Reports have for a long time prevailed, that the "
pacification " of Syria had only resulted in permanent dissension ; and the facts are now too glaring to be disputed. The Druses and the Maro- mites are castigating the Turks, after the Turks have for some time, under the auspices of Britain and the other Powers, tyran- nized over the Syrians in lieu of their former tyrant, Lutanist Pasha. We had an idea that the tyranny of lunAinis was into- lerable; and so, at the risk of a war with France, we drove him out,—having an eye also to "the integrity of the Ottoman empire." The Syrians have an idea that the tyranny of the Turks is into- derable, and they are beginning to turn them out : are we to ihold up the tyranny of the Turks—to readmit MEHEMET AL's • Sdh, to which Turkey would perhaps not now object ; or are we to constitute Syria an independent state, "protected" by the Five Powers, and to establish "normal schools" of self-government to figure in the Estimates ? It is clear we must do something; for we have just at present no American question, no Canadian insur- rection—even 'the Servian question has had a premature decease, and Walladda has never matured into a question. We have only India, and China, and the Slave-trade Treaty question on our hands ; and how will diplomatists get on without this new Syrian -question ? Officials should remember what Lord PALMERSTON would have made of it, had he been in office. Why, we might lave had in tpur hands the vindication, protection, organization, nationalization, political education, pecuniary provision, and virtual government of all the intractable Syrian tribes ; with all the conse- quent naval stations, military depeas, subsidies, loans, and guaran- tees; to say nothing of Commissioners innumerable, to inquire into every thing, from the indisputable to the inscrutable. Perhaps that vision cannot be attained by the present degenerate race of officials ; but they may imitate what they cannot equal, and meddle as much as they can in Syria. Accordingly, a fleet is proceeding thither from Malta.
Previous page
