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830 T H E L E AJDEJR. Ijfeiig_?» August ...
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IRELAND. The Kilkenny Riots.—As an insta...
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ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS. A Presbyter...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Egypt And Syria — Western Influence. (Fr...
the supposed Prussian consul can only get himself backed by one or more ambitious ecclesiastics , as tools and co-operatives in the great continental work of humbling England , and edging her gradually out of her position in the East , the cabinet of Potsdam may conoTatulate itself on being able to drive a tolerable business ire the East , and bring on political complications , of which Latins and Greeks -will take prompt advantage . It would be a very shallow mistake to suppose that the capture of Sebastopol ended the quarrel between the Greek and Latin churches in Palestine . The conflict was suspended for a season , till sword and cannon had done their "work in the Crimea . Had Russia conquered ,
the Syrian crisis would have been piecipitated , and European influence would have ere this bi ^ n ebbing out of Jerusalem . The church of the Holy Sepulchre would have been in her hands , and the imposture of the Pentecostal fire -would have been triumphant . Had she , on the other band , carried on the contest a little longer , say even for another year , the state of the East would have been entirely altered , and England would by this time have had the whole of Syria at its feet . " Russia was exhausted ere hex Crimean fortress fell , and would have had to withdraw her pretensions in . Jerusalem as head of the Greek Church . Bat France , too , was no Ies 3 exhausted ; and by the time that another campaign had terminated , England would have been the only power
capable of lifting a sword , The dictatorship of the East ¦ would have fallen , into her hand 3 without a struggle But Russia paused in time ; and by pausing as she did , in January , 1856 , she saved herself from total humiliation , and prevented what , by January , 1857 , would have been the inevitable conclusion of the warfare , the establishment of British supremacy both in Syria and Egypt . Our statesmen were terrified at the prospect of . having to carry on the war alone against the Northern Emperor , as in a few months longer we should have had to do ; but the conflict was one to which our resources were thoroughly equal , and the issue would have been worth , all the cost , —though th . e disturbance of the balance of power would have been great indeed .
The warfare having ; ended in the Crimea before Prance and Russia were drained of men and gold , it could be revived , after a season , on the spot where the quarrel originally began . Accordingly it has been so renewed . The church of the Holy Sepulchre is surmounted by a dome , large and somewhat clumsy . In 1853 thi » dome had fallen somewhat into disrepair . On its south side , some feet from its base , time and weather had worn , away the outer covering 1 , and a large , rent or hole disfigured the out-ward aspect of the building and made it uncomfortable within . It must be repaired . By whom ? Greeks or Latins ? For to both the church belongs . Let it be remembered that this was not a case in which the parties were desirous of evading the
expense of repair , and of casting the burden off their , own shoulders . Nor was it a case in which each party was merely claiming ; the honour of doing such a work . It was Hot the honour , but the power which the doing of the thing would confer upon the party doing it ; for in the East the man who assists in repairing a house has a claim over the house , almost amounting to actual property . Hence Trance stepped in , and in the name of the Latin Church insisted on her right to be the repairer . Russia stepped in , and in the name of the Greek Church maintained her light in the matter . The Pasha quietly made offer , it is said , to take the cost upon himself . But [ France would not yield to Russia ; Russia would not yield to Prance ; neither would yield to the Pasha . The
power at stake was too great to be easily conceded . Hence to this day the dome has remained in miserable disrepair ; and the last accounts were , that the rent was getting so wide that tha rain poured in . It was the question , " "Who is to repair the dome ?" that led to the Crimean war ! During that war the question , was held in abeyance , in the hope that Crimean victories would settle it . The war ceased , but the question remained unsettled ; the dome , of course , remained unpatched . The point has been stirred again . M . de Thouvenel , a French envoy at Constantinople , has revived the Latin claim to the cupola ; and Russia is mustering all her diplomatic influence to maintain the rights of the Greek Church . Around the supposed tomb of the Prince of Peace , the battle of the two Churches is again renewed . Neither nation is in a condition for war ; yet both have sufficient power to fan the ecclesiastical
animosities of a thousand years , and to hinder any adjustment of the question . No one can tell when this old cupola may bo repaired ; for a compromise between the parties seems almost impossible . They will rather allow the edifice to go to wreck . Another war may at any time be the result . The direct interest of Britain in theso disputes about sacred edifices is not very obvious but her indirect interest is great in the extreme . It is of no moment to her who patches the holy dome or-who possesses the " Church of the Resurrection , " in so far as the dome and the church aro concerned , Why should she then be drawn into the strife ; and why should she incline to the aide of the Latin rather than , the Greek Church ? Tho reason lies close at hnnd . The preponderance of the Greek Church is tha preponderance of ¦ KU 88 ia in tho East and tho fust exerciso of Russian supremacy in . the East would bo to bar out England
from India . Better , then , that any other power than Russia should have sway in Syria and Egypt . Foiled in her first attempt to seize Palestine , Russia will be more wary now . Her object is now to gain silent influence , while she avoids open rupture . Nor will any effort , direct or indirect , be spared to accomplish this . As , during tho war , she made Prussia her servile tool ; and , by means of her , threw daily impediments in the ¦ w ay of the allies ; so will she continue to
do now . The game that Prussia is playing in Palestine , is as much for Russia as for herself ; and while Russia carries on the diplomatic war with France , she with wily sagacity confides to Prussia the work of assailing and affronting Protestant England . The Prussian consul at Jerusalem is quite aware of the part that he is expected to play . A-ftcr . paying a just tribute to the energy of our present consul , the writer goes on to say : —
England is the more called on to support her consuls in the East , because at present , as will be seen from Mr . Porter ' s able letters in the Times , tho Turkish authorities are doing their utmost both to bully and to overreach them . The Pashalic of Damascus is hi a critical position , and Turkish , fanaticism is gathering strength and fury . Strange to say , it is specially against England that this fanaticism is showing itself ; probably because continental hatred of our land bands European consuls together , and leads them to unite their influence and intrigues in stimulating agaiust our consuls the smothered bigotry of I 3 lamism . Should our Government show any vacillation in this matter , or any shyness in supporting vigorously the counsels and measures
of its representatives , our peril is great and imminent ; the Jaffa tragedy will be re-enacted at Jerusalem , and Mahomedanism will rush forth , scimitar in hand , from El-Khulil , Nablus , Esh-Shara , to do for the Christians of Syria what it has been doing for the Christiaus of Oude . A little more trifling and indecision on our part , a few more indications- of timidity and submissiveness , and we have irremediably destroyed both our prestige and our power in these Eastern regions . Speaking of the condition of the Jews in Syria , the writer declares that " the Jew is a stranger in Palestine—nowhere can a Jew feel insult and injury more than in liis own land , and at no hands can he resent wrong more than at those of a Christian Gentile :-
—Among Englishmen the interest in the Jew is much greater than among other nations . One does not wonder that the men of France , or Spain , or Italy should be so contemptuous towards the Israelite . Roinanism has taught them this ; and even the Protestants in these nations have imbibed , not perhaps dislike , but at least indifference . It is among the Christians of Britain : that the Jew has ever found his truest , warmest friends . Somehow or other there seems an affinity , or at least a sympathy , between the Israelite and the Englishman , such as does not exist between the Israelite and the German . Among English consuls , too , there is a disposition to protect the Jew such as is not displayed at the consulates of other nations . And it is remarkable that the greatest ¦ friend of Israel in the whole East is the British consul of Jerusalem .
The writer states , we fear with too much truth , that—England is not loved in the East , any more than in the West . She is great enough to be envied , or perhaps admired , but too great , too strong , to be loved . That she is feared , is obvious enough ; and much more feared might she be , were she as punctilious in claiming : her position , and insisting on her rights , as some nations are . Her conscious strength makes her too easy and too patient ; she lays aside needful vigilance and jealousy ; she concedes to weakness -what she-would deny to power . The Moslem , indeed , if he does not love her , yet in some measure trusts her ; for she is much more honest than others , and little disposed to aggression or cruelty ; so that , unlike all others , she would rather suffer wrong
than inflict it . But by all there is a recognition of her greatness ; and even they that dislike it most , are proud when placed in circumstances which enable or entitle them to -wield her power . A Syrian consul or a German ecclesiastic , entrusted with British power , ia a proud man indeed . Ten chances to one , however , that he will abuse it . To have the power of such a nation committed to them , even in humble offices , is sufficient to turn some men ' s minds . Some of the most " fantastic tricks" that have been played in the Easst , have como about in this peculiar way . The position , which would not for a moment elate an Englishman , would at once upset a foreigner ; nor does anything gratify him movo than when he can wield English power against somo unhappy Englishman , thnt may have fallen under hia displeasure by his boldness and independence .
England is by far too remiss , in regard to hor own interest in Syria ; nnd if our Government at homo is not more vigilant nnd enorgetic , aho will find her * ulf gradually edged or elbowed out of tho land . Franco , Russia , Austria , and Prussia have all their schemes of national aggrandisement there . The courts of I ' arin , Petersburg , Vienna , and Berlin , aro quite alivo to tho importance of securing a Btrong position in tho East . They instruct
their consuls on this point , and thev warmW * i , "" There is not one of tLr official ^ t to ^^** ^ be vigorously supported by his Government in ^ scheme , however ambitious , or in any blunder V any gross , if only that scheme or that 1 bfi £ / "T * aggrandise his nation , or humble its rival d t (> These remarks are very suggestive-tlie wliolo article , we repeat , aviII repay perusal .
830 T H E L E Ajdejr. Ijfeiig_?» August ...
830 T H E L E AJDEJR . Ijfeiig _?» August 21 , 185 S
Ireland. The Kilkenny Riots.—As An Insta...
IRELAND . The Kilkenny Riots . —As an instance of tho i ,,, u \ of the rioters , we read that a party of ?> ceeded to the residence of an extensive farmer cut if ™' his crops , and peremptorily demanded payment nthO ? wise they would visit him on the following morn ' inT a " party of police , however , were there before them kn * the rioters beat a retreat . ' autt Tin-: Tenant Le \ guu . —A general meeting was wia in Dublin on Tuesday , to consider the present position and prospects of the cause ; Archdeacon ritzjreralrt £ the chair Mr Maguire , M . P bitterl y comp laLd fhS although Lord Palmerston had been false to this question yet that some supporters of tenant right in the House of Commons had continued to give him their support His advice was not to allow an impenitent party into power again until they went down on their knees and begged for mercy , lie was no partisan of the present or of the late Government ; he would give the present ministry a fair trial , but he would not extend that trial a moment beyond All Fools' Day—the 1 st of April 1859 . He . might say for himself and his friends that if they did not sec such-a bill as the Government could have a hope to carry laid-on the table of the House of Commons at an early period of the session , the Government would then have the same hostility from them as they now had of their support . Mr . Blake , M . P ., concurred in the views of Mr-Maguire , but Mr . G . H . Moore somewhat dissented from them .
The Banquet of the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland came off at Londonderry on Wednesday . The speech of the evening was delivered by the Lord-Lieutenant . He congratulated the society upon the success which , it had achieved ^ and took a most encouragiu " view of the present state of Ireland . Loud Palmehstox has delivered a speech at Sligo , on the occasion of the presentation of ah address by the Town and Harbour Commissioners . The noble lord did not refer at all to his rumoured retirement from public life ; his speech was chiefly a panegyric u-pbn the deeds of the Administration of-which he was the chief . Mn . SruRGEON * made his flrst appearance at'Belfast on Tuesday in a Presbyterian . - church .. The local journals say that his preaching was a failure in the opinion of his Irish hearers .
A Piu ' va ' te Investigation has been commenced at Hillsborough , with respect to alleged misconduct on the part of some officers of tlie South Down ' Militia Staff , who , in a drunken freak , phiycd an indecent and scaudalous practical joke upon an elderly waiter at an hotel , from the effects of which lie became so ill that he was admitted into the hospital .
Accidents And Sudden Deaths. A Presbyter...
ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS . A Presbyterian clergyman , the Rev . William Smith was drowned at Aberdeen on Saturday last . In company with a friend he had strolled to the beach , and vas tempted to bathe . After being a short time in the water , he was observed by a gentleman who was batliiug near the same spot , to be showing signs of distress . The alarm was given , the life-boat launched , and encouragement by shouting meantime given to the struggling swimmer , who was still seen keeping afloat . There scorned to be every hope that Mr . Smith would be saved ; but tho current proved too powerful for his strength ; when the boat was not more than ten yards from him he sank , and though every exertion was mode to recover his body , it was not found . Tho unfortunate gontlcmau has left a widow and a numerous family .
Two distressing cases of suicide have oecuvrcd during the past week , the locality selected being the sumo in both cases—llnmpstead Heath . Tho first was that of Mr . Edward Prior , n hosier in lttnsbury-plneo North , who has terminated his existence by tho uso of laudanum . Lovc-passagcs appear from the evidence to bo tho cause of the rilx-rration of mind which led to tho fdo de ae . Tho second enso was that of Mr . William Axhcombc , surgeon , of King-street , Gheapaide . It appeared thnt the deceased had an execution put in hii house for Ml ., nnd that tliis preyed upon his mind . A lamentable occurrences has taken place at Carlisle ,
n little girl , seventeen months old , hnving been drowned by her mother , who uftor wards destroyed her own life . A man employed tit the waterworks , nonr tho foot of tho river Potteril , observed something floating down tho river Kdon . Upon hriii ^ iiiK it to U'e nhoro ho found it wiis the body uf u female child . He conveyed it i >> th " Turf Hotel , wliero it was afterward * identified l > y Us father , ttobort Irving . Ilia wife l ' inviiipj left her homo with tho child on Monday afternoon about livo oYloWc , nnd not returning nfrnin , lie was unable to conceive where . she luul goiio ; but Mic finding of tho body <> f tn « child gavo viso to auspicious that uho had mudo away
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 21, 1858, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21081858/page/6/
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