Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-04
LETTER FROM TURKEY.


Turkey, will interest many of our readers:
MARAsn, TURKEY, Jan 2s, 1879.
Dear FrieHds:-I trust you will be inter
estcd in little episode in our mission life.
The city of Zatoon, with its ten thousand
nominal Christians, is in open rebellion. Its
people have long submitted to the eXtortion
of their Turkish governor with incredible pa
thence, while with little thought of mercy or
justice he has wrung from them an annual
tax of nearly $50, 900, while he has spent
scarcely dollar of it for the good of the peo-
pie. and he has thrust whomsocver he chose
into n loathsome dungeon, rejecting with
scOrn every remonstrance and petition At
last IL hundred men, driven to desperation by
this intocrable taxation, and in fear of the
dungeon, fled to the caves of the mountains,
and in defiance of the government have sup
ported themselves by rnids upon Mosem vii
lagos and passing caravans. They do not
seem to be robbers by deliberate intention,
but rather under the plea of necessity to es-
cape starvation though the step is very brief
from such life to lawless brigandage. A
few weeks ago they entered the city in a body,
destroyed the prison whore men were dying
in dark, damp cellar, and in IA sharp fight
with II large police force sent from Anrnsh to
repair the prison and put them into it, they
killed and wounded dozen or more, and,
disarmng the rest, sent them home, and then
quietly returning to their own houses are still
waiting, weapons in hand, ready ut II mo-
ments warning to rally in mutual defence.
During these visits the treasury was robbed
and the local government prudently retired
from the scene.
Troops are hurryiug to Mnrash from all di-
rectious, and a formidable army is awaiting
orders to march Mt once to Zatoon and de
stroy the town. The government. in its cha
grin, seeks not the cause of the disturbance,
while it seems to know but one remedy. The
horrors of another E,ke Iaghra seemed iucy-
table, but u kind Providence has avcrtcd the
calamity in an unexpected manner.
Saturday evening, Jan. nth, l was sur
priscd 10y Il trle gram from the English con
sui and the Turkish Governor-G General at
Aeppo, inviting me to 90 to Zatoou and seek
to adjust the difficulties there without the aid
of soldiers, promising that the army should
not move till the result could be reported
The obstacles in the way seemed almost in
surmountable, but soon decided to 60 IN
toon is thirty-six miles distant among the wild
peaks of the upper Taurus. Half the road is
infested with CirclS,iin tramps, and robbers
from the Moslem villages the other half is in
the hands Of the Zatoou rebels. / took with me
two native friends and the government fur
nished me with armed guards rs far as the Ia-
t.,,- = L :.
seemed better to meet the IltoOn people
alone. As We threaded our way through the
detiles of the mountains we frequently saw
the heads of Mosem robbers and the CLEAN
OF their weapons, peering down upon ms
from the crags above, but We passed them all
in safety and entered the town just after dark
We spent week in earnest conference with
large bodies of influential men, and held sew
eral meetings at night with this band of out
laws. We We're received by all parties with
kindness and confidence. We listened to the
sad story of their wrongs and advised unqual-
flied submission to the government, while We
gave hope that English influence would pro-
tect them from II repetition Of past oppres-
sions. They gave us n paper containing
apologies for their mislctds, with strong as
surauces of loyalty in future and petition
that a suitable governor be sent them as soon
as practicable This paper was signed and
sealed without dissenting vote, and then rs
Il proof of their sincerity they collected the
arms they had taken from the policemen and
sent them by us to Marash. The robbers
even gave us the pledge that if they could be
saved from the vengeance of the Turk they
would at once deliver up their arms and be-
come obodient citizens. With many God
bless you from Armenian, Catholic Protcs-
tant and robber chief, We returned to Marash
on Saturday evening the 18th inst
We found the army impatient to advance
at once, and heard everywhere among the
Moslems the cry for vengeance upon the
Christians of Zatoon. There was imminent
danger that by some mixture of things the
order to advance should actually be given be
fore Hc could get our report to the Governor
General and English consul at Aleppo. Six
hours the next day the telegraph operator by
one pretext and another deferred our mes
sage, and when ut last he began to click oil
the words the wires suddenly broke and could
not be repaired till evening. Those ten
thousand lives must be sGCedi Two hours
later, Just at dark Mr.. Christie and native
brother were in their saddles, and with our
report in hand were clattering down the street
toward Al,ppo, with n wild ride Of laO miles
before them. Hy changing horses they hoped
to be there in twenty -four hours. He went
with Sherman to the sea- aud is usually ready
in emergencies. Monday We delivered to the
government forty four rides, nineteen swords,
captains horsc and various smaller articles
We had taken from the rebels, and on Tues
day We visited the prisons and distributed the
money and clothes the friends Of the prison
or, had sent to them. There are 100 Hatoon
uun confined in Marash prisons, many of
whom are not even Gccused of any crime.
Soldiers may destroy Zatoon, slaughter its
people, drive the robbers back to the noun
tnns and shut up some Of them to waste their
lives in dungeons but We have pleaded rar-
nosily for policy of cancellation and justice
10y which the wrongs of the people may be
rightcd and the government honor,d fOr its
mercy and wisdom. We rejoice greatly that
an English consul sits beside the Turkish
GoNernor-General at Acppo, and that he has
been able thus far to stand between the poor
Christians of Zatoon and the arm that is lift
ed to destroy them. This Zatoon affair fur
nshcs perhaps the first good opportunity for
the English government to try its hand at the
promised reformation of tho Turk. and the
efficient manner in which Mr., Henderson, the
consul, has taken hold of the matter, gives
hope that brighter day for the oppressed
Christians of Turkey is in the near future.
On Wednesday a telegram in cipher assures
us that our report is fayorably received by
the authorities at Aleppo, The telegraph OPP
orator is summarily dismissed from his office
because the wires broke when he was send
ing our message The governor of Marash,