The Greeks.
The Times, 1824-05-15T00:00:00

As the state of these brave people at this particular moment ex- cites in the public mind no ordinary degree of intereat, any infor- mation imparted to us by travellers cannot fail to be acceptable, es- peciaUy from those who have been actuaUy eye-witnesses of those unparalleled crueldes these Christians have experienc6d at the hands of Mahometan barbarians. " Of all classes of men, I feel in a more particular manner for thbe Greeks, who are so deeply degraded, and contemptuously treated, by theirsavage rulers.Theycourt everyopportunityto extricatethemselves from Turkish despotism. This is sbownr more especiidly at the Pre- sent hour, when their countrymen in other parts have been roused to, a just sense of their own dignity and importance in tel eyes of na- tions who are emulating the noble example of their ancestors for bravery and intrepidity, and a display of the most magrianimous. acts. Tragical is the detail which I am enabled to give you of that scene of devastation, and those horrors which 6ave been ex- ercised by the Alahometans, whose feet hare been swift to shed blood in this island (Cyprus.) I may, however, confine myself to one particular fact. And how shall Christians shudder-nav, their very blood run cold, when I state that as a refinement ot' their ftrious passions and revengeagainsttiieprofessorsof the Chris- tian faith, a wooden cross was formed, on which an Archbishop, and other distinguished ecclesiastics, and merelyon the ground that they were natives of Greece, were stretched out and nailed, in de- rision of the great sacrifice of the Son of God for the sins of the world-an act altogether unparalleled, and cries aloud to that great Being, who has declared, ' Vengeance is mine: I will repay.' Bvery man who is possessed of the slightest spark of feeling, has experienced the blessings of civil and religious liberty in this land of freedom, and has an interest in the great cause of God, and the suf- ferings, not only of his fellow-men, but as the descendantr of an ancient and maguanimous people, must, at this critical moment. be peculiarly alive, and feel more than an ordinary interest in that. mighty struggle in which their Christian brethren are engaged to ex- tricate themselves from a state of degradation, and break the ciains which have been forged for their captivity and slavery by their bloody rulers; and he cannot fail to offer a fervent prayer to the Al- mighty, in whose hands are the hearts of all men, to prosper their cause, and that their enemies mav no longer have dominion over them. These considerations lead me to apprehend, that so oppress- ed a class of men have not only strong claims on the sympathy, but the direct interposition of Britons, to stop the effusion of human blood; whose ears are ever open to the cries and distresses of suffer. ing humanity, however far removed by distance and language. Al- bion, which stands higher in the grand political scale than all the other nations, has within herself a thunder of power, notonly to strike terror and chastise, butsrxterminate the despotic authors ofthese savage and atrociousenormities, which have made so indelible astain on tlie pageofhisEory, and been visited an this most inoffensive of all people,. perhaps, on the face of the earth. On the whole, it appears to me, with deterence, highly expedient that the Greek islands should be consolidated into one active power, or substantial form of govern- ment, either of a monarchical or republican nature, and suited to the ancient recollection of her high importance and distinction ; and that it is miost dearly the interestof Great Britain tolend her prompt and powerfu.sl as'sistance to struggling patriots, to establish the prin- ciples of their liberty, religion, and political importance. Greece would unquestionably prove a most valuable acquisition to England, not only in a political and commercial pointof view, but our posses- sions in the Ionian Islands would thereby be further strengthened anda most important ally secured. No serious apprehensions could be expected from the Turks by any interference on our part, so long as we have those commanding bulwarks I The W aooen Valls of Old England,' which utter such thuntering eloquence, to act as emergencies reqaired. In a word, most devoutly is it to be wished,. that these Ottoman barbarians were altogether rooted out, who area disgrace to the iumait race."-L Tratels in Tusrkej Gre ee c.,by WIlliam Rae Wilson, Esq.1 THE GREEKS.