The Van Buren press., 1877-05-22
ORIGIN OF THE WAR
Il sketch Of the Causes that Led to
the Invasion OF Turkey by the
Russians aud the Diplomatic
Negotiations which Prece-
ded IL.


peasants in Herzegovina, resulted In {
petty contest, which continued until il
January, 1875. the peasants ned to Mon
tenegro The governor OF Herzegovina
offered the fugi,ives amnesty, aud the,
returned home, but we're exposed to out
rage, their dwellings we're burned, and
several werc put to death. From the be
ginning, the contestspresd, and assumed
u political tone; and, by June. REBEL
ion had broken out. and was well under
way, the peasants heing encouraged by
Servis. Two months later, the Europe
an cabinets sent consular agents to con.
fer with the insurgents, but the latter
would not lay down their arms, until as
sured of protection, relieved rom excess
i've taxation aud focced labor ON the
roads, and given justice in the courts
The Porte sent Salfet Pasha as com
missioner to hear their complaints, and
he gave in September. 1875, a pledge, ap.
proved by an Imperial HIATT, that there
should be no more arbitrary and vexa-
tiops acts, that justice should be given
those who had been wronged, and that all
persons unjastly imprisoned should be
released. The insurgents refused to lis
ten to these offers, and October IL and
December 13, more liberal reforms were
promised by the porte, including an
abandonment of arrears OF taxes, rep.
resentation in the administration coun-
ellis, etc. Still the rebels persisted, and
their enterprise extended, aided, covert.
~, by Scrvia and Montenegro. In the
meantime, RUSSIA, Germany and Austria,
took counsel together,- AID the famous
" Andrassy note" was prepared and made
public in December, 1875, proposing
system Of reforms, establishing complete
religious liberty abolishing the farm.
ing" Of taxes; applying the revenue
from direct taxation in Bosnia and Her
segovina to those provinces. and that
from indirect taxation only to the Otto
man empire. allowing portions Of the
public land to be purchased by Chris
tians on easy terms, etc. This note was
adopted BY the powers, England giving
her SUPPORT at fhe request Of the porte
The document was presented to the porte
January LIST. 1876, aud all Of its demands
were acceded to, except that concerning
the disposition Of the revenue Of the re
voltcd provinces. But the rebels contin.
ced their fighting until March 80, when
ten days armisticc was agreed on, and an
envoy of Austria cndeavored to neXoti.
ate with the insurgents. The latter de-
mandei tLird Of the land, the rebuild
ding Of the houses and churches burned
by the Mohamedans, food and agricultu-
rs implements for year, freedom from
taxation for three years, the privilege Of
keeping their arms, etc. The negotiation
failed. aud the rebellion continued to
spread. On May g. 1876, the Mohamme-
dans murdered the French and German
consuis in Salonica. On May 80, Sultan
Abdul Aziz was dethroned aud succeed
ed by his nephew Murad, Abdul Aziz
suicide, June 4 and on Aug.
,seded by his brother, the present sultan.
On May IL. dorvschnkotf, Bismark, and
framed the Berlin note"
which demanded OF the porte cessation
Df arms for two months. and declared
hat il, at the end of that time, peace was
not restored, the three imperial courts
arc OF the opinion that it would be neces.
usry to supplement their diplomatic &C
ton by the sanction Of an agreement,
with q view to such ciilcscious measures
As nigh. appear to be demanded, in the
of general peace, to check the
evil. and prevent its development"
France and Italy agreed to support the
note; but England defined. Meanwhile
q rebe lion had broken out in Bulgaria,
and the Christians there were the victims
OF the most horrid atrocities of modern
times. On September Fl, Lord Derby
sent dispatch to the porte, calling for
the punishment of the offenders. They
were, however, never punished. On June
80, Prince Milan proclaimed that Servia's
arms would be joined to those of Here.
govina and Bosnia, to secure the liberia
ton Of the Slavonic Christians from the
yoke OF the porte, and. at the same time
Montenegro went to var with Turkey.
From that date till September, desultory
fghting resulted ia no marked success to
either side. Early ia September, Eng
isad proposed an armistice, which the
porte declined, offering. instead, peace on
conditions declared inadmissible by the
powers basis Of discussion was
proposed by Lord Derby, September q,
but this time Prince Milan rejected il.
War broke out, again; reinforcements
from Russia arrived in Servia, and Gen
Tchernayef resisted the Turkish troops
until October 81, when Alexinatz fell,
and Russia interviewed with an ultimatum.
Before this, however, England was in
formed that Russia believed force should
be used to stop the war. and put an end
u Turkish misrule. 1t was proposed
that Russian troops should occupy Bal.
garia, and Austrian troops Bosnia and
the united fleets of the powers should
enter the Bosphurus. On October Sd
England gave notice that it would not
support this plan, but would sustain q
month"; arWistice. nj turkey thenSofYere
anpqdistiee Of sig monthss for the pro.
mulg1tion az assy stem. Of reform. Eng
land tFfhnc and Aassttia accepted the Of.
hut Russia held that Servia could not &C.
cept 90 ionk truce. as she could not
maintain her army on . war footing that
l,ugth OF time. Italy agreed to Russia
cpurse; Germany -sgreed not to inter.
iere. On Dccsnhsr 22d, Midhat. pash,
wss made grand ~szer Of Turkey, and the
Seyt day n new constitution was pro
cIairned, declaring the sultac constltn
tionsl monarch. and making the ministr,
- -