LORD ROSEBERY AND THE ARMENIANS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9605, 21 December 1896, Page 3

LORD ROSEBERY AND THE ARMENIANS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PBESS. Sib, —A few days ago I read a sub-leader of yours on the above 1 subject, and it appeared to mc there was another side to the case. I have been too busy to reply before, but beg you will allow mc to state my view of the case. The facts of the, Armenian, persecution are of the most distressing character, and have been now for some time. The fact as far as the best judges and most capable men in England and elsewhere agree that about 200,000 of these helpless people have been put to death and in manners the most inhuman; conduct so vile that it is not fit for publication. Wβ stand by and allow to be done, and then we are ashamed to put it into print—men who have been tortured by the most devilisb ingenuity, and women outraged, and children torn in pieces and stuck on the point of the bayonet—but the naming is out of the question but by a mere reference. Now, is any cause assignable for such conduct on the part of this bloodhound of a Sultan ? All that we know or can learn from those who have studied the subject is, that the Armenians profess the Christian religion; and it is the Crescent against the Cross. From this standpoint Englishmen, who have fought our way_ in the ages past for liberty in religion we should know what this bloody persecution means. Is it right or was it ever right that men's consciences should be gagged, or that any force more than moral suasion | should be brought to bear on any roan on j God's earth. This by the majority say no. Then there is nothing to justify this■»*» n " n / nation! in Europe who took upon themselves j France Germany, Austria and Italy- A««y i War prevented the Russians from correcting the Turk and putting himaboutface, but the Britwh Government*

more especially responsible, as by a treaty, 1878, they got Russia in her weak momenta to alter the San Stefauo Treaty, which had for ever freed the Armenians from their tormentors, to what is knows as the Berlin Treaty, which left them in the hands of their tormentors. Of course, there was plenty of promise to amend the Government of these distressed people, but what then, promises with the TurK is on the line of the old proverb, like pie crust, made to ba broken, and broken they have been; but, further, the British Govern- , ment mado a secret treaty with the abominable Turk. The ficet article reads as follows : — That his Imperial Majesty the Sultan promises to En gland to introduce necessary reforms (to be agreed upon between the Powers) into the Government, and for tho protection of the Christian and other subjects of tho Porte in these territories (i.<\ Armenia), and in order to enable England to make uecessary provision for executing her engagements (i.e. to keep Russia out of Armenia), his Imperial Majesty tho Sultan further consents to assign the island of Cyprus to be occupied and administered by England. Britain hat thei-ofore received this island bribe (one of John Bull's weaknesses—a land grabber). Now, how do we stand as a nation before the civilised world, as well and vastly more how before a Just Creator ? On what lines of justice can we short- our face T We have sold our brother to the demon Turk for a mess of pottage. There is nothing but humiliation for us, and the sooner we eat the leek the better and give Russia or any other nation the opportunity to rule the Turk and clear ourselves of this bloodguiltiness. Now, I am surprised you treat this sore in the body politic so quietly. It is because you carry tho name of Conservative, and in turn allow a Conservative do-nothing Government to stand between you and this bloodthirsty Turk. We have in our past history raised men who turned bigger difficulties than this into successes. Shall we go to their dead ashes tor an inspiration? I feel as an individual that my nation never showed up worse. We want the return of the man who said " Pray and keep your powder dry."—Yours, &c, J. L. Wilson.