Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-12-08

ubian princ!palities, under the soVer-
eighty of the Porte required Russia 10
cede back to Turkey certain territory
at the mouth of the Danube, and to re-
frain from maintaining armed vessels
on the Black Sea or to fOrtify Black
Sea ports, while the sea itself was made
neutral On his part, the Sultan prom
.sed to establish equality between his
Mohammedan and Christian subjects,
which promise, like all Turkish prom
ises, never amounted to a row OF pins.
Oppression of the Christian subjects CT
the Sultan was resumed and soon caused
instructions in Lebanon, Crete, Her
zlgoyina, and elsewhere. These were
put down with characteristic Turkish
severity. But the discomfort arising
from Turkish rule was not to be placated
so easily. SeIvia elected its Turkish
garrisons, Bosnia and Montenegro took
up arms, Wallach!a and Moldavia uni
ted as Roumania, and from 1850 to 1875
revolt followed massacre and massacre
followed revolt, throughout the petty
principalities of Turkey IN Europe.
The situation called for the exercise
of the wisest craftsmanship on the part
Of the Turkish government. Instead OF
this, brute force was called into play,
and this policy OF repression was most
severe where least needed. The result
was inevitable. The revolt of HerZi-
govina, in 1875, attracted European no
tice, and brought forth a joint note
from Austria Germany and Russia, call
ing the attention Of the Porte to the fact
that the
PROMISES OF REFORMS
had not been kept, and threatening
combined action. England DID not sign
this note until urged to do so by Tur-
key, which trusted that English action
to that extent would mean English pro-
lection TO Turkey should the worst come.
The Porte then promised anew that It
would change its policy, and then went
on from bad TO worse. MOhammedan
fanatacism ran riot. At Salonica the
German and French consuls were muir
dered. There was a revolt at COnstan-
t!nople, and the Sultan, Aab-ul-Az:z,
was dethrOned, and a few days later
committed suicide. Hir brother, Mu-
rad assembled the throne, kept it three
months and was displaced for Hamid.
Then Bulgaria rose in revolt. This was
the signal for an invasion Of a swarm of
Bashi-BazOuks, and the most horrible
outrages and massacres followed, as
founding and horrifying the civilized
world.
Meanwhile Russia was active The
Gar proposed an European confer
ence at Berlin, to compel Turkey to
keep her promises, but England held
aloof, Lord Derby fearing to take part
in any such concerned action. Disraeh
laughed at the stories of Bulgarian
atrocities. and thus encouraged, the
Porte went on in It'll -er of blood. AS
in the more recent Armenian horrors,
the Turkish government not only did
not stop the massacres, but loaded the
murderers of Christians with hOnors.
The sympathies of the great mass of
the English people were awakened, but
Disraeli continued to sheer at the sto-
ries from Bulgaria, until he was awak-
ened to the danger Of Russian action,
when he partially admitted them, but
announced that they were brought
about by revolts
STIRRED UP BY RUSSIA
in furtherance Of her designs upon
COnstantinOple. It was in vain that
Mr.. Gladstone called for the turning
of the Turks, bag and baggage, out of
Europe. English public opinion accept
ed the view of Lord Beaconsfeld,
acquiesced in his demand for Turkish
policy which would be a bar to Russian
aggression and the Turkish massacres
went on. In June, 1876, Montenegro
and Servia declared war on Turkey.
Servia, never worth much in a fight,
was soon conquered, but plucky Mon
tenegro held out. England mildly sug-
gested to Turkey the desirability Of
peace, but no attention was paid to 1t.
Then Russia sent the Porte a demand.
Lord Derby acquainted Russia with the
English notion of things, in response to
which the Gar gave assurances that
he had no idea of taking or holding
ConstantinOple He declared that the
safety of the Christians was his sole
object in Intervention. Lord Beacons-
field INDUCED in much hard talk about
Russia, and limited of war, but, never
theless, there was an European confer
ence in COnstantnOple, ii first as
sembling November s, 1876. 1t resulted
in nothing, because Turkey, assured Of
England's cid, would promise nothing.
The winter passed without the situa-
ton being improved, but on April "a,
1877, the Sultan granted a constitution
and a parliament of two houses-an
opera bouffe proceeding which deceived
no one. and which did no good. Russia
DECLARED WAR ON TURKEY
and sent an army across the Danube,
while another invaded Turkey In Asia
The Russian European army met with
an unexpected resistance, but finally
stormed Plevna and crossed the Balk-
ans, while in Asia Kars was captured.
With the opening of 1873 the way to
COnstantinople was open, and the
Russians pushed on until their advance
vas almost within sight of the dome
of St. Sophia.
1t was then that the English lingo"
was evolved His god was Beaconsfeld,
and his dream an English war with
Russia The English government felt
called upon to make a strong bluff, and
1t made it. It ordered a fleet to Con-
stantinOple. Lord Carnarvon resigned
Lord Derby threatened 10 resign, and
the feet that had reached the Dardan-
Giles was ordered back to Besika Bay
Upon the news of the Russian ap-
proach to Constantinople the feet that
had been ordered back was again or
dered forward. Russia had made a
treaty with Turkey, at Adrianople,
which secured almost complete indie
pendence of Turkey for the Christian
provinces, and the creation of d new
Bulgarian state with a seaport on the
Aegean Sea- England, listening to the
feeble protestation of Turkey that it
had been compelled to sign the treaty,