Year: 1867

ized


The Eastera Question.


The Eastern question has at length assumed
such proportions as entitle it not only to the
attention but to the sympathy Of the nations.
Day after day brings Us fresh intelligence Of the
struggle, and each budget Of news deepens the
impression that the liberation by the Greek
Christians Of their Turkish masters is no longer
either reasonable or just. and can only be per-
pctuated as grievous wrong.


It is question which is surrounded with
serious difficulties. There is none the settle
ment Of which is so urgent, yet there Is none
which The great Powers Of Europe so much
tremble to touch. Rightly or wrongly, its set
Element is supposed seriously to affect the
balance Of power, and to involve such recon-
struction of The map of Europe as shall perma-
nently disarrange the present system.


We do not say such suppositions are ground
less. So large and so fair portion of the
European continent cannot change masters
without begetting serious NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ties which can only be solved by the arbitra-
ment of the sword. Nor is it easy to see
how, if the flames of war are kindled
in the East, Europe will not be involved
in one general confagration. At the same
time if q general war does take place it will be
The result rather of mistaken views Of the
situation than of any necessity arising out of
the situation itself. The rising Of the Greek
Christians against their Nosem rulers, which
alone ought to be the occasion of this war, is
not to be confounded with the marching of the
Russians across the Turkish frontier, which was
sion, in the one instance, was condemned by
the universal sense of mankind, because it was
an unwarranted attack on the part of the strong
against the weak. The occasion, In this in
stance, awakens universal sympathy because il
is the struggle Of the few against the many, Of
right against might, of justice against tyranny,
oppression and wrong In the event Of the
insurrection becoming general, which it is now
likely to do. it hay be difficult Tor the great
Powers to refrAin from active Interference.
There can he no doubt, however, that the die
tates Of sound policy demand that no such
interference shall take place. 1t is question
between Greeks and Turks rather than between
Christians and Moslems, and as such 1t should
be fought out This Of course does not debar
their coreligionists in any part of the world
from giving to the Greeks their hearty and
active sympathy. We do not think, however,
that it win be either to their own advantage or
to that OF the Greeks If, in the present stage
at least, the great Powers are other than SYM
pathetic onlookers.


Although such are our views Of the case we
struggle will be measured by mere sympathy
Active Interference at an early day is now
more than probable. If the telegram Of yes
terday prove to be correct, Garibaldi will but
have found among the Cretans congenial occu-
patton without in any sense duplicating his
government. II is Of much deeper significance
that at a ball recently given at St. Petersburg
In aid Of the Cretans, the Gar and the mem
bers Of the imperial Court were present In
matter of this sort it is extremely difficult to
forecast the future and not . little hazardous
to attempt 1t. What Russia may do we shall
not venture to say. One thing, however, Is GER
tain, that ardently as Russia may desire 1t, the
great Western Powers will never tamely SUBJ
NIT 70 sec her marching her legons into the
city Of Constantine. Nor do we think II de-
sirable in the interests Of Russia herself that
her ambition should Gnd qualification
in that direction. She has enough, and
more than enough. to do in consoli-
dating the populations and developing
The resources Of her already vast dominions.
Ia forming into one compact whole and in ele-
vaiing the social characters of the vast hordes
in Europe and in Asia which recognize her au-
thority, she has before her, Independent Of any
movement toward the Mediterranean, career
Of sufficient briliancy. Unless dragged into 1t
by Russia, Prussia Is little likely to Inter
fere Both England aud France are wiser
since the Crimean war. Interference on their
part can only follow that of Russia. Austria,
Of all the Powers, has to gain masi by an East
ward movement. She desires and she needs
the mouths OF the Danube. Unhappily, how
ever, prince Of the House Of Hohenzollern,
the hospodar Of the principally, stands in the
way Of her ambition. Interference, In fact,
from any quarter will be pcslous, and can
scarcely fail to light IN the flames of Euro
pean war. Much, however, can be done by
active sympathy everywhere, nor do We violate
the spirit Of this article when we ask for such
sympathy on the part of the American public
for the struggling Greeks.





Our City Affairs In tho Legislature.


There are indications that the several rings
in the New York city government are making
active preparatOns TO defeat all measures of