Year: 1877

and Thus exc ont a slavish existence What else can
they dot Can they, mere handful, be supposed to
have thoughts of rebellion, as was charged upon the
Bulgaransi BY no means.


And vet think you that because they are few as
compared with the stronger party and dare not
rebel that they less oppressed and better sit
uatedf If So beg you TO lift your eyes a little
from that point beyond the Bosphorus and LET them
wander on TO the eastward. up through Asia Minor
and so on to the Persian frontier. What do you see
and heart


As one who is convcrsant with many of those
cities and villages, heard and whereof speak.
permit me to act as a sort of medium through which
these downtrodden ones may appeal to YOU of a like
faith. And can il be- they say that the American
people have no ear TO bitter cOmplaintf Must
fanaticism run riot in our streets and thousands
pay the forfeit of their lives in open massacre
ere we have n place in their sympatlhes
None in Bulgaria or any other part Of
the empire can have suffered more save in the
late massacre than have we in these parts for
course of years. II you could only look upon MS,
sandwiched in between the cruel Turks and terccr
KoOrds as are and see how we are oppressed DV
the one and plundered hy the other Oh these past
few months how they have burned themselves into
our memory almost leading us TO forget the former
days Of oppression, and make us wholly reckless OF
time TO come. Note the army that Is gathering at
the frontier 10 measure swords with the Northern
Bear. What do We behold IN the train OF the moving
soldierys Truly the militia should be a source of
strength and security to the people. Instead OF this
however there is nothing they dread more. They
scatter sorrow and devastation wherever they go Ill
very many cases. A few incidents from the many
must suffice company halts at village for
day. The poor Christians are overtaxed
with so many. Bat such as their homes afford they
produce. One man is falsely accused of not bring
ing forward enough food for his quota of men, lie
simply replies that it not so, upon which the
officer seized cudge, knocked down his son, and
continued to beat him after he was down. The poor
aged father to the life of his son, threw himself
entreatnglv upon the already senseloss one. They
have no respect for gray hairs, however but beat
him also till the weapon is broken III pieces! In
another village there is most prodgal use of food,
overslaughter of animals, with beating and general
oppression Of the poor villagers.


You say those are soldiers en- route and allowance
must be made. Well, then, let refer to the regu-
lar Government police of the same region. They 20
70 collect taxes in neighboring village. As some
of the poor villagers have not the money at hand to
paw. they are tied to a post and most shameiully
beaten, and left tied for the night They effect
their escape before morning. Upon this the police
throw their children in prison and beat their wives
Finally the poor husbands forced to hire money
of the Kootds to pay their taxes at the enormous
rate of 80 per cent.


have spoken of the fercer KooTds There are
many things might say of their cruelty, and yet II
things remain as at present we nave only seen the
beginning Of their depredations. | can only alude
to our region. They have not only plundered prop
erty but kidnapped two three Christian girls as
we'll They have even gone 50 far as TO hold i'm
promptu councils over a few Christians property TO
see who should have il in the Spring, when, as they
say. they propose to make general havoc OF Chris
tians Two burly Koord, could not agree in regard
10 n nice horse so had FIGHT over ii then and there


And so might 90 on cuumcrating cases, for this
country is full Of them, aud they are multiplying
O so fast these dogs. and in such heartrending
ways! Since beginning this article the news
comes to hand Of the darkest thing Of all respect
ing the soldiers. Most shameful ourages have been
committed in three Christian villages beyond Bal
bourt. A church is desecratcd the bell taken down.
and the Mohammedan prayers called out from the
belfry The priest is treated in the worst of ways
the honor of mothers and daughters made prey to
thcr diabolical passions.


Thus have / given briefly the substance of few
only of the things | have seen and heard in this
country. / cannot close without adding my INr-
sonal appeal to what has already been said. am
aware that it Is easier to point ont the difficulty
than to find the remedy Russia seems ready to
enter in aud possess the land And yet could We
hope for from her in religious liberation fear
not if she were left alone 10 her own ways But SO
dsheartened are Of these poor Christians tnat
they say Russia anything rather than the present
re SINE.


Let Inc then, for the sake of these ptOr down
troddcn ones that are claSs,d with MS in name and
faith; for the sake OF humanity, to say nothing Of
name or religion; for the sake of woman, whose
hitherto darksome night is being merged in the
most loatlsone pool of direst corruption; let me
appeal not TO Engishmcn alone but 10 Christians
throughout the world, 70 take bold stand, and not
leave Asiatic or any part of Turkey to futile at
tempts at reform. r. 81. COLE.


Ei1erapn, Asia Minor, April 90, 1877.