The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-14

oWeIl In peace and are innocent OF conspiracy
against the ruling power is an act OF national
blgotry which merits the unqualified con-
demnatlon OF civilization. ANY Government,
at ST. petersburg or on the Bosphorus, in
London or Paris or Peking or Washington,
Is q usurper and not a ruler in so lar as 1t dis
eliminates among its subjects on account of
differences racial, social, industrial, political
or religious. Ours is the age Of liberty and
equality and justice and charity and humanity,
all in the name OF God, and any discrimination
That faVors one man or set of men above an
other before the high tribunals OF civil author
lty IS backward step in the history OF c1vlliZa-
uon, and IS alike abhorrent 10 the God that
rules on high and to all good men of every
land and OF every creed.
Is. That, though unhappily, ii may be that no
word we can speak may avail TO correct the
chronic evils of which complaint is made, new
ertheless we viii have discharged solemn
duty to ourselves and to the world in having
raised our voice OF indignation and appeal;
ana especially we call upon other communities
on TINS coast and throughout the country TO
continue to speak out against the crimes that
committed and the wrongs that are
permitted against the weak, the help
prayer that Iaerciful God viii speedily bring
relief to the sufferer and cause the blessings of
peace and prosperity TO brighten the abita-
ii ons OF cruelty and to cheer the lives OF the
oppressed
In speaking in favor of the adoption of
the resolutions Rev. DIR. Minturn said:
l have the honor 10 move vote of adoption
OF the resolutions have just read l do not
what they express. There can be no doubt in
dispute as to The wisdom of such action. Any
man Is less than man who can read his morn
ing paper these days without a burning at his
heart and u boiling in his blood The face of
modern history bushes at the gigantic crimes
of Turkey.
beg to say, Mr. Chairman, that these reso-
lutions raise no question Of race or nationality
or religion. The fact that the Armenians be-
long to an ancient Christian communion is
not referred to in the paper. The fact that the
Sultan OF Turkey is Supreme Caliph of the
Mohammedan faith is nothing to US now. Ii
IS not said we intimated that all the right be-
longs to one side and all the wrong TO the
other. But certainly the most shameful spec
tacle OF modern Europe the most shameful
spectacle OF modern history, Is that of the
olgoted ana capriclous sick man pretend
ing to rule in the ancient and beauti-
full city Of Constantine, butchering
whole class among his subjects, while Euro
pean powers, in silent jealousy, fold their
arms and let the butchering work go on. 1t
makes men cynical it makes men skeptical as
they see such sight. No man with humane
lnStncts can behold the situation without an
exclamation OF horror and Indignation and
protest NO diplomatic reason can have a
feathers weight. No consideration of finance
can atone for the crime of a continent. No re-
Hglous creed has its credentials from God that
does not sanction and guarantee the equal
rights OF all men,
1t is not because we believe this creed or
that. 1t is not because we worship at this
altar or that. 1t is not because we trace the
blood that courses in our veins TO this ancestor
GOD whose name is righteousness, 1t is be-
cause we believe that no power OF man, social,
political or religious, has right to live for
single moment that lifts its shameless head
against the simple laws OF justice and hui
manity.
We stand together on the broad platform of
eternal right. We are here because we are
men and because the Armenians are men.
Large as are the principles on which good men
disagree, they are small when compared with
the principles on which all good men are as
one.
We indict not the wrongdoer but the wrong.
We call for the end of this reign of bigotry
and butchering and bloodshed in Armenia.
We appeal to the Sultan in his sitting atmos-
phere OF deception and duplicity and intrigue.
we appeal TO Europe in the name OF all
that is good and great in her tradition and her
history; we appeal to the civilized world to
end this tragedy of horrors. We appeal to the
COO OF Abraham, OF Isaac ana OF jacob. We
appeal TO the God of Islam, the Allah who has
Mohammed as his prophet. We appeal to the
Christians God, who is not blind TO the sor-
rows OF the suffering nor deaf to their cries for
once consecrated by the most sacred events in
all the history of the world may be freed from
me IN crushing heel OF the tyrant and be strong
In the strength of the just,
Let San Francisco lift up her humble voice to
stop the work of oppression and determination,
ana al a, to call upon the weak ana wicked despot
duty to his abdication, or if not to his abdica-
ton to his swift and disgraceful downfall.
DR.. Minturn then offered the resolutions
as read to the adoption OF the meeting.
He said no one worthy of the name of
man could read the accounts of persecu-
ton in Armenia es published in the news
papers without a burning at his heart
and a boiling in his blood. He stig-
matized the atrocities as dread
full blot upon the closing years of the
nineteenth century. All considerations of
race, creed or ancestry should be set aside
IN view of the fact that at certain times all
men are kin. He protested in the name of
humanity against the reign OF bigotry and
bloodshed, which is rendering the East of
Europe spectacle to the nations OF the
earth
The Right Rev. Bishop Goodsell
of the Methodist church then made few
remarks expressing his sympathy with the
movement in aid OF the tortured and op-
pressed Christians of Armenia.
"We have orr limitations continued
the right reverend gentleman, g but we have
our strength as well. The voice of 10000
900 people will make that cruel in
human Turk reform or quit. The
little jealousies of European govern
ments ought not to allow this frIghtful,
longdrawn-out reign of terror to con-
time. And if" concluded the Bishop,
raising his voice in burst of patriotic
eloquence. ''if Armenia's neighbors will not
extend hand to help her, then, in Gods
name, let Us call upon them to get out of