THE SYRIAN QUESTION.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 306, 25 September 1860, Page 3

THE SYRIAN QUESTION.

The journals continue to report the preparations which France is making to send an imposing force to Syria. '~-a The government organs in - Paris state that there is no. doubt that the Porte has 'giy^ri its assent to the intervention proposed by the French. But their statements probably rest on nothing more than the receipt ■of ' the following -letter addressed by the Sultan to the Emperor Napoleon, under date July 16 i—

i imVe at lieai't that yoilt1 majesty bhbuld' | know with what gi'lef I have learned of the event 9 in Syria.,; Let your majesty be "convinced .that. I.■ shall employ all niy powers for establishing secu-! rity arid order in Syria, and that I shall severely punish the guilty parties whoever they may be'^andrender justice to all. In order to leave no doubt whatever on the intentions of my govern-^' pent, J, have entrusted that important mission to my ■Minister for Foreign Affairs, with whose principles your majesty ia acquainted. ' ; [It is said"tKafcthe Sultan has despatched to her Majesty Queen-Victoria a letter similar to the above.] . . ; , According to the last news from Syria, the Druses and Maronites have come to an. agreement which is dignified by the naaie of a treaty of peace; but it is riot likely that the Western Bowers will accept such a settlement. The so-called •' treaty "seems to have been arranged by the Turkish government when it saw the energy with which France was preparing to send troops to the coast, and England begun "to act by sea.. We should state, however, that the. Constitutionnel of July 24 publishes an article expressing doubts on the exactitude of the news of an armistice having been concluded between the Druses and the Maronites, and hoping that " Europe will not thus allow a sponge to.be. passed over the blood of Christians, and suffer all that has passed to be thus hushed up." And the same journal of yesterday, July 25, while repeating "that a perfect good understanding prevails between France and England, that the last measures have been taken by the emperor in concert with the English Cabinet, and that nothing delays, the departure of the expedition for Syria," says: — ; The latest news from.Syria announces that the state of things was still serious. 10,000 Druses were marching on Damascus, where the Christians run the greatest danger. A prompt European intervention is absolutely necessary to rescue the remaining Christians from being massacred. The following significant telegram of July 24 come to us from Paris :—- The Porte has instructed its ambassadors at Paris and' London to officially communicate to the Courts of the Tuileries and St. James, the conclusion of peace between the Druses and Maronites on the lpth of July. In this official communication the Porte, although expressing its satisfaction at this happy event, adds that it will, nevertheless, pursue with the utmost rigor the authors of the recent massacres, and that Fuad Pacha had, to that end, been invested with the most ample powers, not only to punish the guilty parties, but also to take such measures as would prevent the recurrence of fresh conflicts between the Druses and the Maronites. A letter from St. Petersburgh speaks of great excitement' there, in' consequence of the news from Syria:— Both merchants and people entertain a violent fanatical hatred against all Mussulmans, but particularly against the Turks. The" upper classes are indifferent in matters of religion, but politics and national traditions have accustomed them to execrate all that is Mahomedan. All classes are unanimous in stigmatising—cursing is the word— the cruelties of the Turks. The passions of the people are excited to a pitch I could not have suspected, and at this moment one might believe that every Russian is a fanatic, which is certainly not the fact, but the old hatred so strongly resembles fanaticism, that one might mistake it. There is but one voice, one cry, " We must succour the Christians, exterminate their barbarous oppressors, revenge religion and outraged humanity, finish with the Turks, and drive them out of Europe." The army appears to experience even more violently thair the .people this paroxysni of anger. The people crowd their churches, and listen attentively to their Popes, whose sermons are allusions to the atrocities committed by the Turks, and who pray to God, that His just anger may not fall on the heads of those cold and inhuman politicians who hear without shuddering the cries of the victims immolated by the Mussulman's cimeter—and wjio are not affected at seeing the palpitations of the smoking entrails of so many thousand - Christians, their brothers in Jesus Christ. Old men who recollect the excitement which-existed in the year 1812 declare that the irritation Vvas then less terrible and less implacable. VISIT. OF THE PRINCE OE WALES /To AMERICA. The following correspondence between Mr. President Buchanan and Queen Victoria, in reference to the visit of the Prince of Wales, is published in the New York papers which have just come to hand :— To her Majesty Queen Victoria, — I have learnt from the public journals that the Prince of Wales is about to visit your Majesty's North American dominions. Should it be the intention of his royal highness to extend his visit to the United States, I need not say how happy I should be to giye him a cordial welcome to Washington. .',••-. You may be well assured that everywhere in tins country he will be greeted by the American people in such a manner as cannot.fail to prove gratifying, to your Majesty. In this they : will manifest their deep sense of your domestic virjtues, as well as their conviction of your merits, as* a wise, patriotic, and constitutional Sovereign. Your Majesty's most obedient servant, ■ James Buchanan. Washington, June 4,1860. Buckingham Palace, June 22. My good Friend, —I have been much gratified at the feelings which prompted you to write to me, inviting the Prince of Wales to come to Washington. He intends to return trom Canada through the United States, and it will give him great pleasure to have an opportunity of testifying to you in person that these feelings are fully reciprocated by him. He will thus be able at the same time to mark the respect which he entertains for the Chief Magistrate of a great, and friendly State and kindred nation. The Prince of Wales will drop all. royal state on leaving my dominions, and travel under the name of Lord Renfrew, as he has done when travelling on the continent of Europe. i " The Prince Consort wishes to be kindly remembered to you. • I remain ever, your good friend, Victoria R.