The Cecil Whig., 1877-11-17
CAN RUSSIA SUCCEED?

Z
atrocities had become Of too frequent
repetition, the cruelties of Bashi Basouks
| tian nation longer to passively stand
aloof. The iron hee! of despotsm had
pressed the necks of the Christian sub
ects of the Porte to the last extremity
of patient submission The time for
vigorous action had come. A ready
and earnest response was given by the
whole Russian people. The armies
We're marshaled, and, with flying ban
ners and to the strains of martial music,
marched down to the confines Of Tur-
KEY, crossed the Danube and, before
Europe had an opportunity to protest,
planted the standard of the Cross high
upon the Balkans The Turks, SEEM
ingly unprepared or demoralized by the
energy of the first blow, hurriedlv with
drew from one position to another
after offering only insignificant opposi-
ton. Europe and America looked on
in amazement, and the wonder was in
creased as the historic valor of the
Turk and the desperation with which
he fights for his cause We're remem-
bered. The campaign on the part of
the Russ had all the appearance of
holiday parade, and the probabilities
seemed great that the mosques and
minarets of Constantinople would short
lv throw their shadows on the victori-
Gus hosts of their deadliest foe
The fortified town of Plevna, how
ever, was in the rear, and before finally
crossing the Balkans, the Car turned
aside to remove what was supposed to
be the last remaining obstacle to his
onward march Turkish generalship
saw its opportunity and proved its supe-
riority Osman Pasha formed his plans,
gathered together all his available forces
and quietly awaited the onset. The
Russian, thinking he was marching to
an easy victory, walked into a trap.
The first onslaught was repulsed, the
repeated charges against what proved
to be impregnable defenses met only
terrific loss, and when the supreme mo-
ment arrived, Osman collected his army
force upon the already defeated foe
With consummate skill he followed up
the advantage gained, and the defeat
became a rou.. The ferocious Turk,
with the cry of " Allah Allah :" sank
mercy in his hatred of the invader and
gave no quarter. The splendid army
of tie Gar beaten demoralized, crushed,
its ranks depleted by the loss of thou
sands, struggled back to its defenses,
and the campaign, begun with such
flourish Of trumpets, ended in the most
disastrous failure The Crescent had
outgeneraled the Cross.
Nor, if we turn to the Asiatc cam
paign, do we find the Russian arms
much more successful upon the Dan
ube. They have met, it is true, with
no crushing defeat, nor. on the other
hand, have they gained any decisive
triumph From the confused accounts
that reach us, colored as they are by
the respective sources from which they
proceed, it would seem that Cossack
valor is no greater than Ottoman BRAY
cry, that the citadel of the Porte is in
no imminent peril and that CONSTANT
nople is as far away as ever. kars,
the kew to the first line of their de-
fenses, still remains in possession of
the Turks, and to all appearances is
likely so to remain for some time to
come. Erzeroum still holds out, and
the army of Mukhtar Pasha, although
defeated, is, by no means, conquered
After a campaign of several months,
characterized on both sides by remark
able courage and relieved to some cx-
tent by the display of skilful tactics, it
NAV be truly said that the opposing
armies, both in Europe and in Asia,
occupy about the same positions as at
the outset.
With such result staring US in the
face, the question meets US: Can Rus
sia succeed! With the sympathy and
moral support of America and nearly
the whole of Europe on her side, with
larger and better disciplined army at
her back, and more amply supplied with
"the sinews of war" if, with all these
conditions in her favor, she has been I'M
able to make any greater progress than
she has in this first campaign, who
shall say that she will do more in
second? Mr.. Thomas Mast, in re-
cent issue of "Harper's Weekly, has
epitomized the whole subject in car
toon, in which the Porte is represented
seated in a position common in the
East, with legs crossed and an alto
gether placid but cunning expression Of
cOuntenance The half-closed eve has
very much the appearance of a leer and
the bulge in the face looks for all the
world as though his tongue were in his
cheek. Just opposite, and facing him.
is his bitter antagonist, the Gar, who,
halfreclining on the ground, with out
stretched legs and arms hanging list,
lessl v at his side, and great drops of
perspiration standing out upon his fore
head has all the appearance of thor
oughIy exhausted nan. Under the pie
ture, the significant question is asked
(Which is tile sick man ~" Who shall
answer: