Show 7 tue THE CRETANS BY our european telegrams we occasionally sio nally hear of the extorts for lor freedom and independence now being made by the inhabitants of the island of crete or candia for nearly two years the tho congest has been waged and still the cre hans tans holdout seemingly determined to die to a aman man rather than submit to the rule of the hated moslem crete was anciently one of the chief bentres centres of grecian commerce and civilization in III the days of homer it was celebrated for its hundred citi cities vs and for its great fertility and boasted of its mil lions of inhabitants but like greece rome and other grand civilizations bf f the past once the pride of the ancient world its glory has dep departed arted apted wealth and refinement luxury and sensuality have wrought their theli usual effects and today to day instead of numbering its millions ot of people in the highest state of civilization its is pe people ople opie fall far short of two hundred thousand abet of whom are said to be but little advanced beyond a 4 state of semi barbar balbar ism IBM I 1 candia cania is a small island in the mediterranean miles long and wid varying from five or six to nearly nifty fifty miles in ih width its position however has made its ita pd possession session a matter of importance and in consequence it ha haa had many rulers in the tho last century before christ the island became tributary to the romans in the ninth century the saracens saracena Sara cens became its masters about a century later dater it changed hands and the ayzan tines assumed control and in the thir century the island w was as sold to the ahe venetians and remained under their rule for about four centuries enjoying a 1 great v share of civil and rell reil religious gLus freedom duri durl juring Jurl during ng that time it had occasionally suffered from invasions of the genoese and the turks but until about the middle of the seventeenth century these were successfully resisted in 1644 the turks determined to wrest the island from the venetians lans ians and a contest commenced which lasted awen ty five years when the cross had to yield to the crescent and the turks became masters of the island thirty one thousand cretans caetans fell in defence of the candia before surrendering erom froni that time until 1830 the cretans caetans Cre tans I 1 who are christians and members of the greek church were engaged in almost perpetual contests with the their Ir conquerors in 1830 after a continued struggle of nearly ten years candia at the instance of the great powers of europe Europ was ewas ceded to egypt agypt i and tinder the rule ruie of behem et ali all various improvements i 1 and reforms were were introduced among the cretans caetans Cre tans in 1840 however the little island was again placed under turkish rule although lord Pai pal palmerston merston then leade of the british house of commons strongly protested against again it from that time on exaction and oppression of intolerable severity berea reagain We ain aln imposed and in 1865 and igo foo it is said laid that the turkish government exacted more in the shape of if taxation from the cretans caetans Cre tans than the gross amount of their income forgone year jear determined if possible to obtain a redress of bf their grievance their leading men in accordance with their custom for thirty centuries called an assembly of bf the people and ire ite respectfully memorialized the sultan suitan stating their grievances and praying for redress rhe the fhe reply was wag to the effect thae their government was wise and beneficent and that if their demands were persisted in imprisonment and the theaward sword would be the result A second appeal wag vas trained an and d forwarded to thea Gover rioT general of tile tiie island imael ismael pasha but ta only resulted in a proclamation for the assembly to disperse dispense troops being dispatched to enforce if IV I 1 1 finding remonstrance ce cain rain vain a xa a Y assembly was for formed pidd ridd te the chaw tinh Tower towers 3 of europe e were appealed to ana and the tho islanders were summoned to arm otice more to battle with their oppressors for sor their rights and liberties within two days from theall to arms 2000 C cretans were wera in the field confronted by al a many turks arom prom that time until the present the marlias raged with amme br less leas intensity G great at cruelties cruel ties bacq hav been committed by the turks aud and heavy losses oh ob each sid aid hut but the fhe little band of cretans caetans t flarice de flarnce to a an 6 ep epi whose people are more moro numerous t the tife tiie the czar bf russians Russi als aIs willing to tb ald aid thiern iril heir efforts the russians and cretans caetans being co do religionists and has proposed propose d tc england that they shar shad shall jointly settie settle the cretan difficulty but E england through fear of russian influence ine ifie fl bence in india views all interference in turkish affairs from that quarter with extreme distrust in our own country the war in crete is beginning to arouse public attention the cause of liberty naturally excites the them warmest sympathies of the american people earnest appeals in behalf of the cretans chetam Cre tans are being made in various quarters A fair was recently held in boston the profits of which were for the benefit of the cretan patriots and a paper the oretan cretan wholly devoted to the interest of the tile cause is now being published and if the americans take tahe no actual part in the war for cretan independence dependence e the voice of the people of this country may yet have some influence in successfully deciding their heroic el ef lorts i |