430 
For this reason these islands must 
always be in the hands of some great 
power. 
Such a power might establish in 
them a government and administration, 
from which the neighbouring Turks 
might learn how to govern and treat 
the Greek states under their control. 
This example ought to have been set 
by the British government; and, al- 
though its policy might not have 
found imitation in the first five years, it 
would have operated in time, for it has 
been seen in Smyrna, Thessalonica, 
Adrianople, Magnesia, and Constanti- 
nople, before the rising of the Greeks, 
how much the Porte, in places that 
were not oppressed by cruel pashas, 
considered the welfare of its Greek 
subjects, and what great privileges, 
especially in trade, it granted to them 
above its other subjects, particularly 
the Armenians. 
If the Porte had viewed the Tonians 
under their new government, con- 
tented, tranquil, and growing in opu- 
lence, it wou!d soon have adopted as 
much of the same system as might 
be consistent with its own. I have 
been assured in Corfu, that the 
English government in 1815, at the 
time when the islands were made over 
to them by treaty, had this object in 
view. ‘If ithad been executed by the 
British agents, it is a question whether 
the Greeks in 1821 would have had 
any just ‘cause for rising against the 
Porte. But what have the Ionian 
islands presented since that period? 
A poor race of people, towards 
whom no promise was kept,—a people 
who, only living by trade, have been 
bound with the tightestfetters, and have 
not been allowed to engage in any en- 
terprize which might affect the interest 
of British trade; at the same time 
teased by a host of English revenue- 
officers, who curtailed their rights of 
navigation and monopolized the use 
of their own harbours and bays in fa- 
vour of England,—a people who, 
often despised and ill treated by the 
British officers, were forced to hate 
their government at Corfu, and to try 
all means of getting rid of it. 
Such a result could certainly not 
inspire the Porte with any desire of 
imitation ; and, mistrustful and timid as 
it is, itonly became more strict and se- 
vere against its own Greek subjects, 
and the pashas became even more 
cruel. 
According to the treaty by which 
Novelties of Foreign Literature. 
[June 1, 
they were delivered over, the Ionians 
were to found a republic under the 
auspices of Great Britain, whose pro- 
tection was to be the security of inde- 
pendence. An Jonian senate was to 
assist the British governor by its coun- 
sels, and a legislative assembly was to 
give them new laws. 
If, instead of this acknowledged re- 
publican form, the Ionian Islands had 
become England’s property, if they 
had become an integral part of 
Great Britain, with the English consti- 
tution, English rights, and English 
legislature, how happy then would 
have been their lot, compared with 
their present state ! 
An English governor has arrived to 
rule in Corfu, with the same supreme 
power as did formerly the Proveditore- 
generale of St. Mare. In those times 
the Lonians could at least complain 
and petition in Venice, so near to them, 
and frequently the senate afforded them 
speedy protection and redress against 
the Venetian officers. But now the 
distance from London is much greater: 
it is so by nature, while the policy of 
government has made it quite inacces- 
sible. Those unhappy Lonians, who 
some months ago addressed their 
grievances to England, now find re- 
dress in the gaols of Corfu ! 
Those who firmly expressed and 
defended principles unpleasant to the 
government of Corfu, were soon're- 
moved from the senate. | This was the 
fate of four of the ablest and most up- 
right men. Those who remained, to- 
gether with their president, took warn- 
ing from this. Very soon the senate 
had no other wish but those of the 
English governor, who, moreover, 
often expressed them rather harshly. 
Hence, for some time past, the will’ of 
the senate has not been distinguished 
from that of this ruler, and the greatest 
harmony prevails ! 
The legislative assembly have not 
yet accomplished their task of forming 
a code of laws for the Ionian Islands, 
nor does it appear they ever will ac- 
complish it. 
In the mean time the government of 
Corfu has seized upon all the branches 
of the executive administration, and 
placed them under its control, by put- 
ting them into the hands of. English- 
men, foreigners, or such of the island- 
ers who yield. implicitly to the will of 
the English government. ‘Thus: :the 
duties of customs in all the islands are 
managed in a manner which ' leads 3 
e 
