New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-29

to this end both under the presidency OF Uhe ouiV'
and without that august direction. Besides the
Ministry. the highest army officers, with the ex-
Grand Yizers and ex-Sheiks were called to
these councils But it has been far easier to sum
mon councils than TO arrive at any dignifed result.
The proceedings of England since March 2, have
fostered in the bosoms Of the Pashas hope of war
in which England would win and Turkey gather up
the spoils This hope was chilled by the summons
TO attend Congress which wOnld be based
on an understanding between England and
Russia And in the Congress, when Eng
land and Russia failed to quarrel over the bonn
dares when Greece was given hearing, in spite oil
the opposition of Greek Pasha and when England
proposed making Austria the guardian of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the hope finally melted away There
was little that council could do then but TO express
disgust with England as hoodwinked by Russia. In
fact have reason 10 believe that at the Council OF
June 81 feelings alone recorded, and that
single phrase was the lips Of all the members. III
was phrase from that vocabulary beneath bilings-
gate, into which the highest of Turks drops when
mighty passion stuns his mental processes. Inc
phraso is unranslatable but the idea around which
the eloquenoe of the Pashas clung may be rendered
as, " Oh that beastly Congress"
Ibelieye the next council produced vote of non
concurrence in the Austrian occupation Of Bosnia,
with refusal to withdraw the troops. thus erand-
Eely throwing on Austria all responsibility for the
results of collisions. Such buster recalled the
lame and lamentable conclusion OF the famous con-
ference of Constantinope, and for short time one
could not help dreading its repetition. Would not
the threat of war by Turkey break the harmony at
Berliuf Undoubtedly the Turks believed it would
They pushed theoretically all manner of ostenta-
tious preparations for a fight. They ordered new
concentrations of t-oops at COnstantinople. dealt
out new stores 10 the lines, and sent an ironclad
down upon the Russian flank at San Stefano. The
Russians have all along expected and prepared
for resistance on the part of the Turks. They have
a hundred siege guns parked about thirty miles
from here, with which TO carry ont they say, the de-
cisOns OF tho Congress. Some of these siege guns
the Russians brought up to the point above San Ste
fanO, and quietly threw up redOubt for them just
opposite The Turkish ronolad The French fleet APP
fleets were heard from as about To follow ne
power of al Europe was evidently within striking
distance of the Porte. Yet the Turks, with their
fine feet, their hundred thousand men and then
splendid position might do harm. boy with a
loaded revolver might do serious harm before ne
could be disarmed even in the presence OF dozen;
But the Ambassadors called on Safvet Pasha ana
labored with him after the other. Then Mr.
lsayard called on the Sultan and argued with lam.
Then came another great council and the Pashas
accepted the situation with a stipulation OF c0nul-
tions, intended only as restIngpl9ce on the way 10
unconditional surrender. IL was not very long
rest which the Turks had for the Congress instantly
rejected every of the conditions. This action at
once renewed the movement here. Mr.. Layard was
closeted for hours with the Ministers, more grand
councils were convened and il is noticeable that
Osman Pasha and the Minister OF War have been
having long interviews with General IOdleben.
perbo1s tbe Pasbas have hopes of an arTan cement
with tue Russians. now that other hopes are yain
In all this time common people are bTeatblessly
expeetant. The Turks say the kilograms make
them sick by revealing the utter shamelessness of
the European character. They curse Europeans but
as much of their conversation consists of cursnG
their wild passion has lost lis weight Bulgarians.
Greeks Armenians, all watch with great expecta-
lions for the meage daily allowance of kilograms.
Tho odd feature of their mental state is their selfish
ness, even while expectant of liberal things. Each
race has its private publications over that
which tho Congress has done for it, and its private
indignation meetings over the failures of Congress.
But of mutual congratulations and sympathies
there are nome Each nationality reiOiees with the
petty malice Of children over the disappointments
Of the others. They feel the calling yoke of Turkish
Ignorance, and rejoice at deliyerance from it but
that is not the great result for which they sigh.
Their eager watch for the from the Congress
Is to see if it shall put their particular race OF sect
in control over all others some corner of the
Empire. They feel that the chief right of which
they have been deprived is the right of having
portion of territory set apart for their exclusive
and benefit. This is in accord with the
doctrine that each nationality sbOuld be
allowed TO follow its natural aspirations, but it
Is not feasible in Turkey. because so many nation
altios are so hOpelessly intermingied No common
wealth. no true self-gOyeFnment Is possible in Tur
key until the idea of the sovereignty of separate
natiOnaliiies rs abandoned; AS ruie. the various
natiOnalites are not yet advanced to the point of
recognizing how free people can be called upon TO
exercise any self-denials National aspirations de-
Hberately include the idea of tyrannical rule over
whoever stands In their way. This IS freedom.
Take for instance, the Armenians. Their case has
deservedly excited much interest in the Con-
gress. They made census for the ibfOr-
nation Of Congress. They naturally desired
TO make their race appear large as possible But
so far as can learn their statements included no
statistics from the Roman Catholic toe Protest
ant Arnenians Both Of these groups arc educated
and influential, although comparatively small. But
to have asked for admitted their statistics would
have implied equality for them in the new Armenia.
priest who said the other day that Armenia viii
quickly show schsmatics their place, only slightly
passed the line to which his people would follow
hlm. A serious weakness of the Armenian nation
ality is its lack OF laymen endowed with sufficient
intellectual power TO be the peers of the clergy. This
defect has probably had influence upon the PIE
sentatiOn OF the case of Armenia before the Con-
gress. The Armenian delegates at Berlin are two
Bishops. They are learned and quite liberal men,
but are still unable TO look at the question of Ar
lnenian autonomy from any other than ecelesi-
astical point Of view. They ask unchecked power
for their fellow churchmen as Armenian churehmen,
although the ATmenians are only minority Of the
whole population of Armenia. They expect ArmeuIa
TO be 80 constituted TO furnish their educated
young men with official careers. This idea would
make membership Of the Armenian Church the first
and ability secondary qualification for office. To
the majority of the natIOnalites OF Turkey, free
dom means the Turkish political system, changed
only in the nationality of the ruling power. Suc-
cess amid such race enmities. which OyeTlurn the
faireSt theories would prove the work of the Con-
gress q marvellous one. speak from an Eastern
point of wow, and in 80 wSo refer 10 the qnestions
which lie between tho European Powers. For yeaB
10 come England may be torn with quaITes over tho
rrhntlor ord Rnacnnahnlh LOST the