Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1877 — MONTENEGRO. [ARTICLE]

MONTENEGRO.

Tlie Triumph of the Krave Mountaineers— Withdrawal of the Turkish Troops. [From the Chicago Times.] The withdrawal of the Turkish forces from Montenegro is an acknowledgment either that it is impossible to reduce this principality on the rocks, or a confession that the troops which have been operating there are more urgently needed south of the Danube. Whatever the motive, the triumph of the rebels in the Black mountains is complete, and, for the first time in several years, they are at liberty to resume the habits of peace and the customs of civilized government, so far as they are acquainted with them. The ultimate success of Russia being conceded, the subordination of Montenegro to the Porte is, no doubt, forever at .an end, and another change is accomplished on the map of Europe. Turkey obtained possession of the principality toward the end of the fourteenth century. Its Semi-independence was stubbornly maintained, however, and its local government was exercised for three centuries by Prince-Bishops, until the last of them, Danilo 1., proclaimed himself a secular monarch. Tlie conflict between Montenegro and Turkey has been incessant, the mountaineers and the Porte supplying each other with pretexts for war for 250 years. The Turks have sent, at various times, an army of upward of 100,000 men to subjugate a little sterile rookery, 1,700 miles in area, Having an entire population of about 120,000, uo standing army, not a seaport, and not revenue enough to support a Prince; and tlie victories have been fairly divided between the rebels and the Ottomans, but no defiiiite result was ever brought about which satisfied both. Iu 1714 the Turks took 20,000 Montenegrins prisoners. In 1796, 30,000 Turks were slain in the mountain fastnesses. Wars occurred, with periodical interruptions, from the beginning of tlie present century; and, in 1858, treason in tlie Montenegrin camp attempted to accomplish what the arms of tlie Turkish empire liad so repeatedly undertaken in vaiu. An uncle of Prince Danilo was detected in collusion with Ottoman emissaries, and in 1860 Danilo himself was assassinated, having fallen under a similar suspicion. Tlie war terminated by tlie abrupt withdrawal of the Turkish forces xvas begun in the autumn of 1876, on account of the sympathy of the Montenegrins with the iusurgents in Herzegovina and Bosnia. Tlie blockade of the fortress of Nicsics, commenced in April, 1876, was stubbornly resisted, but it finally yielded, and was garrisoned by Ottoman troops. On July 2, 1876, Moutenegro and Servia jointly declared win - against Turkey, Montenegro’s specific demand being that the Turkish garrison should be withdrawn, and the fortress manned by her own troops. Defeats of the Servians by the Turks, aud of tlie Turks by the Xlontenegrins was tlie almost invariable order of battle until after tlie capture of Alexinatz, Servia, on Oct. 31. Mukhtar Pasha was then able to consolidate his forces against Montenegro. An armistice of six weeks was arranged, which was afterward extended during the sitting of the conference at Constantinople. Peace was established with Servia, but the Porte refused to cede Nicsics and the mountaineers resumed the offensive. How many thousands of Turks have fallen in this monstrously unequal contest it is impossible even to speculate; not less than 25,000. upon Turkish statements of the troops sent to operate there. It is not hazardous, in the light of impending events, to surmise that the last Turkish commander has led his turbaned mercenaries up tlie heights. The fate of Montenegro, in the readjustment of tributaries which must follow a settlement of th'e subjection of Turkey by Russia, lies between Russia and Austria. The people are Slavs, of the non-united Greek church; but geographically their natural dependeuce is upon Austria.