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  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    804 JIL-gLJL^..^ U, 1858.

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    NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. No notice can...

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    - s^sy f^T/T^ O\il\£/*\ VJb|%J '(J \ Sll^ iV ©<V \ A \ V _^7jF T" F* lr\. \m Wr, T _ ^ f~ * X^?^^ ' ^*^ ^^ \ -4-

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    v \^_y — SATUBDAY, AUGUST 14, 1858.

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    ¦ . - . . • • '" r I (• f~\i£ ' • dr)tllllir ^LlllIir jEf. ^t/ivuuv avhuha" * ?——

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    ¦ ? — There is nothing so revolutionary,...

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    CONDITION OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE. The hop...

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    ENGLAND AND AMERICA. A dispute is always...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    804 Jil-Gljl^..^ U, 1858.

    804 JIL-gLJL ^ .. ^ U , 1858 .

    Notices To Correspondents. No Notice Can...

    NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS . No notice can bo taken of anonymous correspondence . Whatever is intended for insertion must 1 ) e authenticated bv the name and address of the writer ; not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of his Rood faith . It is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters-wo receive . Their insertion is often delayed , owing to a press . ' of matter ; and when omiUed . it is frequently from reasons quite independent- of the merits of the communication . . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

    - S^Sy F^T/T^ O\Il\£/*\ Vjb|%J '(J \ Sll^ Iv ©≪V \ A \ V _^7jf T" F* Lr\. \M Wr, T _ ^ F~ * X^?^^ ' ^*^ ^^ \ -4-

    „ J & t & Qtt . w-

    V \^_Y — Satubday, August 14, 1858.

    v \^_ y — SATUBDAY , AUGUST 14 , 1858 .

    ¦ . - . . • • '" R I (• F~\I£ ' • Dr)Tllllir ^Lllliir Jef. ^T/Ivuuv Avhuha" * ?——

    ^ nlilic affair * . - ¦

    ¦ ? — There Is Nothing So Revolutionary,...

    ¦ ? — There is nothing so revolutionary , because there is notliing so unnatural and convulsive , as the strain to keep things fixed % hen all the world is by the verylaw of Its creation in eternal progress . —Dr . Arnold . ¦ . - - ——? ¦ . . , '• . .

    Condition Of The Turkish Empire. The Hop...

    CONDITION OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE . The hopes entertained by many at the close of the Crimean struggle , that the Turkish Empire was about to enter into a new phase of progress and regeneration , do not seem likely to be fulfilled . Gould tlie proniised change have been wrought by dint of diplomacy , or could the spell of evil habit have been broken by the magic of words spoken and written at the Conferences of Paris , the Othman dynasty would , undoubtedly , have been by this time in the enjoyment of the renewed lease of

    power and stability winch the European Sanhedrim decreed it . . The Porte was solemnly declared to fce admitted into the fraternity of European Governments . The integrity of the Moslem empire was formally placed under the guarantee of Christendom . International relations were initiated upon the footing theretofore subsisting between the civilised nations of the world . No end of good advice was confidentially offered by Prance , England , and Austria , as to tne best mode of hastening the renovation of their valetudinarian protege ; and even

    Russia , after a little , began to be equally communi-< 5 ative of disinterested counsel to the sick man who had had so narrow an escape of her exclusive care . But as far as it has gone , the new system of competitive protection of the Sultan by his imperial neighbours does not work either satisfactorily or promisingly . Neither the moral or material interests of Turkey appear to thrive under it . Whether it be that the sense of self-preservation as an active impulse has been weakened , or that the jealousy proverbially felt by the weak for the intcrzneddlitig of the strong in its affairs ha 3 become morbidly intense ; -whether it be that the mischief ' — - — — — - —* ~>_^> w v _ - ^^ - ^ — w * w ^ r mm ¦¦ < v A « V V ^^ v »»*^ V IS * m ^ rf ** A tM ^^^ Jlfc ^^ J

    lies in the apathy and indifference , confirmed , if not created , by being publicly taken in and done for by the joint-stock wisdom of Europe ; or whether it be that all consistent policy at home or abroad is paralysed by the conflict of embassies at Constantinople , and that in the multitude of counsellors there is danger , —certain it is , that things just now are going ill with our invalid ally on the banks of the JSosphorus , and that his condition , albeit he does not very loudl y complain , is one calculated to cause no small anxiety on his account . In truth , thovery absence of complaint is one of the worst symptoms of disease in cases of . the kind . There is , as we all know , what was called by Sheridan " unconscious dying at top . " A fracture , however

    complicated , may be set ; a tever , however high or delirious , may be overcome ; congestion of the vital organs may bo reduced by prompt and vigorous treatment ; and most other maladies may be wrestled with , and conquered . But no cure has yet been found for softening of the braiu , in either the political or the bodily frame . The only recompense sought by the "Western Powers for the sacrifices made hv them during the Russian war , was that the Christian subjects of the Sultan should be placed in all rospeots on an equal footing with the Mnhomedan population . This was unreservedly promised , and there is no reason to suspeot the Porte of any wilful breach of faith regarding it . But the resolution and energy neoessary to carry it into effect were , and arc wholly ,

    wanting . The celebrated tanzitnat , ordaining the future equality of all creeds in the eyes of the law , was promptly issued ; and great was tlie satisfaction expressed in speech and print throughout all Christian countries . 35 ut it soon appeared that the tanzimat was likely to have little efficacy throughout the provinces of the empire . As a general rule , the Christian population were destitute of arms and organisation , while their hereditary oppressors in each locality exercised uudiminished powers of exaction without limit , and insult with impunity . Everywhere the Christians were led to expect that their sufferings were about to terminate , and that France , England , and Sardinia , had secured for them

    and for their children immunity froni extortion , outrage , and humiliation on account of their attachment to the Cross . But two years have rolled by , and everywhere the hope has been belied . Wherever any effort has been made to take possession of the civil rights / thus promised and guaranteed to them , a storm of indignant resistance has burst forth on the part of the chagrined and jealous Turks . With few exceptions , the local authorities have lent their countenance to the disloyal asserters of extinct laws ; and in most cases they have overawed and suppressed any ill-concerted efforts at resistance . In Candia and Bosnia matters have assumed a

    serious aspect . During the long aud enlightened administration of Meheinet Pasha ( favourably known to the English piiblic during his residence here as ambassador ) , the Candiotes had been taught habits of mutual forbearance and respect unlike anything that had existed elsewhere . The Moslems had learned to appeal to the law instead of private vengeance in their quarrels with one another -and with their misbelieving neighbours ; while the Greeks j strong in their numbers , intelligence , and property , while tacitly permitted

    to retain the possession of arms , had been dissuaded to renounce all thoughts of using them in civil contentions , and to rely for protection on the justice of the Sultan ' s lieutenant and those acting under him . Their homes were secure , their churches splendid , their commerce flourished ; and Candia was pointed to continually by superficial travellers and politicians as a proof that the Turks could govern well . But from the reaction in Java of Islamism , which seems to have commenced even before the conclusion of peace in 1 S 56 ,

    the Turks at Candia have unfortunately not been exempt . Petty squabbles , the origin and particulars of which are already lost in oblivion , and which at any other time might have borne no weighty fruits , have , under a timid and vacillating administration , led to a state of things the most fearful and revolting . Turks and Christians had alike appealed to the authorities in the island to espouse their cause . A recent decree of the Porte , at the instance of its foreign advisers , had separated the civil from the naval aud military administration ; and the military governor in Candia ,

    taking an opposite view of affairs to that avowed by the civil head of the executive , no timely agreement as to measures of repression could be come to , and the fanatical Turkish rabble terminated the dispute iu their own brutal way . finding the authority of the Sultan thus prostrate , the Christians turned for protection to tlie consuls of the European Powers , and made their public appeal to them in terms not likely soon to be forgotten . On receiving intelligence of the commotions in Candia , the Tortc wisely resolved to send thither once move Mehcinct Pasha , armed with plenary powers to restore order ;

    and for a season it is possible that , by dint of his personal influence , he may succeed in doing so , But it is plain enough that this is but to rely on a temporary expedient for the means of holding society together ; and that the mere fact of a majority of the population having been driven to appeal to the representatives of foreign states for protection to then" altars , properties , and lives , is in itself the most comprehensive proof of their utter unbelief in the power of the Sultan ' s government to in Jtfosmaunder circ stances

    govern , , urn widely dissimilar , results ominously identical have occurred , tlie main causes being the same . The Turkish conquerors of that fertile and populous province became the territorial lords of the soil , and adopted and perpetuated the feudal tenures they found existing there . The occupiers , as in Ireland , adhered to their ancient faith ; and the traditional enmities of race and creed were mingled with tlie conflicting interests of class . On every side beyond their frontiers the Bosniacs saw their Christian neighbours exempt from the hardships and mortifications they were forced to endure . In Scrvia and

    Transylvania they beheld their follows secure in the peacef ., 1 enjoyment of the fruits of their industry and it rites of their national faith ; nor were the cvan ^ u of Wallachia and the Herz cgovine loi % ^ " ? It was with difficulty they could be restrained from rising m insurrection on various recent occasions , but promises of redress were continuall y reiterated and at the peace of 1856 they were more disnosprt to permanent submission to the Porte . The mise

    rable disappointment of the hopes then held forth to them has now alienated the Bosniaes more thin ever ; and while we write rumours reach us that the state of smouldering civil war is such that Austria affects to consider it a sufficient justification for collecting large bodies of troops near the southern portion of Hungary , to be ready , doubtless , ou the first pretence , to enter and take military occupation .

    Of what has happened latel y at Jeddah , and what is too likely to ensue in Moldavia and Wallachia , should the people of those provinces learn that their interests and rights-have been sacrificed to Turkish . obstinacy and Austrian intrigue , we have not space here to tell . On all sides weakness and disunion mark the condition of the Turkish Empire . The old prestige of absolutism governing by the . sword is gone , ° and the paper sceptre of aa exotic legality seems to have alread y proved too heavy for the cifetc hand info which it was thrust two short years ago . The Porte is daily beset more and more bv the rival admoni .

    tions of the Austrian , 3 ? rencli , and English embassies . When Iiord Stratford tie lledcliffe resigned , it was supposed that in this respect a different system would be inaugurated . ; and that M , Thouveuel and Baron Prpkesch would .-no longer find in the dandyism aud dilletantism of his successor provocations or pretences for keeping up the dictatorial tone so bitterly complained of . But even this gleam of amendment , equivocal as it was , has suddenly "been withdrawn . Lord Stratford is

    about to proceed as Ambassador Extraordinary to Constantinople . The ostensible pretext for " this singular step is that lie may take leave of the sovereign whose ablest advisor he has been for more than twenty years ; the real purpose , no doubt , is that he mtiv for a few months longer maintain , if possible , the ascendancy he lias hitherto exercised in the councils of Stamboul . Sir Henry Bulwer , it is felt on all hands , has neither the force

    of character , knowledge , or ability to hold the Sultan on his tottering throne ; and he is therefore for the time to be superseded by his energetic predecessor . But what a picture of imperial decadence , decrepitude , ami decay is here ? Lord Stratford may avert n . catastrophe during his intended sojourn at Constantinople , but avhat will become of the desponding and distracted councils of the empire wlien he is gone ?

    England And America. A Dispute Is Always...

    ENGLAND AND AMERICA . A dispute is always in a biul way for settlement when the parties to it accuse each other of bad faith . Unfortunately this sort , of accusation is tlie constant attendant on all our disputes with tlie United States , and it is nlwjtys we on tins side of the Atlantic yr \\ o bring it into play . . Reason goes for nothing with an adversary who will . be right . It is of no use to tell those who have set their hearts , and to a certain extent staked their reputations , on the suppression of t ' uc slave-trade , that in ceashi" to board American ships on suspicion ot their being engaged in the prohibited traffic , ve have not given up any right or privilege ; it is oi no use to tell them that high legal authorities , both in this country and in America , have determined that question beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt . The slave-trade is to be put down , ana America , whatever may be her wants or wishes , is " false , perjured , and forsworn" if she docs not let us do what we want to do , and , moreover , help us to do it . Like Bramston's nmn of taste , we say to her , Thia ia true taste ; and whoso likes it not , Is blockhead , coxcomb , puppy , fool , and sot . Our contemporary , the Economist , is " earnestly protesting ngainst tlie suspension of the practices ot boarding and searching American ships suspected of being engaged in the shivc , trnde ; such an arrangement it considers to be " -wholly wjustifiable . " " The practice once discontinued , « says , "it will become far more difficult to resume it , without a quarrel , however notorious it may become that the American searching squadron per-

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 14, 1858, page 804, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/ldr_14081858/page/12/