The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-11-19
NO. 10.

lAdI DOWCL 6a GLC SuLCte eAA "a OSAiNA
portions. Bulgaria recognizes Tur-
kew as the Suzerain, although Bull
garia was practically torn from Turkey
by the aid of Russia. Bulgaria being
Slav country and having the Greek re-
ligion, of which the great patriarch is
Gar, claims the right to dictate not
only who shall be her rulers, but as to
her Government and administration.
Recently Russia has made immense
and sinister advances in the increase of
her armament and navy upon the Black
Sea. Every thing has pointed TO an
advance of Russian interests and power
in the direction of ConstantinOple. In
other words, she is making the contest
for Central Asia on the Bosphorus. To
this end Persia has become really a
Russian khanate, and Afghanistan may
he what Circassia has become.
''It is useless to Drophesy about any
movements connected with this East
ern question:; for is it not the uneX-
pected which always happens? Last
year, the coup d etat of Prince Alex
ander annexed Eastern ROumelia to
Bulgaria. 1t fell upon Constantine
pie like thunderbolt from clear sky.
1t was aimed at an asteroid, but it
struck several planets. 1t happened at
=
This commences just after the season
of Ramazan, which is the Lent of the
Turk. The Beiram is the season of fes-
tivity. Then the Turk quits his fast. At
the beginning of Beiram. the Sultan
receives all the civil and military func-
tionaries. He invites all the foreign
Ministers to be present at his grand
palace of Dolma Batche. At the last
Beiram, in September, 1885. l was on
my way in the American launch from
Therapia to the palace, when a mes
senger from the Sultan stopped our
boat to say that his Majesty had post
pOned the reception of the foreign
Ministers because of remarkable
event which had just occurred. 1t was
the Bulgarian emeute, which annexed
East Roumelia. l shall never forget
the scene which occurred, for ! pur-
sued my way to the vicinity of the
palace, although l did not enter the
palace. ] saw the immense excitement
which Moslem muftis and gold-be-
dizened pashas, even the most phleg-
matte Turks from the little dwarf of
the palace to the Grand Vizicr, felt.
But the moderation of the Sultan
averted the catastrophe at that time.
He restrained his people, while he dis
missed his Ministers. The Ministers
of the great Powers were then called
together Sir William White was then
holding the place of English Minister.
He has within a few days returned
again to that post. But the question
returns; for Russia was lying in wait
for the opportunity to disposscss the
Prince who would not obey her be-
hests; and when some months ago that
Prince was seized by Russian ennis
saries and transported beyond the bOr-
der a new crisis came upon the affairs
of Turkey and of Bulgaria.
England has not much trading or
political interest in the Bulgarian
question; but still it is her interest,
with her 10000, 900 of MOhammedans
in her Indian Empire, to keep the good
will of the head of Islam, which is the
Sultan. Besides, does she not contest
in the Balkans with Russia, and upon
the contest depends her Asiatic pres
tige and sway over 200, 100000 of peo-
pie. When the Gar, at the launching
of one of his great vessels at Odessa,
upon the Black Sea, not long since an
nounccd the resurrection Of the Russian
navy upon that sea, and when the mayor
of Moscow, in presenting an address to
Gar, shortly after, prophesied that the
Russian flag would soon float over the
dome of st. Sophia. the temple Of
Byzantine Christendom, it was sus-
picious notice and warning to all the
world that the dreams of conquest in
dulged by Peter the Great and Catha-
rine Ii. had not been dissipated in the
brain of the Great White Gar"
The reporter, after listening to the
conversation of Mr.. Cox, asked him
whether he would return to his post
again or remain in this country. Mr..
Cox said that his relations with the
Porte and with the Sultan had been
most agreeable; that his principal
work had been accomplished, as
would appear hereafter. when the
diplomatic correspondence was pub
lished in connection with matters
of Importance TO the citizens of the
United States resident in Turkey.
The most important affairs connected
with the American Legation concern
schools, colleges, missions, Bible
houses and printing houses, colpor-
teurs, etc. These men and women we're
working under American auspices, by
the aid Of American means. it would
surprise the American people to know
how much good American money and
teaching had done for Asia Minor,
Syria. Judea, Bulgaria, Macedonia, in
IdcI IoI lnc PeopIe7 u Ilc CIloihal
Empire. The amount Of money IN
vested, the books published, the hands,
native and foreign, employed, the
scholars taught and the taxes paid were
marvellous, considering that the work
had been going on only some fifty
years. America is thus permeating
and revolutiouizing the Orient; not by
propagandizing Of the Christian relig-
ion, but by education. The Minister
who goes to Turkey from the United
States will have plenty of employment
in protecting these interests from the
jealousy of other Christian sects and
the jealous misapprehcnsion Of the
Turks in the interior of the country.
Time will tell how far these educational
elements will affect tho dominant re-
ligion and institutions Of the East. 49,
N. 7. BfQH and EJpresS.