Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-06-06
Turkish Rapacity.

The history of the world does not afford
another instance of vast multtudes Of
vanquished subjects so grievously oppresS-
ed for centuries in their own native land
by mere handful of conquerors. 1t has
been Il principle of Ottoman government
to allow no official survey or census but it
is believed that the total population of the
empire does not exceed thirty-two millions,
and of these about thirteen millions are in
Europe. OF the latter only three millions
are Moslems; the rest belong to the sub
ject races and religions. Turkey is not
really Il Mohammedan country. The faith
of Christ has existed in ConstantinOple n
thousand years longer than the creed of
the Prophet, and is to day held with sur
prising tenacity by three-fourths of the
subjects of the Sultan. 1t is the very
diversity of these conquered races and
their almost total separation from each
other by mountain ranges, by deep, broad
waters, and by lack of roads as much rs
the merciless oppression which gives them
no chance to revolt, that have kept the
Mosem minority in SO full and continued
power The Servians and Albanians are
different tribes, with different tongues; so
with the Greeks and Bulgarians, with the
Armenians and Syrians. Between many
districts even II similarity of religion does
not exist, and companionship in misery
forms the only bond Of unity in interest.
Besides all this, the Moslems alone possess
arms. 1t has always been fundamental
principle that the entire military force
shall be drawn exclusively from the ranks
of the faithful; and, although recent re-
forms have set aside this maxim, yet the
condition of the Christian seems not to be
altered, or altered for the worse. The
Turks have the fortresses and the harbors,
the arsenals and the treasury, incompara-
BILE Constatinople and all the cities. The
rdyahS, poor and crushed by centuries of
slavery, are scattered far and wide over
the country, and have only their humble
homes and little patches of ground cover
ed with taxation.
Even these do not belong to them. No
Christians family is involate, nor can he
own foot of the land Oh which he tolls
out his days. 1t should be said, rather,
that this latter statement was the law for
four centuries, until abolished by therecent
Ianzjmat of bdul-Medjid in 1856. But
we are considering the causes of decay in
the Ottoman Empire, and no reforms of
recent date can affect the subject especial
ly as these usually fall dead upon their
promulgation. The Tdn2in,at itself, a con-
stitution of which any Christian nation
might be proud, has produced pitiably
small results, although it promised per-
feet Utopia. No Christian, then, however
wealthy in money, however powerful in
his tribe, could be landed proprietor.
The titled fields, the bounGless pastures,
the luxuriant vineyards, all remained in
the grasp of the Turks, who are usually
poor in money, lacking in enterprise, and
unable to do anything with their posses
sons but to let them out TO the despised
Christians from whom they wiring the last
farhing by taxation. Then, when they
come round on their too frequent visits of
collection, they invade the sanctty of the
home, and make the Christian feel the
heaviest yoke that ever CALLED the neck of
man. No beautiful wife or daughter is
safe from the lustful Turk. The victim of
his fancy is ruLhlessly torn from the weep
ing and stricken household, and, despite
all ule me eulclS anu PROMISES Vi IcCeIlu
years, the ruined husband or father is
fortunate to come away with his head, if
he goes to make complaint. But u few
weeks ago an aged father, whose daught-
ers had fallen under the evil eye of the
collector, trcmblingly declined to lodge
him, as is the custom, until the village
taxes were gathered. The cnraged Turk
saddled and bridled the man, and rode
him back and forth until he sank with ex-
haustion Nor does the foul tyranny cease
with the wives and daughters; even the
boys are seized and dragged to ruin Il
was an infamous proposal made by a TURK
to a Christian boy, at the fountain Of Bel
grade, that led to the horrible lombard
ment of defenseess Scrvians in 1862; and
finally, through the indignation aroused il
all Europe, to the delverance Of four wall
ed cities to Seryia. But he who woulC
write the deeds of Turks must dip his pei
in the springs of Gehenna.-AppletonS
Journal