“Similar cases occur quite often in Asia Minor, but the local authorities conceal them with the utmost care, and make every effort to keep them from the people. The Armenians have not even the right to emigrate from this barbarous country. I telegraphed to you yesterday that the governor of Trebizond prohibited about one hundred Armenian emigrants from leaving the port on the Massangeric steamer ‘Niger.’” Without the slightest fear of exaggeration the reader can stretch the compass of his imagination to picture to himself the pitiable condition of those prisoners and their families in Asia Minor and Armenia proper. There was neither press nor the influence of the foreign powers; neither facilities of rapid communication, nor the possible use of the telegraph system which is controlled by the government; nor did any safety exist in the post-office system; letters were often torn open with the pretense of suspicion, where “similar cases occur _quite often_, but the local authorities concealed them with utmost care.” These unfortunate prisoners were tortured and starved to death in those filthy and infectious jails; their wives were exposed to the assaults and outrages of the enemies of their religion, their daughters were abducted and proselyted by threats, their little ones were crying for bread, but there was none to provide for them. They and their homes and families were completely ruined. Like the lambs on the thousand hills of Armenia, the Christian inhabitants of Western Asia were turned over to the Mohammedan wolves by the European Powers. The following poem, which is translated and recomposed from the original by Mr. Thomas G. Allen, Jr., appeared with an article by the same gentleman in the New York _Herald_, about twenty-five years ago. The object of the writer was to show how the inflammatory and revolutionary literature had provoked the Turks, who, almost driven out of Europe, were also threatened in Asia. The following is his closing words: “And now the Turks are threatened in Asia itself. Is there no possible reconciliation between the conflicting elements? Is the unity of civilization to be had only by the sacrifice of whole populations, and those above all, which [the Turks] are distinguished by the highest moral qualities--Uprightness, truth, manliness, courage and tolerance?” Tastes surely differ. Even the bloodthirsty and bestial Turks are distinguished by the highest moral qualities according to Mr. Allen. Here is the revolutionary poem: ADDRESS TO THE ARMENIANS Stand firm, O Armenians! Stand firm for the land That gave thee in childhood her cherishing hand; Stand firm for thy country, thy cradle, thy grave, The country that reeks with the blood of the brave. ’Tis here in their dungeons, ’mid torture and moan The blood of thy fathers so freely has flown; And this is the land where still thou hast saved, Great glories and names, on thy memory engraved.