The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-05-24
THE RUSSO.TURKISH WAR.

THE RUSSO.TURKISH WAR.
Russia, one of the great powers of Eu-
rope, and Turkey, which ranks only as a
third or fourth power, are now engaged
in a war, the extent Of which 1t Is very
difficult to define ut present. The War.
results from the antagonism of race, re-
ligion and political interests The os-
tensible pretext on the part of Russia for
the declaration of war against Turkey~is
the deliverance of the Christian subjects
of Turkey from the oppression and hor-
rible prosecutions of the latter power.
The Greek Church is the established re-
ligion in Russia, and the Mahommedan
in Turkey. A large majority of the
people of most of the Turkish provinces
in Europe are Of the Christian persua-
sion, and these are deprived of all polit-
ical rights, and subjected to the domina-
ton of the Mahommedan power, the
outrages and cruelty of which have for
centuries shocked not only the Christian
but the civilized world. The barbarous
ferocity of the Turks could not have con-
tinued so long in enlightened Europe if
it had not been for the influence of po-
litical considerations which the leading
powers of Europe have been unable to
settle to their mutual satisfaction. The
sympathies of Europe are with the op-
pressed, outraged and suffering Christians
in the Turkish provinces, and yet so
controlling are the conflicting political
interests of the leading nations, that in
1854 the two great Christian powers of
Europe-England and France-the one
Catholic and the other Protestant, united
with Turkey against Russia to perpetuate
in European Turkey the barbarous power
and religious ostracism of the Moslem,
and thus has been presented the glaring
inconsistency of Christian nations ap-
pealing to the sword to sustain the Ma
horumedan power. With nations, how
ever, religious subjects are always of
secondary consideration, and made. sub
servient to those of a political nature.
This has been emphatically the case in
the course which the European powers
have pursued towards Turkey. The
leading powers are jealous of each other,
and opposed to the territorial aggrandize-
ment of any one of them. Constanti-
nople is the objective point to which
Russia has looked since the tine of Peter
the Great, and she will not be Satisfied un-
til it is obtained. So important is it to
Russia, to afford her maritime outlet to
the Atlantic Ocean, that without it, not
withstanding her great extent Of terrific.
ry and formidable armies, her navy and
marine must remain relatively inconsid-
erable. rs.. ~. .e.a
The interests of England in the Medi-
terranean, in Africa and in Asia induce
her to oppose any of the great power
obtaining possession of Constantinople.
To prevent this England united with
France in 1854 to assist Turkey in the
Crimean War, and is now preparing to
involve all Europe in war sooner than
permit Russia to take and hold it. Italy,
Austria, Germany and Russia each wants
portions of Turkey, but they cannot agree
among themselves as to its partition, and
the other powers of Europe are utterly
opposed to any one of them having any
part of it. What is to be done with
Turkey comprises in nutshell what is
implied by the Eastern Question" For
more than a century the statesmen of
Europe have grappled with it, without
being able to solve it, and the temporary
arrangements made for guaranteeing it's
independence were intended to avert a
general European war, which it was
universally feared would follow any per-
manent settlement Of the question which
could possibly be made. 1t cannot be
supposed for moment that Europe, by
those treaty stipulations which guaran-
teed the integrity Of, the Ottoman terrific
ry, intended to foist permanently upon
Europe, Asia and Africa the Mahomme-
dan religion and government. These
treaty stipulations were mere temporary
expedients to meet threatening exigen-
cies, fraught with more immediate dan
ger to the general good than Mahomme-
dan imposition and domination. .,
These treaty stipulations are now at an
end, and the nations of Europe must
meet the question, face to face, "What
shall be done with Turkey?" Russia, if
left alone, will conquer Turkey; but the
present indications are that she will not
be left alone, that alliances will be formed
by each of the opposing powers, and chat
the Mahommedan power, which was es-
tablished by the sword, will perish by
the sword, having drenched all Europe
in blood.
PRESIDENT HAYES AS AN ORATOR.
The annual banquet of the Chamber
of Commerce of New York was celebra-
ted on the 18th inst, and President Hayes.
and his Cabinet were present. Invita-.
tions we're also given to Ex-Gov. Tilden,
Gov. Robinson and the leading officers of
New York, but as Democrats they de-
clined, because they could not consent to