The Hickman courier., 1877-05-18
Ehe Canse 81 tns Eastern
MAJ


The t5Iity sf Hassia s!sadilg lbaiu-
tained for centuries-a policy of con
tinued aggression and conquest,a a reach =.
ing out iu all directions her Poiley OF
becoming naval power, inaugurated
by Peter lie GreaI, and steadily pur
sued since In pursuing her policy Of
conquest and OF naval supremacy, she
has acquired Finland and Poland, or
rather Lithuania, on the Baltic ex-
tended her power around aud beyohd
the Caspian, occupied Tnrkesian' ana
made other conquests IN ASla' auueu
the Crimea on the Black, ana the
Caucasus, lying between the Caspian
aud the Back This great steady
policy stands out As leadiug Tact, ana
present movements are but step Tor
ward on the same line. Over against
this Is the lending fact on the
other side-the existence Of the Otto
man power, founded on the runs OF
the SeGuk dominion in Asia, nation
ot odds and ends Of races, ot clviiiza
tons, Of religions The only reason
inT It's remarkable existence, the ouiy
/ power by which it possesses unity OF
/ purpose aud force to bind and hoid
( its pats together. i to be found IN the
religious fauaticism which has prevent
ed Us coale,cing with any Christian
/ people-this aided by jeaiou-les of
other nations. 1t is precisely tins
4 difference OF religion. however, and,
The mosaic structure Of the natlon-a
/ sort of deLris and driit-the ruins Of
the past-which Offers TO Russia the
opportunity 20 apply her policy and 10
succeed 10 the effects cot n bankrupt
aud ruined estate. II Is then, remote
ly, coufiet between two variant civ
iIizaiions, two opposing religions, and.
more nearly, a contest between The ad
vaUcing policy Of conquest and acqni
-ition aud naval policy of great pro
gre~,ive power aud au etfete and Dc
/ clining power contending lormere ex>
istence, long after its days Of progress
are ended.
The internal administration in Tur
kew by Moslem magistrates. the col
lection Of taxes by farming out the
revenue districts to Moslem. or some-
times worse Christian advrnturers,
makes prediction mere labor for the
tax collector. whose power is absolute,
and appealsto the courts onlya source
Of new exaetiOns and never Of Justice.
The Porte has promised the powers
after each war, in each treaty, to re
form these abuses, but. especially in
remote province, reform has been q
sham because incompatible with the
system.
The Porfe replied in a circular TO a u
Turkish representatives. abroad. resent
ing in de6ant language. the Indication
Of foreign Intervention in the internal
affairs Of Turkey.
The irdependent action Of Russia
followed in her unavoidable declara
ton Of war Through all this, the
early union Of Germany, Austria and
Russia and the fact that they have not
disagreed during the negotiations
stands out. although the policy OF
Austria IN 1856 depIives it OF some Of
its sigIifieance. Another significant
point i. the reluctant agreement Of
EnglaGd, drawn away for time from
her Oh policy, iuto signing the proto
col, tie Insulting rejection of which
compiled a declaration If war.
The immediate cause Of the war
then, was MosIem oppression Of Slavic
Chri,tisns, allied with Russia by the
ties Of race and religion, and by the
iuteresis aud objects Of Russian policy