roumanians, and
the orthodox Greek is the established
Church ut least it is the hereditary
Church., to which the whole population
was attached when the Turks conquered
the Province in the fourteenth century.
Since then there has been i perpetual
struggle between the Mohammedan and
the Christian, which at intervals has cul-
minated in atrocities which have filled
the whole Christian world with horror.
In the other Provinces of Turkey, bor-
dcring on Roumania, the same contest
has been maintained. II it had not been
for the overshadowing powor of Russia
the Christians would long since have
been driven from Turkey. The great
European Powers have, from time to
time, imposed treaties upon the Govern-
ment of the Porte, in which protection to
its Christian subjects was guaranteed;
but it was much easier for the Sultan to
mako these concessions on paper than to
carry them into effect. Treaties, prOcla-
nations and laws arc of small account
unless sustained by popular sentiment.
The tcrocity and tanaticism OF the aver
are Turk cannot be restrained by any
thing less potent than the presence of SUI
perior force.
In 1854 Russia declared war against
Turkey because she refused to protect the
adhercntS of the Greek Church in the
northern municipalities from persecution.
England and France assuming that this
was only a preteXt, n tho Cars real
purpose was the conquest OF Turkey,
made common cause against him. Russia
gained no territory by this war, hut i'll the
treaty of peace Turkey was compelled to
make moro concessions than Russia Origi-
nally demanded. Throwing State reasons
aside, the Christian people of Europe and
especially the Protestants, have synpa-
thizcd with Russia in her attempt to cnln-
pei religious liberation III Turkey. The
diplomatists may think that Russia has
no business to be interfering i'll the do
nestle concerns Of Turkey, but the peo-
ple whom they represent are decidedly in
favor of such active interference RI will
put an end to these atrocities, and II the
Mohammedan power happen to perish in
the struggle, so much the better.
It is 4 somewhat remarkable fact, how
ever, that although Russia is ready to
send q million of mon into Turkey to en-
force religious federation, she is not dis
tinguishcd for the liberality with which
she treats Protcstants, Catholics and
Jews III her own dolninionS. There is
not much liberation in Russia for any
body that does not belong to the Estab-
lished Church. Roman Catholics and
Professionals are accorded equal civil rights
with the members of the Greek Church,
but they arc not allowed to proselyte or
carry on missions among the non-Chris-
tian population. The Jews and Moham-
medanS labor under civil, as well rs roll
gioils disabilities. If the war now in
progress shall result III the expulsion of
Turkish rulers from Europe, and leave
the Christian Provinces free to govern
thcmSelvcS-as free from Gar as Sultan
no one who dwellS in Il Christian land
will regret the issuing of the order that
started the Russian arnIy on its south