The record-union., 1895-12-30

CHRISTIANS, however deeply ABSORBED IN
politics.
THE Armenians constitute the sole
civilizing element in Anatolia. Christ
ianS they are, and from the middle of
the fifth century scarcely year has
elapsed in which Armenian men and
women have not unheSitatingly laid
down their lives for their religious be-
lief. The murdered of Sassoun, of Van,
of Erzeroum were Christian martyrs;
and any or all of those whose eyes were
gouged out, whose quivering flesh was
torn from their bodies, might have OBJ
tained life by embracing Islam and alb
juring Christ. But, instead, they died
like Christian martyrs. Why is it that
our compassion for these, our fellow
men, has not yet assumed the form of
effective help? For reasons of higher
politics.
THE condition of Armenian Chris
tians when we first interfered Gn 1879
was deplorable. Laws existed only on
paper Mohammedan crimes were pun
iShable only in theory. Russia was
willing to substitute law and order for
crime and chaos, and to guarantee to
Christians the treatment due to human
beings. But we then denied her right
to do this, as she refuses to admit our
claim to undertake it single-handed.
I'VE said in effect: Though our polit-
ical interests may clash with those of
Russia, we will see to it that they are
not subversive Of the elementary prin-
ciples of human justice and the immu-
table law of God Yet we never took
any efficacious step to fulfill the SOL
i
exhaustive reports, the press published
heartrending details, Armenian eccle-
siastics presented appeals. Yet we
pigeonholed the Consular reports and
ignored the petitions of the priests. We
pressed the knob, as it were, in London,
and thereby opened hells portals in
Asia Minor, letting loose legions of
fiends in human shape who set about
torturing and eXterminating the Chris
tians there. And, lest it should be
urged that our Government was ignor-
ant of the wide-reaching effects of it's
ill-advised action, it is on record that
for seventeen years it continued to
watch the narrowing results of that ac-
ton without once interfering to stop it.
During all those seventeen years
written law, traditional custom, the
fundamental rnaxims of human and di
vine justice were suspended in favor
of a Mohammedan saturnalia. Thou
sands of ArmenianS were thrown into
prison and tortured and terrorized until
they delivered up the savings of a life
time. Whole villages were attacked. In
a few years the provinces were deci-
mated. Aloghkerd, for instance, be-
ing almost entirely purged of Armeni-
ans. Over 10000 woe-stricken wretches
fed to Russia or to Persia. On the way
they were seized over and over again
by the soldiers of the Sultan, who de-
prived them of their little money and
clothes, outraged the women and
girls. and then drove them over the
frontier to hunger and die. Those who
remained for a time behind were no
better off. Turkish tax -gatherers fol-
lowed these, cleaning what the brig
ands had left, torturing and flogging
their male victims, dishonoring their
wives and deflowering their daughters.
"Stories of this kind in connection
with Turkish misrule in Armenia have
grown familiar to English ears Of late.
1t should be remembered that these
statements are neither rumors nor ex-
aggerations concerning which we are
justified in suspending our judgment.
History has set its seal upon them The
Turks have admitted these and worse
acts of savagery; the Kurds glory in
them; trustworthy Europeans have
witnessed and described them, and Ar
menians have groaned over them in
blank despair. Officers and MOBILES in
the Sultan's own cavalry regiments
bruit abroad with pride the story of the
long series of assaults and murders
which marked their official careers.
In accordance with the plan of exter
nlination which has been carried out
with such success during these long
years of Turkish vigor and English
sluggishness, all Armenians who pos
sessed moneys or moneys worth were
for a time allowed to buy immunity
from prison. But as soon as terror and
confiscation took the place of extortion
the dungeons Of Erzeroum, Birmingham
Marsovan, Hassankaleh and Van were
filled till there was scarcely standing
room Educated schoolmasters, mis-
sionaries, priests and physicians were
immured in these hotbeds of infection,
and forced to sleep night after night
Z
the foul, reeking corner of the wall.
Hunger, thirst and Shiny water rem
dered their agony maddening.
yet these were not criminals nor al
legged criminals, but upright Christian
men who were never even accused of an
infraction of the law. Into these pris-
ons were venerable old ministers of re-
! Hgion, teachers, missionaries, mer-
chants, physicians and peasants Those
among them who refused to denounce
their friends or consent to some afro
cious crime were subjected to tortures
! indescribable, often occupying days.
while their tormentors laughed and
hcwled in glee. Nights We're passed in
such hellish orgies, and days in in
venting new tortures or refining upon
the old. Some of them cannot be de-
scribed, nor even limited at.
In the homes of these wretched peo-
pie the fiendish fanatics were equally
active and successful. Crime and dis
/ honor, with nameless accompaniments,
menaced almost every girl and woman
/ il. the country. Children were often
married at the age of II, even 10, in the
vain hope of lessening the danger. But
| the protection of husband proved un-
availing; it merely meant one murder
more and one Christian dog less, and
what astonishes one throughout this
| long, sickening story of shame and
crime is the religious faith Of the suf-
! ferers.
such in broad outline has been the
normal condition of Armenia ever since
! the treaty of Berlin, owing at first to
/ the disastrous action, and subsequently
TO the equally disastrous inaction of
! the British Government.