Greece.
The Times, 1824-07-21T00:00:00

'l'he following are extraczsTfrom a letter from the Hon. Colonel Stanlhope to the Secretary of the Greek Committee, antl whichl contains, uditer distinct heads, a general sketch of the state of Greece:- TEr PEopt.E.-The peasantrvof Greece po3sess a large shareof rustic virtue. They were within the sp,here of Turkey's oppression but without the sphere of her corruption. Not so the people of the t(Jwns, who consequently partake of ler vices. This people, but for want of instruction, are as fittec to be free as any nation on earth; aend only those who pretend that " the slaves of toAday are not qua- lilied to be freemen to-morrow".-r mean the oligarchs-are un- worthy of the blessings of liberty, because they are luxurious, cor- rpled, avarious, and tyrannical. I shall not dwell on the virtues of the Greek peasantry, because they are adlmitted by all men. lheir martial spirit is not inferior to thlat of the re,ular soldiery, and some consider them ias the stoutest and most formidable warriors in G reece. VYcI s.-I shall now speak of some of the defects that predom- nate in the Greek character. Avarice is a revailing vice in Csrecoe. In a despotic Government it is necessary for the slave to be penu- rious, to hold ftast and to bury his mnoey. Vices are hardly vices ltndler absolute Governments. There avarice, intrigue, cun- ning, falsehood, servility, robberies, insurrection, and sometimes frightful murders, are the only methods of self-defence, There every tling is confounded, and the sole ueasure of security is to be found in a perverse application ol the principles of utility. PLUsNDEREBts.-Tbie Turks taught the Greeks to Le plunnderers. 'rneir exactions drove the etiltivators andl shepherds into the moun- tains, where they lived like wolves, and became freemcen, outlaws, and pltunderers. The survivors grew warlike; sometimes the terror, sometines the allies of the Turks, and at last the asserters of Gre- cian freedom. Such was the origin of most of the captains. lt must got, however, be supposed that tie captains are the only plunderers. Many of the primates possessed power atid wealth under the Otto- man rule, and they are as grasping as the soltliery. I5'TttIGUERS5.-The Greeks, especiallv those of Constantinople, the Fanariots, excel in finesse, sophistry, political intrigue, and crooketd diplomacy. Such are the tactics of absolute Governments. rrhey are equally necessary to avoid ruin or to attain fortune. By pursuinig in this course the Greeks sli(d into favour witb their mas- ters, and were appointed governors or provinces, interureters, &c. Who, then, can be surprised that the Greek slaves 8sIould select thie winding path that is surroanded by splendid scenery, and which leads mo the tenmple of luxury ? In a good cause, intriguing politi- ciats can never reach their goal as soOtn by a zig-zag as a good man would by a direct courYS. Their sly manteuvres may always be oiled by a bold, straightforward, and persevering attack. 'The RESsoIJcR s of Greece are great, but unexplored. Nature has bcen bountiful to her; bat the Turks, blinded by prejudice, and heated by passion, have neglected their true interests, and have destroyed her wealth. Lantds aud liberties have been equally blasted. AGRICULTURE is, in Greece, in its lowest state. Here and there the fields are well irrigated but thisis not generally thi case. The beat means of imvproving tbe most useful science would be through the medium of foreign settlers; and by the establishment of an agricultural society, and branch farms for the purpose of demon- scrating the first principles of culture, of introducing fresh protlue- tions, such as vegetables artificial grapes, &c., and of improving the breedi of cattle, especiaily of sheep antd goats. The vine and the olive, as also the silk-worm, require likewise particular a!tention. C0StatEnrCE.-. Vlen there is but small capital, few wants, no security, little probity, and no credit, commerce must stagnate. Ilow is this state of thinigs to be chianged in Greece ? By good go- vernment, by eduicatioti, by publicity, by the establishment and en- force ment of good laws, by great tigour towards pirates, and by thc exampfe nf a scrmpulous integrity on the part of the Administratiop in all its financial measures. In a word, by proving to the people ant the nmerchants liow much it is thteir interest to be industrious anI honest. REVENuXs.-The people are not oppressed hy the amount of taxes; but they are rumed by the manner in which the cap'tains and the priniates collect them ; by the revenues entering the pockets of these individual,, instead of being sent to the Exchequer ; by their | being appropriated to private purposes, instead of being devoted to the protection of their lands an(t cotintry from the Turks, many p-arts of which are yearly overrun and destroyed; and by the occa-. sional unlawful exaetions and system of free quarters pursued by the captains. WVhtat are the remedies for these evils ? Th,e ex- posure of the abuse and its fatal consequences; the acquisition of power on the part of the Government to enable them to force the captains and prinmates to place the revenues in the public cofiers; the enrolmetit of the people Into a militia hostile equally to foreign and domestil enemies; and an increase; vigotr and activity on the part of the representative body. LOAN.-The Greeks think they have but one want_-that of money. This is a flse notion, and attended withlbad consequences; because every department of the Government, all except money, is neglected. Endeavours were made to remove this notion, by proving that the richest hatd been subduer by the poorest nations. The captains are in general averse to the loan, from a dtead that it would fall into the hands of their antaeonistv, and deprive them of power. The rest of the nation look forward to its arrival with a feverish inpatience. They thought, and with truthi, that if well ap- plied, it will not only secure their independence, but also their free- dom. When I was at Argos,measures were taken to bring the sub- ject under the consideration of the Government. The sittings of the legislative body were resumed; measures were recommended for the appropriation of the money, and for secturing the.payment of the interest. I vill not enter into a detail of the measures, as they em- brace nearly tfie whole field of Government. Thic reoresentatives etmacted some wholesome laws. They appeared exceedlngly jealous of their power over the people's purse, and as careful of their money as they proverbially are of their own. PAILtrEs.-Ttie political parties in Greece may be said to be three. First, there are the Captains, who look to power and plunder. They generally lean to the democratic interest; as a meaus of pre- serving these advantages, and of avoiding a master under kingly go- vernment. This party have riches anti courage, but they have powe- erfal opponents, and can only preserve their interestsi by rasging themselves on the side of the people--a fact which they bggin to appreciate. I was always pouring this into their ears, and the mi- litary chliefs considered me as their friend, whereas I was merely consulting the good of the mass. Secondly, there are the Prinates and Oliqarchs: these too, are fbr power and, plunder. They look to a foreign King as the means of supporting their influence. The tlird nay be called the National Party. They consist of those who are not subdued by. the military or civil Oligarchs-I muean the pea- santry, the merchants, the towns-people, some of the islanders, and a f'wfine spirits. When invasion has been near, tbe nationa3 party have ittcined towards the military chiefs 4 when at a distance, they havc risen against their extortions. . By degrees they gain trengi h. i EDUcA'TIow.N From what hts be n stated, itappears thn- there a great want of educated men in r e.e This is felt in the re- preuentative body, in the administeation of justice, in the prefec- tures, in the army and-navy-in short, in every department.of the State. By the estaulishment.ef schools and publicdty,.by %isitsng the ingress of settlers. anld 'travellerg, and the return of enlightened Greels. to their countVY, this dWirable end mav in time be obtained, "The defenco of Grcea now clainIs your-attentio0-- NAv r._-The Greek navv zs composed chiey of- merchant brigs frohnt Hydrd Speaziai and Ipsata.a They amount, to about 86.siil. Thee vsSeS hvobeel mhintWue parfly. bslaocn btoa and theiaio,h- a .zlcilfmual~jniIbraxl , saortlse laecatrateant Iti o'qs~,tepwtr those of a-highly organizednavy, -for in these they are deficient; but there are tactics fgri4rregular -leets as well'as arrlies-40r cor- sairs and.Fwbateeqss afor-guerillas, Pindiaries, ant&Stratiats. This; too, in tle -true f6ilitie:y and iaval joligy lbr 'Greece to putsue. She caaDOlot 'eoIiOwital'the Turks in regular warfar4, but.she can haras2 aund worry theni to death.. Greece should have four good frigates, sixty ot' her own brigs, three or four stearnivessels, sonie privateers, and a few gun.bos in commission. She might then be secure against every maritime power, wvith the exception of England. Perhaps the Commulittee might be able to procure for-Greece some ptivateeras a stearn-vesEel, and agood gun-boat as a model. One or tvo good naval oflicers, who coultl bend to native prejudiceM and could submit viith a serene mind to all sorts of crosses, couid be inost useful auxiliaries ii the cause. I ARbty.-r he Captains are of humble origin, and many of them are descended from shepherds. They or their forefathers have dis- tinguished themselves by flying from the tyranny of the Tu'rks, by having recourse to arms, and by their light fugitive movements and depredations, which eventually obliged their oppressors to court their alliance. These are the men who by their courage and con- stancy have kept up a spirit of resistance and of martial enterprise in the people, till thenation,being highly excited byTurkishoppressiosms, at last broke out in a mad insurrectidon, and, contrary to all calcula- tion, ended in emancipating themselyes. The horrid massacres com- mitted hy the Greeks have been urged against them with truth, but most unjustly against this eause; because the object of their strug- gle was to put down vice, and to establish a governmnent that would promote virtue. These frightful slaughters have prevented the Turks from treating with their enemies on various occasions; but on the otherhand they have struck themn with terror, and have clear- ed the country of savages that never could have been their friends, and would always have endangered their freedom. To palliate or to deny these cruelties is, however, a fatlse policy. The Greeks have therefore been openly accused of a want of Christian charity; they have passionately defended their conduct; they have, notwith- standing, been condemned, and are gradually becoming les5 sangui- narr: witness their conduct at Corinth. The Captains are generally uneducated, and simple in their man- ners intelligent, brave, anid excellent mountain warriors. The soldiers partake of the vimes and the virtues of theirsuperiors, with whom they live on easy terms, and are rarely punished. They are paid very irregulirly, and when dissatisfied with their captains, either rebel or leave them.. The troops are better disciplined than at the commencement of the revolution; but are said to be less dar- ing, because the excitement occasioned by Nvrongs the love of liber. ty, the enthusiasm of religion, and the hope of'plunder, are more faintly felt. The Greek soldiers are extremely hardy; can make long zmnarclhes, carry heavy weights on their backs, live constantly in the rpen air, proceed without magazines, suffer great privations en dure dirt and vermin, and still preserve theirgigh spirits. 'ihey are swift as horses, and scarcely tangible; and if a love of liberty can insure perseverance,almost unconquerable in their wild fortresses. Every soldier's mind is bent on success; no Greek ever admits the possibility of being ever again subjected to the Turks. If you talk of millions that are about to pour down into their country, still they never a'pear dismayed. They tell you calmly, that as more come, n1,rewz11 be fgmishedormoweddosrn by the Hellenists. Thisgallant feeling is universal. Mly opinion is, that the struggle, however pro- tracted, must siecceed, and must lead to an improvement in the cou- dition not only of Greece, but of Asia. GREECE.