Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened/Chapter XXVI
CHAPTER XXVI.
SO-CALLED ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONISTS.
1. Armenia's Appeal to Europe Considered Rebellion. As the natural result of Christian civilization, the Armenians could not help cherishing in their hearts the sacred ambition of freedom, as a living plant could not help bursting into life under the necessary conditions of nature. Being oppressed and deprived of this human privilege, they could not help sighing under the heavy burden of Turkish persecutions and Kurdish outrages. Who can blame them for feeling such pain and pleading for any help that might be offered?
The presentation of their deplorable condition before the representatives of the Great Powers, as they did in the Berlin Conference in 1878, was simply to implore their help in suppressing the Kurdish and Circassian cruelties, and obliging the porte to regard the promises of reform, which were entirely cast into oblivion, especially after learning that the European governments had repeatedly shown themselves anxious in securing these promises of the Sultans and pretending zealousness for their fulfilment.
A pamphlet lately published under the title of "England's Responsibility Towards Armenia," by Canon McCall of the Anglican Church, contains evidence enough to prove from the Blue Books of the British government for the past fifty years that the condition of the Armenians was as deplorable as ever under the tyranny of Turks and Kurds, and the indifference of the English government to suppress these atrocities, which it was her duty to do, according to her treaties and promises. The terrible reports mentioned in these Blue Books were all written by the British consular agents residing in Armenia, and contain all the details of events. The Armenians, being unaware of this indifference on the part of the English government, have made repeated appeals to Christian England, and through her to Europe, for succor.
Especially, knowing that in this century Greece, Roumania, Bosnia, Montenegro, Servia and Bulgaria were liberated from the tyrant of ages, and Lebanon, Samos, Crete and Egypt had gained especial privileges, all through the aid of European powers, Armenia would and might naturally desire and implore of the same Powers for a reformed and just administration under their guarantee. Moreover, the Czar Nicholas of Russia has promised the Armenian nation to furnish her with some kind of provincial government under the care of the Russian throne.
The sixty-first article of the Berlin Treaty, signed by the six great Powers of Europe, reads as follows: "The Sublime Porte undertakes to carry out, without further delay, the improvements and reforms demanded by local requirements in the provinces inhabited by the Armenians, and to guarantee their security against the Circassians and Kurds. It will periodically make known the steps taken to this effect to the Powers, who will superintend their application." Can the Armenians be blamed for their anticipation of interference by the Powers, who pledged themselves for their protection?
2. Hunchag, the Supposed Armenian Conspirator. The atrocities which were promised to cease after the solemn Berlin Treaty) have continued and increased systematically and in such rapidity, and committed even before the eyes of the Signing Powers for seventeen long and weary years, that the Armenians have lost all hopes of any assistance from abroad. In Armenia proper the Kurdish and Turkish tax-gatherers succeed each other and plunder what is left, and commit such atrocities that cannot be told in a public book like this. At last the helpless Armenians said to the Turkish officers: "The Kurds left nothing to pay you; here we are, take what you find; we do not know who is our ruler, the Turk or the Kurd. If you are our masters, protect us against these Kurds." This pleading and just protest was taken as an open declaration of rebellion and soon was telegraphed to the palace of the Sultan, who was already watching for this opportunity to commence his infernal plan. A few young teachers and students who took their education in Germany and Russia, and had some socialistic air in their religious creed, taught the people to bring the above-mentioned protest before the Turkish tax-gatherers under the said condition of affairs. These few hot-headed young men and their very few co-thinkers, who called themselves "Hunchag" (sounding instrument), and were ranked by some empty-minded or malicious writers with Anarchists and Nihilists, could have been easily arrested and controlled if the Turkish government had any intention of doing so. Besides, Hunchag's creed and course was not encouraged or approved by the Armenians themselves. There was among the Armenians a common suspicion that either Russia had intentionally prepared and sent them in order to arouse disturbances and create a chance to carry her selfish purpose, or that these persons were only hired agents of the Turkish Government to excite the Moslem population. Learning these things, how could the Armenians show sympathy for such a movement? Suppose that these few Russian Armenians were conspirators and murderers, could this justify the government for the universal massacres of the thousands of innocent Armenians, men, women and children? Who could justify the Spanish Government had she undertaken to plunder and massacre all the Italians in Spain for the murder of Canovas by an Italian anarchist? Who could blame Americans that John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln? Another fact is, that the greatest devastation and slaughter has been made in places where the Armenian people had no information of or sympathy with the Hunchag movement, and were most submissive to the local government. Besides, these endless atrocities and the plan of massacres were at work long before the existence of Hunchag. Socialism, anarchism and nihilism are new words and strange ideas for a peaceful, industrious and religious nation like the Armenians. What they demanded from their own government and from the European Powers was safety of life, regard of honor and protection of property and religious liberty—the points which were promised in the schemes of reforms and guaranteed by the Christian governments.
