The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-11-25
WHAT THE SULTAN SAYS.
Turkeys Ruler Speaks About the Ar
menfnn MaSsacres.

men1nn Massacres.
In an interview with the sultan. Hon.
A W, Terrell. lately United States
minister at Constantinople, says:
.He said that the facts about recent
disturbances in Turkey have never
been faithfully reported by the press
of the United States, and that ne hoPeo
that would make known to the Amerl-
can people what he was then ABOUT ~
say. Continuing, he said:
"'Early during the Ottoman CON
ouests in Asia Minor. the Armenlahs,
who were being crushed by repeated
;nyasions of the Tartars and the FER
slams. emigrated in large numbers anu
obtained protection from the Ottoman |
rulers. They were kindly received
Hospitality treated, and received Dehe
fits in the protection OF their llNes anu
propertv. No nation continually en-
gagged in war can excel IN lnduStrlaI
and commercial pursuits. Ihus II oe-
CURED that while the early sullahs
were busy with conquests, all manu-
| featuring and commercial interests
were monopolized by Christian races
and chiefly by the Armenians. Their
| religion was also tolerated, for Mussul-
mans tolerate the religion OF all men
who worship God. Thus the Armenlans
prospered. and remained contented I'M
der Mussulman rule for over 4Oo years.
They became the manufacturers, CON
tractors and bankers of the ottoman
empire. They enjoyed their religion
openly worshiped for centuries IN their
ancient churches and monasterles, ana
built new ones when needed. Ihelr
patriarch could always present their
complaints at the sublime porte and
they were always protected III the en-
ioyment of their own methods OF Wor-
Shipping God.
"'Four books are regarded as sacred
by all Mussulmans, namely, the Koran.
the book of Confucius. the TaImud OF
the Jews and the Bible OF the Chris
tians. How could Mussulman muir
der Armenians merely on account OF
their religion. when the Koran pro
hibits cruelty. and requires that all
men who believe in God shall be pro
| tected. except during war?
Zone of my ancestors, Selim l.. the
grandson of the conquerOr of Constanti-
nople. once thought that his empire
] would be stronger if all his subjects
t professed the same religion. Some dis
turbances raised by Christian races
I caused him to ask the Sheik-ul-lslam
| if it would be lawful for him to XIII all
! Christians who refused to be converted
D to Islam. The sheik issued fetva, in
: which he answered that it would not be
= lawful. and that the Christians who
were peaceful must be protected. So
4 Selim respected the fetva. Fire-wor-
o shippers and idolaters alone have nc
n right to protection, and Mussulmans
= are prohibited from eating meat cooked
! by such people
: "Thc sultan then cited many evil
$ dences of the favor and partiality eX
h tended to. and of the confidence reposec
h In. the Armenians by himself and by
r former sultans, to show that their re
& ligion was not the cause of their re
II cent misfortunes.
V The sultan more than once repeated
d his declaration that no Christians haC
IS ever been prosecuted by his governmen
re or people for their religious faith. anC
e that their churches and monasteries
d which have stood from the early age
n of Christianity, had been respected
N preserved and worshiped in; that the.
,e had always selected their own patri
s archs and bishops. and were always pro
v tected in the full enjoyment of thei
< religious freedom.
II "Referring TO the massacres. he said
le The truth. unfortunately, is never pub
q, lished in Christian newspapers abou
or conflicts between my Moslem and Chris
tan subjects. Though no true Mussu
er man will ever punish any man on ac
or count of his religion, if he worship
re God, yet when people bind themselve
lie together by their religion and then us
e. it 10 destroy the Ottoman empire,
of different question is presented. Will
H. Christian Europe was excited agains
ed the Ottoman empire about excesse
re committed by its soldiers during tn
Greek revolution of 1927, ii had no syn
h. pathy to bestoW upon the butchery {
NV 27.000 defenseless Turkish men, wome
he and children who were massacred i
re one city after its surrender. Ger
he fury.