Col. Stanhope's Publicati...
The Times, 1824-10-21T00:00:00

'-Uolonel Stanhope, of whose proceedings in Greece the public lhave heardl a good deal in the course of last year,, has just published a very interesting pamphlet on the state of that country. The Colonel, in the autumn of X823, generously offered to the Greek Committee to proceed to Greece as their agent, and the present publication consists- for the most part of letters written to the Secretary of that Committee from different parts of Greece and the Ionian Islands. It is conicludedl by the best report on the state of affairs in thaE quarter which has ever ap- peared. We observe with regret, in a French paper of respectability, an attack on the conduiet of Colonel Sta-n- hope, where he is declaredl a theorist, and described as deficicnt in abilities or zeal. Every onet must discover in tbe present publication convincing proofs to the contrary; and if any farther testiniony in favour of his dlevotediness to Greek liberty and his continued exertions to promote union and conciliation in Greece were required, we might appeval to the decision of the Committee best able to appreciatchisdispositions anxd his labours. The real secret ol' his unpopularity with severalpersonsanld parties in Greece anguage which he invariably held respecting their political d?uties, his determination to keep aloof fronm their pettv intrigues, and lhis interference to prevent their receiv- ing the money of this country without something like a security for its repayment, or an assurance that it was em- ployed in establishing treedom and good governnment. As we have alluded to this subject, we may begin the few ex- tracts ft)r which we can fiuid room2 with the letter which probably excited the distrust of some Greek patriots: TO TIEE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT. " SALONA, May 3, 1824. Excellent Sirs,_I have this moment received orders to proceed to Zante, to receive the Greek loan, in company with Colonel Gor- don, end to carry its conditions into effect. I request of you to send thither some able men as commissioners to treat upon the subject with the deputies from England. " Our first duty will be to ascertain whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Greek nation will be able to abide by her contract, by regularly paying the interest of the loan. Upon the deputies from England being satisfied upon this point, the delivery of the money depends. I think it highly necessary that you should give a careful statement ofthe present condition of Greece, as well as an exact account of the income and expenditure of the Govern. ment, both in the time of the Turkish administration and front tie commencement of the insurrection until the present time. t " The systenm of taxation which the Government intended to adopt must be explained, as wellasthe plan proposed forcarryingon the war both by landl and sea, and all expenses required, separately, for each division of soldiers anm vessels. The English deputies must be informed whether a Government will be established, which unites all military, political, and national benefits. If the chiefs of Greece will not lay aside their pzejudices, their envy and dissen. sions, and endeavour to form a vrise and virtuous union of all par. tics, it will be impossible to establish in CGreece a powerful attd per. manent Lovernment. They are wrong who tlink otherwise: unless this be done, Greece must remain in a state ef anarchy. " By birth I anm a stranger to Grecce; but as a m2an accustomed to hold dear the liberty and happiness of mankind, I woultd, in my presernt circutmstances, consider 'myself' a Greek, apd in that charac- ter I woul(i adaionish you, that no other system than the one I have pointed out should be pursued. Should any other course be adopted, every Greek will repent, and repent in vain. " IfEICESTER STANHOPE." The following letter, ott the state of parties in Greece, is the only political part of the publication for which wve can find room to-day:- " The state of Greece is not easily conveyed to the mind of a foreigner. The society is fontted-.st, of the Primates, who lean to oligarchy, or Turkish principles of government; 2dly, of the Captains, who profess democratical notions, but who are, in reality, for lowver and plhnder; and lastly, of the people, who are irre- proachable iD character, and of course desire to htave a proper weight in thc constitution. The people ef the Peloponnesuig are much un- der the influence of the civil and military oligarchies. Those of Eastern and Western Greece are chiefly under the captains. Of these Odysseus is thie most influential: liis father never bowed to the Turkish yoke; he was a Kreemnan and a robber. Odysseus himself was brought up by the famous tyrant A iPacha. lie is shrewd and anmbitious, and has played the tyrant, but is now persuadted that the road to fame antd wealth is by pursuing good governnent. He there- fore follows this course, and supports the people and the republic. Negris, who once signed Iiis sentence of death, is now his minister. Of the islarnds, lylydra and Spezzia are under the influence of some rieh oligarch,s, supported by the rabble; and lpsara is purely dlemo- cratic. " The parties may be saitd to be three-lst, Triere is Mavrocor. dato, the oligarchs of the islands, and some of those of the Pelh- ponnesus, and the legislative body. These are for order and a mild despotisni, either under a foreign king, or otherwise. This faction stood high, but niust niow change its principles or lose its power; M7y, There is Colocatroni, and souie of the captains, and some of the oligarchs of the M lorea, who are for power and plunder. This party is going down hill at a gallop. And 3dly, there is Ipsilanti, Odysseus, Negris, aitd the mnass whlit are now beginainitg to embrac republican notioits, finding that they cannot otherwise maintain their power. " Now the question is, which of these parties should an honest man embrace ? All have stumibled by endeavouring to hug the best of these factions. I have pursued another course, cautiously avoiding them all. I have loudly rated all for their vices, and as loudly praised them for their good acts. This for one who has no genius for poli- tical intrigue, tactics, or what is called diplomacy, is the safest course. It places a mani of a plain mintd on a level with, and even above, a higl-flying politician of the Gentz or Metternich school. " Greece and all Eheislands are tranquil, with the exception of two towns-namely, Napoll, which is blockadet by the Government, aind tMissolongbi, which is disturbed by a body of' Suliots, who play the pretorians. " Cirilization and good governiraent are gAining ground, chiefly through the means ot publicity. - 'There is a great fund of' virtue in Greece, but it is monopolized by the peasantry. W!hat ist most wanted is agood representative body, some good prefects, good judges, and public writers. Two or three active andt strorng-minded English- men might do incalculable good in G?eece, for the people are anxious to improve. " The war lingers, owing to the dissensions whicli prevail astong the ruling few ; otherwise it might easily be put an end to, with the assistance of the loan. Eastern and Western Greece may be defended with about 12,000 men. By taking one of the castles at the mouth of the Corinthian Gulf, antd blockading Patras I and Lepanto with 1,000 men each, these fertresses might be redluced. Negropont might also be taken by blockade. Durinsg these operationts the people of Olynmpus should be encouraged to rise in rear of the Turkish armies. After a summer's detensive camrpaign, the Greeks should push on in the winter, and surprise andt conquer. " My principal exertions have been directed towards promoting education, publicity, union, and military exertion, and towards crutshing the oligarchs, by giving power to the people, and raising the characters of their representatives. I confess that I am sanrgtine with respect to the ultimate success of the Greeks. I found this opinion on the virtuous character of' the people, on the strength of their country, on their miartial character and theit being all armed, on the multiplicity of little chiefs, on the sudden rise and fall of their leaders, on the love they have for their ancestors, on the clashing interests of their enemies, and on tleir attachment to the elective fraiichise, anituality, universality, publicity, &c.,' Tlhough we have already givent this psublication mote space than we can well spare, we must add the following accouiit of the commencement of Lord Byron's illness, and the particulais of a characteristic alti'ehtion which his Lordsbip had with Colonel Stanhope, rc'spectitg the rest.i- tutions of ant Estglish boat captured by a Greek cruiser " Lord Byron was seized, on the 15th instant, with a severe fit. His Lordship was sitting ini my room and jesting with Parry, but his eyes andi his brow occasionally discovered that he was agitated by strong feelings. On a sudden he complained of a weakness in one of his legs; he rose, but finding himself unable to walk, called for assistance: he then fell into a violent nervous convulsion, and was placed upon my bed; dariug this period his face was much dis- torted. In a fevw minutes he began to recover his senses, his speech returned, and he was soon well, thouglh exhausted with the struggle. His Piedmontese surgeon and Dr. .Millingen both assured me that the fit, though of a dangerous character while it lasted, was not so in its consequences. During the fit hiis Lordship was ast trong as a giant, and after it lie behaved with his usual firamness. I conceiye that this fit was occasioned by over-excitement. The mind of Byron i8 like a volcano, it is full of fire, wealth, and combustibles; and when this matter comes to be strongly agitated, the cxplosion is dreadfuil. Witli respect to tle causes that produced this excess of feeling, they are beyond my reach, except one great cause, whicb was the provoking conduct of tite Suliots. Lord Byron had acted towards them with a degree of gencrosity that could not be exceeded, and then, when Iiis plans were all formed for thc attack of Lepanto, and his hopes were raised on the delivery of Western Greece frem the ihreads of the Turks, these ungrateful soldiers demanded, and extorted, and refused to narchi till all Was settled to gratify their avarice. This was enough to agitate any heart wann In the catise ofOreec. t ea c a 3n ,o "I said the affair was conducted in a bullying mnanner, and not according to the princioles of equity and the law of nationB. Hil Lordship etarted Into a passion. kle contended, that law, justice, and equity, had nothing to do with politics. That Inay be; but I wviU never lend myself to injustice. His Lordship then began, ac- cording to custom, to attack Alr. Bentham. I said, that it was highly illiberal to mi'ake personal attacks on Air. Bentham before a friend who held lhim in high estimatios. f e said, that he only, at- tacked this public principles, which were mere theories, but danger- ous ;-injurious to Spain, and calculated to do great mischief in Greece. 1 diid not object to his Lordship's attacking MAr. Benl- tham's principles; what I ebjected to were his personalities. HIis Lordship never reasoned on any of AIr. Bentham's writings, but merely made sport of them. I would, therefore, ask him what it it was that he objected to. Lord Byron mientioyd his Paunoytition hs visionary. I said, that experience ill Pennsylvarnia, at Milibank, &dt had proved it otherwise. I said 'that Bentliam ha;i a truly British heart ; but that Lord Byron, after pro- fessing liberal principles from his boyhood, had, wlten called upon to act, proved himself a Turk. Lord Byron asked, whlat proofs have you oi' this ?-Your conduct in endeavoar- fng to crush the press, hy declaimning against It to llavrocordato, and your general abuse of liberal principles. Lord Byron said, that if he had held up his finger he could bave crushed the press. I replied, with all this power, (which, by the way, you never possessed,) you went to the Prince and poisoned liis car. Lord Byron declained against the liberals whoi.- lie knew. But what liberals ? I askzed. Did he borrow his notions o0 freemeri from the Italians ?-Lord By- ron. No; from the Hunts, Cartwrights, &c. Anid still, said 1, you presented Cartwright's Reformi Bi1, anld aided Hunt by prais- lng his poetry and giving him the sale or your works. Lord Byron exclaimed, you are worse than 'Wilson, and should quit the army. I replied, I am a mere soldier, but never will I abandon my prin- ciples. Our principles are diametrically Opposite, so let us avoid the subject. If Lord Byron acts up to iis professions, he will be the greatest ; if not, the meanest of mankind. He said he hoped his character did not depend on my assertions. No, said 1, your genius has immRortalized you. The worst could not deprive you of fame.-Lord Byron. MWell ; you shall see: judge me by my acts. WVhen he wished me good night, I took up the light to cdnduct him to the passage, but he said, What ! hold up a light to a Turk ?" For the benefit of such of otr pubulic-spirited couiitry. men as may chonse- to emigrate tc Greece, to introd-lnce to that classic laiud of anciellt freclom English toast beef anti liberty, wve sutbjoin a table of the prices of land anid pro. visions at Athens, -where they would Imost likely be inclined at first to settle:- AVERIAGE PRICE OF LANDS AND PRtOVSIONS AT AYrtEys. Land should give a proflt of 10 per cent. to the purobaser. The land-tax amounts to 10 per cent. of the produce vearlv. A good house costs, yearly, from 500 to 704 piastres; a rialina horse, from 150 to 200 piastres ; an ox, 150 piastres ; a cow, Ift0 piastres; a sheep, tO piastres; a goat, 8 piastres; a man labourer. per diem, 60 paras (7Ad.); a woman), 41 paras (Sd.); a boy, 20 paras (21d.); a man scrvant, with foud and clothing, per month, 20 piastres; a maid servant, ditto; wlheat, per okr, 12 paras; 1hread. erokr, 10 paras; barley, per okr, 12 paras; oats, f paras; a horse- ioad of wood, 20 paras; mutton, per okr, from 30 to 40 paras; goat, per okr. 2.5 to 30 paras: beef, from 20 to 2fl paras per okr, a turkey, f piastres; a goose, 4 plastres; a duck, 2 piastres: a chicken, 0O paras; a partridge. 30 paras; a woodcock, 25 paras; a hare, 47 paras; butter, per okr. from 3 to a piastres; sugar, per okr, A piastres; honev, from l00 to 70 paras; wine, per ekr, rrom 12 to 18 paraes; miilk, 18 paras per okr ; oil, per oir, 00 paras; nim, per bottle, 100 pauras; Raki, per osr, 2 piastres; rice, from 26 to 40 pares, per okr; new cheese, without salt, 20 pares per ok-r; old cheese, without salt, 40) para7 per okcr; eggs, per 100, 0 piastres; salt, 6; pares per okr. N.B. A~n okr is equal to to 2.A pounds French. A pi2stre is equal to ail.; 40 paras make a piastre, and 10 piastres I dollar. cfAANIHOPE'S PUBLICATION ON GREECE. C~.