The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-26
MORE ARMENIANS MASSACRED
HAGoPIAN DISCUSSES THE WRONGS
OF HIS COUNTRYMEN.

Declares the sultan and the Porte
itv Cannot BE Shifted From Them.
Armenians Look TO Great Britain
Principally for the Righting of
Their WrOngs-Are Grateful for the
sympathy and Aid of Americans.
London, Aug. 1S-(Correspondence of
the Associated Preside. Hagopian,
chairman of the Armenian Patriotic Asso-
cia ton IN England. speaking of the recent
massacres, said to a representative of the
Associated Press:
The Armenians have been surprised by
dispatches announcing another massacre
in the very region where the first Arme-
MAN slaughter occurred this same month.
August, 1894. They hoped that the intelH-
gence of the dispatches had been I'M
founded, but their deep regret has been
confrmey by later advices furnished by
the British consuls at Erzeroum and
Diarbekir, both of which towns are close
to the region where the massacre occur
red and are the headquarters of provin-
cisl governors
In answer TO impudent denias of the
Porte put forward by the Ottoman en-
bassy in London, the foreign office itself
communicated confirmation of the news
of the outrages Attempts are being made
TO disassociate the Sultan and the Otto
man Porte from participation in these
atrocities, but when it is taken into con-
sideration that the general of the Fourth
Turkish Army Corps, which guards the
Caucasus, was present with his troops and
that these were aided by the local kurds,
whom the Sultan has always aided and
assisted in their nefarious deeds, it is i'm
possible for the central authorities at
Constantinople TO escape responsibility for
what has occurred.
LAS for the Armenians themselves, gen
orally speaking, their conduct since the
maesacres al Constantinople in 1894 has
been exemplary. They have preferred to
leave their cause in the hands of the great
Powers of Europe, who made the Turkish
settlement, as regards the maintenance
of the machinery, such as it Is, Of the OF
toman Empire, leaving the latter TO per-
form duty which they have, with full
knowledge of all the circumstances of
Turkish rule, taken upon themselves by
Belln. That article. signed at Berlin
July 13, 1878, stipulated as follows:
" That the Sublime Porte undertakes to
carry out without further delay the anne
Iteration reforms demanded by local re-
quirements in the provinces inhabited by
Armenians and guarantees their secur-
ity against Circassians and Kurds. 1t
will periodically make known the steps
taken to this effect to the Powers, who
will tiOn
Fortunately, it was due to British pol
icy and action that the great Powers as
sembled in Berlin and there revised the
treaty of San Stefano. of which article
Is related 10 Armenia. Therefore, TIE
Armenians have always looked to Great
Britain TO take the lead in the matter
British public opinion since 1894 has been
so much excited that Her Majesty's gov
eminent could not compel Rs ally, Tur-
key, to fulfill the Sultans solemn promise
in so simple matter as the security and
protection, not only of the Armenians
but of all the Christians in Asiatic Tur-
key in their lives, honor, property and
religion.
The Armenians have ever found sym
pathetic friend in the United States. They
gratefully recall the philanthropic and
Christian succor Americans have given
their widows and orphans after great mas
sacres and which they still continue to
give, and on the occasion of this last
massacre they would earnestly entreat the
American people and government of the
United States to use their undoubted in
fluence with the Powers, and ask them
70 fulfill the duties which they have I'M
dertaken toward the Armenian people,
in the interests of right and justice, in
the historic provinces, so dear to all
Christian people. -