The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-05-13

declaration accepting the priest. On tue'I
refusal fifty blows with the 'nagaika
(C"ssack whip were given to every adult
man twenty five to every woman and ten
to every child, irrespective of age or sex,
one woman, who was more vehement than
/ the resi-, t,rcceiviDg as much as one hundred.
| There are many rumOrs of further barbar
itit q, but have confined myself to whit /
have been able to anthem ticate." Six weeks
later the same official announces that,
" although the measures in respect of the
| United Greeks are still being put intoexe
cution, the means of repression and coercion
| have undergone some alteration THAT Ia,
it appears an overwhelming force of mill
| tary prevented any resistance, droves of
recalcitrants we're imprisoned aud commu-
mites fined. On the first of January, 1875,
Colonel Mansfield again reports that +" the
details of the antagoDism between the au
thOrit,es and the peasants have been most
narrowing. In one village II peasant suf-
focated himself aud his family with char
coal, rather than have his child bsptised by
the governmental parish pope" The NOR
tality in tho peasants bivouacking in the
forests had been "frightful." On the 90 III
of the same month the Consul had "the
honor to report that fifty:wo thousand
United Greeks in the Government of Sic
dice had been received into the Russian
National Church, but adds that this has
been effected by various means, in which
physical maltreatment has formed a not
lnconsiderable element, besides Punishment |
to Siberia, the devonring of taer substance |
by the Cossacks and corporal punishment.
In the village, lie saye, 1.-The peasants were
assembled and beaten by the Cossacks until |
the military surgeon stated that more !
would endanger life;" "they were then !
driven through a half frozen river up to
their waists iuto the parish church through
Fl es of soldiers" where their names were
entered IN petitions expressing their
"boundless DEVOTION" to their "august
Sovereign Liberator," and their readiness
20 "waik in the course traced out by his
powerful imperia! wIli"! These, it must |
be remem beTed, are tho statements of the
English Consul General; if the charges of
Roman Catholic jrprl,ia, such as the
Monde, are consldered, ircomparably
worse things are alleged.
1t Is not surprising That the anti Russian
papers In EDglaed like the Telegraph
should make these facts the basis of fierce
articles 10 reply to the phil
lnthrophists who insist that Russia shall
oe regarded as dlvine.y appointed agent
or the establishment of freedom and CT vii
zstion in European Turkey; aud it is worth
while for Americans to consider them SER
ously when they are making up their
rinds upon the merits of the Russo Tuck
sh conflict from a strictly Humanitarian
,olnt of view. They do not prove of course,
hat Bulgaria and Bosnia would not be
'etter off, materially speaking, under Rus
ian rule than ppder Turkish rule. Bat
hey do afford very grave reasons for de-
lining to regard Russia as an entirely dis
Interested and trustworthy representative
+ liberal Christianity, moved and instiga-
ed to her attack upon Turkey solely by
nd federation from the Danu be 20 the Sea
Marmora.