The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-19
Thursday. July 10, 1877.
The Turks and Russians.


That the Turkish rule has been in many
respects cruel, unjust, and oppressive. is
everywhere admitted, and Turkish bigotry
and fanaticism upon religious questions
admit of no dispute. Concedeing all
this, it is difficult to see wherein Russia is
in any way essentially better than Turkey
in regard to allegations Of religious intoler-
ance and blind, unfuriate bigotry.
The Greek Church is the established
religion in Russia, and il we have any &C.
curate information as to It's priesthood and
the character Of the laity, it is as rigid in
its demands and as implacable in its in
tolerance and persecution Of other forms
Of religious observances as Islamism is
alleged TO be. In fact, the general evil
dence Of writer's and intelligent witnesses
who are reputed to be familiar with the
practical condition of affairs in both coun-
tries, leaves little room to doubt that of
the two countries Turkey permits the
greater freedom Of religious observances,
and more readily tolerates the existence of
religious faiths other than that prescribed
by the state.
But aside from the question of religious
tolerance or intolerance, it is not easy to
understand what right Russia has to in
terfere in the municipal and administra-
tive affairs of a neighboring country, par
ticularly as to persons confessedly not her
own subjects, simply because of their
holding to the faith and practices of the
Greek Church.
No such right exists by the law OF
nations, or is inherent 10 religious propa-
gandism. We must seek for other and
stronger reasons. and these stand revealed
in the character Of her former wars, in
the traditional policy which has long
sought the road to Constautinople, and
not in the religious aspect which is so con-
stantly put forward as covering for the
deeper and less honorable designs. The
championship Of the Greek faith seems to
be a common and convenient cloak, but 10
the light Of the past, and interpreted by
Russias unvarying policy toward her
Moslem neighbor, such cloaking of her
designs is merely device to excite Chris
tan sympathy against the faith of Islam
Judging the future by the past it is not
unfair to allege that her chief aud para
mount intention is to enlarge her terri
torial domain and acquire possession of
the coveted Golden Horn.
In this country there has for some time
existed a traditional kindly feeling for
Russia, founded more upon accidental con-
ditions of amity aud friendship than upon
any similarity of institutions or any in
herent qualities of race, of CIVILIZATION or OF
mutual bene6ts;-a species of sentimental
regard, which has never been subjected tc
any pressure either by conflict of interests
or proximity Of arms, This Of itself has
given our nation friendly bias in favor oil
Russia as against Turkey with whom the
same sentimentality has never existed
In addition to this, to some extent in this
country, aud largely 10 England, sympathy
has been enlisted in favor of Russia be
cause Of her assumed championship Of thu
Christian faith as against the heresies o
the False Prophet. Under the glamor o
false issue, and upon the strength o
Christian hostility to Moslem faith, sh
has yelled the real character OF her pro
ceedings and the injustice of her quarrel
To excite the preiudices aud the hatre,
Of the Christian world she has used ef
fectively and with Jealous profusion o
holy horror the alleged atrocities Of tn
Turkish government against its Christian
subjects, aud its obliquity to every ade
quate method Of redress. The horribl
Bulgarian massacres have been held up t
the gaze Of the nations as conclusive proof
Of inherent Turkish ferocity, cruelty an
unftness to govern Yet notwithstanding
all this pious horror, this affected regar
for religion, this protestation OF Turks
depravity and ungodliness, the light G
recent events and the brutal barbaritie
Of the Russians since the present hosti
ties, ito say nothing Of their inhumanit
in times past, afford most conclusive ev
dence that the Russian is equally as win
dictive, cruel rapacious and bloodthirst
as the Turk, and that the huuanizing il
fueuces of the Christian religion hav
failed to make the former in any essentii
particular any more humane or civilize
than Moslemism has the latter.
The course Of events has slowly, bu
none the less surely, abated in q considers
able degree the expression of sympath
and the ardor Of friendship which wer
formerly entertained for the Russians. 7
a cool and dispassionate observer, VIII
considers both the past history and til
relative merits of the present controversy
there would seem to be but little choice I
make between the two contending power
Perhaps the sympathy which is natural
felt for the weaker party, their relatIy
merits otherwise being not dissimia
would incline the generous hearted
sympathize with the Turk. The re,
merits of the war is more in their fave
than in that Of Russia. Because the col
test is without doubt carried on by Ii
Russiano mainly for the purpose of terri
torial aggrandizement and maratime powe
and with merely the faintest regard f
right, justice, or national county.
Should the Russians be ultimately su
cessful il will only be Poland over nrain-