Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1877-05-10
A x To THEWAKo
TuaKsY AND Russia HISTORY On
III. EAsrERS QUESTION.
A cHArrER THAT WILL Assist TO A
PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF
CURRENT FOREIGN IN
rgLLIaRNcR.


Russia and Turkey are remote ant
the many complications leading Il
exciting difficulties cannot he easily
understood without q close study
OF TIE political history OF modern
Europe. PrimsrilyFof d religious
nature, what ID now generaiized a,
the Eastern question gradually be
came q problem involving the ex'
istencs Of some nations, and The
10 success or defeat Of d stinctlye ma.
3 tional politics. ;7'7qs
g 1.-THE Christian Church was eoi
4 msny eentariesa united body, with
power c~entering at Rome. When
Constantine made Constsntinople
the Capitol Of the new Roman
Empire sbe Bishop Of the new
Capitol became the rival of the
Roman Pontif, and aspired to ex-
elusive dominion over the entire
sgchurch. This led to a bitter quar-
rel, and finally to separation be-
tween the East and the West---be.
tween the Greeks and Latins.-
Cons.antinopls remained the actu-
al Capitol OF the Roman Empire
a and head of the Eastern or Greek
y, Church, while Rome was head Of
the Latin, or Roman Catholic
Church. ~ @s1iea4.$H HfF
The western portion Of the
empire was OVER IN blythe northern
harbarisus, and several Kingdoms
were founded on the rains.a CharS
lemange united these in one em-
pirelof which France was the head
with recognition Of Rome as the
O head of the Western Church. All
els time the Eastern or Greek
Empire had been iulexistence with
Constantinople as the head Of The
Western Church. All this time
Eastern or Greek Empireha d been
ri an existence with Constantinople
as the head Of the che.eh and the
p seat Of government The West
q was hostile to the East, and church
and national policies we're shaped
onothis. Il The crusaders Of the
West even went 90 far ss1to turn.
aside from their attempts to re-
cover Jerusalem from the Turks to
capture and pillage Constantinople
the capital Of the Christians of
the East. 76yAifagis i-ge't
a This blow was o serious one, aud.
from it dates the decline the East.
efn or Greek Empire. The EN-
pirs and the church went down,
with the capture Of Constantino-
pie by the Turks inu1455. The
Turkish policy = was to tram
Pile out the religion of the East.
as we'll as the political iepirit1 and
centuries of cruel struggle eusaed.
The Christians of the northern
section found o friend in young
Russia. That nation adopted from
the FIRST the Greek faith and wor$
ship, and became its champion.
The struggling nations of the East
turned naturally 10 her. and she
rose rapidly in power. She inber-
tied the quarrel with the Catholic
powers of the west. and all her
people hated che Turk. Her nat
ural policy wOs relentlessly .ag-
gressivs. Her aim was repossess
the countries of the Eastern EN-
pire, and, above oil TO recapture
Constantinople. Thatcity was to
Russian the holy city and, in
rounding out the boundaries of his
empire he in the earlier stages of
the struggle, never lost sight of
the purpose 10 regain the old cap
itol. This spirit entering into a
national policy became threatening
20 Western Europe, and, as the
Government of Russia schened for
commercial % we'll as political
ascendency the commercial ma
tions Of the West shaped their
policy to oppose any such consum-
mation. This feeling entered into
all alliances and combinations and
the West, being strong politically
and commercially has prevailed.
1he West drove the Turk from
her every state or nation, but she
has resisted every attempt Of the
East to drive the same people from
her old empire. This is one phase
OF the case. \ b5s ss9t So ~ III
Politically, Russia has Always
been the friend and ally Of every
nation oppose TO tho Turk She
has been in sympathy with the
rebels in every revolutionary or
incrrrectionary movement in Tur
kew because the insurrcctiopists
were Christians Of the Greek
Church. She early conquered
Moldavia aud Wallaobia and com