Delaware tribune, and the Delaware state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1877-18??, 1877-08-16
WILMINGTON, DEL.
raURsDAY, AUouAT 10, 1877.


The papers are again Alled with
accounts coming through Turkish and
British channels concerning outrages aad
atrocities prscticed by natives and Russian
soldiers against MahommedAns in Bulgaria,
said to EequA those perpetrated by the
Turks ia tAae unhappy province. OF
course there may be no little truth in thts sc
stories, yet it is but reasonable to make II
great deal of allowance before accepting
A,em o. they are told. The Turkish gov
eminent ID q known and convicted liar
among governments, and nothing what
ever Il says Il entitled to the
slisktek consideration unless backed
by disputed authority. IN fact, it is rea-
sonabie grsuud Tor doubling the truth Of
any story when you And that it is endorsed
ny tho Porte. As to the English reports
thoy generally come through Government
~ources and the English Government. is
inst barely restrained from taking part
y tn the Turks against Russia, 30 we can
scarcely expect any fair Or impartial state
nsnts from that source. But even if the
worst stozi.s are true they afford no reason
gay We should not still desire the SUCCESS
Of TIC Russian armies in the present war.
Recall for . moment the history OF
Bulgaria. The Turks are but a small per
centass Of the whole people, and yet they
have constantly oppressed the country for
centaries. The Christians are little
better than unarmed slaves, subject to the
will of conquerers. They have been taxed
beyond endurance and robbed with
immunity. Their SONS have in times
past been taken from them in infancy,
trained In the Turkish faith, placed
in the Turkish armies and made The
Instruments Of the oppression of thei'
own people whom they have been brough
W to hate and despise. Their daughter
have been seized from time immemorla
aud carried of before their eyes to tn
hArems of their oppressors, Now an'
then the wretched people of the province
driven to utter despair, have revolted an
resisted with such weapons as they conl
improvise. The result has generally bee
the same as it WAS Just before the begin
ming of the present war. Sue
revolt was then put dow
and the civilized world will not soon fors'
low. People were driven into churcl''
and then the buildings were fired, and thor
who sought to escape Roasting alive, wei
shot down as they ran from the burn!r
buildings. Women were publicly outrage
and butehered and unborn babes We
carried on spear heads at the hen'
of the columns Of Bashi-Bazouks vi
managed tho massacre.
Is it very wonderful that people who
civilization is such AS would be likely
grow up under 1--WE centuries of oppr'
sion like this, and whose recent experien
had been that Just described, should sh'
some trace of barbarous revengefun,
when their own opportunity cam
The Russian troops enter Bulgar
not as invaders, but as an ar
of liberation 10 the majority of
inhabitants. They are hailed as t
army OF the Lord who are come to SCI
people free. The Mahommeiai
who are q small minority, 10
to them with dread, and they look W
.aore dread toward the Christian peasar
they have oppressed. They know t!
these hate them|and that they consi,
them the real authors OF all their wu
1t was the resident Mahcmmedans "
called in the Turkishtroops that commit
the atrocities, and it was tn
who applauded and encourag
when they did not assist in
outrsses. They have no rights there 4
resident Christian Is bound to respt
and if the latter have the power, Il
would be fools not to exterminate I'll
enemies ard seize their property. T!
ought to do this as decently as possil
however, and not shock the sense of m
civilized people by senseless and usel
barbarities, yet how can we expect PEG
of their grade of civilization
refrain from paying back ii
oppressors in their own coin.
may regret, and lament 1t, but we can
shut our eyes to the fact that that is
only way these people were taught 70 ca
on war and that their teachers were
Turks, who should therefore not comp
at the application of their own lesst
Let US then deprecate and lament IL
horrors, If they are true, but let no amo
Of them ever lead US into turning aga
the people whom Turkish rule. and
alone, has made capable of commit
such outrages.
The utter absurdity of the pretence