In

is usually so small that both the debtor and his creditors are ruined. Nor is this the only cause of the depreciation of property in the Polish districts. During the last twelve years a special tax has been imposed on the Poles and Catholics, from which their fellow subjects of the Russian nationality and creed are entirely exempt. addition to these material grievances, there are moral, or, so to say, national ones in Russia which do not exist among the Turkish Slavs. There are from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 persons under the Russian rule whose native tongue is Polish. Of these, four-fifths at least do not speak any other language; yet in the Polish provinces the only language used in all the public offices, courts of justice, etc., is the Russian. In Lithuania, Volhynia, and Podolia it is forbidden, under legal penalties, to place Polish inscriptions on the shops, to make out tradesmen's bills in Polish, to address letters in Polish, and even to speak that language in public places. It is, of course, found impossible strictly to enforce the latter prohibition; but the decree on this subject (General Potapoff's circular of the 22nd of March and

Is Russia more tolerant than Tur

key?

9th of July, 1868) still has the force of law, and even now placards may be seen in various parts of Vilna with the inscription, 'It is forbidden to speak Polish here.' As to the absence of personal security for the Christians in Turkey, the recent banishment of M. Brodzki, banker and municipal councillor at Odessa, shows that in Russia people are not better off. This incident has made some noise, owing to the fact that M. Brodzki is a Jew, and that his cause has consequently been taken up by the numerous journalists of his persuasion who occupy influential positions in the press of Berlin and Vienna; but there are hundreds of Poles who have been similarly treated, and any Russian subject is liable to be banished without trial by an order from the chief of the police at St. Petersburg."

The greatest grievance, however, of those of the Turkish Christians who do not belong to the orthodox Russian church, would, if they were placed under a system of government similar to that existing in Russia, be that of religious persecution. It is a favourite argument with

humanitarian politicians that Christianity cannot exist by the side of Islamism, and that it would therefore be better for Russia than for the Sultan to rule in the provinces inhabited by Christians. But let us look at the facts. Is Russia more tolerant towards alien religions than Turkey? To this question no better answer can be given than the evidence of the Rev. Cyrus Hamlin, who has long resided in Turkey as an American missionary. In a lecture delivered at Boston in October, 1876,* he says:

tolerance.

"Turkish officials are generally kind-hearted Turkish All the persecution which Protestant

men.

missions have suffered in Turkey originated in the Christian priests, communities, and churches opposed to the Protestants. . . . The Turks are naturally a tolerant people. It is specially provided in the Koran that any religion with a book '-that is, any religion which draws its authority from inspired writing-shall be tolerated; and under this provision the various Christian sects and the Jews find protection. . . . There is this difference

*Boston Journal.

D

between Russia and Turkey, that in Turkey all the various Christian sects, as well as the Mahometans, are at liberty to manage their own churches and schools, and to carry on proselytism; but in Russia no Russian, under pain of heavy penalty, is permitted to leave the State church, and not even a Pagan or Mahometan Tartar is allowed to be converted to any thing but the State church. The Turks are very bloody and savage in war, but are tolerant in peace. It would be decidedly better for the people and for the cause of Christianity to have the Turks remain in Europe than to have Russia hold Constantinople."

*

Another gentleman, who the Pall Mall Gazette asserts "is entitled to speak for the whole body of American missionaries in Turkey," informs that paper that "the missionaries have such a dread of Russian ascendancy" that they requested him "to lay before the German Government certain proofs of Russian intolerance, and to solicit that Government to secure from Russia guarantees for religious liberty before * October 21st, 1876.

consenting to the dismemberment of Turkey, or to the occupation of Turkish soil by a Russian army." The American missionaries, he says, are all known to him personally as men of candour and discretion, "and their long residence in Turkey and familiarity with the Government and peoples of the Empire entitles their opinion touching its internal affairs to most serious consideration." They are all of opinion "that Russian influence is the most wily and deadly foe of themselves and their work." "We have been in indebted," they declare, "mainly to Russian influences for the persecutions that have attended our labours for the last forty years."

The president of a college in Turkey testifies :

"We have no special cases of persecution to allege. There is a vast amount of small persecution against Protestants. They are sometimes

excluded from representation in the local councils; sometimes their colporteurs are arrested, their

books are forbidden, permits to

are withheld, and many similar

erect buildings

things which,