The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-05-10

so is Constantinople called AS, a
very queen Of cities, she sits on the
cross roads Of European AID Asialic
travel, holding in her hands the keys
Of two continents.
Perhaps no part Of the world has
witnessed grander contests for 81
premac, than the neighhoring shores
where Europe aud Asia have 50 often
struggled for the mastery. Not far
from Conslantinople was the famous
siege Vi TroJ, made forever classic by
the immortal Homer. These shores
saw Xerxes aud his Persian hosts
pouring like deluge into Greece ;
and soon after in turn saw Alexander
and his invncible phalanges sweeping
past into Asia. The Romans under
Constantine made Constantinople the
metropolis of the world"
About the beginning Of the thir-
tcenth century Constantinople, being
then more Greek than Roman, fell into
the hands Of the Ottomans.
The Turks, known in the days OF
Pllny, like so many other nomads
descended from that store house Of ma
tions, Central Asia, into Asia Minor
and then, after series Of the mOsI
splendid achievements. captured Con
slunlInople, alter which they passed
over into Europe and, more or less
subjugateh all the neighboring nations
Greeks, Servians. Austrians, Poles
W allachians. A lbanians, Hungarlans
Vcnclians and Germans. Also, ages
ago, the great SlAvonan family like
wise came GU: of Central Asia and set
tied in Northern Europe, and are the
Russians of modern times.
These two streams from Central
Asia, whatever their relationship may
have been originally, are to-day as
different aud antag0nislic AS races could
well be. The one the greatest power
of the middle ages, but now perhaps III
its decadence. Tue other the greatest
nation of modern times Ot their All
tagonisms the most prominent is re-
liyiUus. The Russians are the most
orthodox of Christians The Turks the
most faithful of Manommedans. Thes,
two nations have had frequent col
lisOns in the past, and are to-day ar
rayed against each other in moral
combat. And the cauSus beiH 10 Il re
ligious one. Many. of the European
subjects OF the Porte are Saws, and are
also Greek christians, and complain OF
persecution and bad treatment at the
hands of the Turks, which Russia eels
bound to resent. But however just
this plea Of Russia may he, it is evident
that she needs Southern outlet To the
sea, and doubtless covets the iair pos.
sessions Of her Southern neighbour. and
viii! make gigantic effort to obtain
them.
1t might be supposed at first ance
that in such struggle Russia would
receive the hearty sympathy Of the
whole of Christian Europe, but such is
lar from being the case. The Western.
or Roman, Church ID most bitterly OPP
posed to the Eastern Church, and will,
NJ far vs. possible, aid the Turk against
Russia. And many OF the subjects OF
Austria are Slavs, and she fears Pan
Slavic movement by Russia. And
Englsnd's vast interests in the East fol :
bids that she should allow the "Key of
the East" to fall into the hands of the
Colossus of the North, which is already
moving down upon Southern ASIA In
any event she will he very careful to
keep Russia off the Suez Canal. So
Turkey is likely to have powerful al
lies. And Germany will not sit still
and let the map Of Europe be remod
eled without taking a part in the di'is-
ion of the spoiIs. And the moment
she becomes engaged France will find
an excuse for attempting 10 retake her
lately lost States, Alsace and Lor-
rsine.
A war in which all the great powers
are engaged will assume proportions
perhaps never before equalled in an.
cient or modern times, aud will he fol-
lowed by results that no one can PIE
diet with any certainty. Russia may
not succeed to the extent Of her de-
sires; but the spirit Of the age is against
Turkey, and she will, most likely, dis
appear, at least from Europe.
IvAx