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    to live nearly one-yeajvfoufctha seruple&ofi-the Ulemaa were too . strong&E the tenderness of" the gcandfathei 1 ; : the infant * was- singled i # the hath ; the u » liapppwi . oiker , died , of grief some days after , , and the law . has been faith * folly observed ever since . The father of the present . Sultan ascended the throne after strangling bis brother , who strangled his uncle . Abdul-Medjid himself observes the Jaw of reelusion with regard to bis brother A ^ Jdul-Azis , the presumptive heir who- must have no .- children , and whose life is only flttara » tee 4 byithei » inffrity o £ the children of the Sultan- Mow long lta& national ?

    • dZ / H-asticmorailty-ceWtea tit , be a condition of progress _ Ye $ > . the present , Sultan iatb ^ best man . of bis adminis tr atioa , as . . is the most inoffensive , and powerless . Even if bis efforts to introduce toleration into his empire , were crowned with success , they could only render its fall less disastrous to his people , and to the peace of the world . If we wanted to establish by the testimony of the learned and of travellers our assertion that toleration ; in . Trui&ey . is impossible—thatr it can be . nothing' but ; an official falsehood in- the empireof . thel ^ QKAn—and in a state whose Sovereign i $ i in factu the . Pope , of the \ J&vst * , we might , compile a . volume . of citations , froni the literature of France and Germany . . . " . . .

    The most liberal'of legislators , the most generous of judges , become implacable in their cotivietions uiken they are red-itced to found their law and their justice on a creedt wfoicJi the ^ are robiij ^ ed' ta veneixite ^ notias an emcm&tion . of human W } sdomrbvtf , mf ^^ v ^ iatim fropi , al > o ve , ^ k& Xvt { k ^\ . yfho hay& finisUedftheir edupation in Europe , retum ^ to Conr Stantinople .. beUevers . neither in . Mahomet nor in Christ ; accomplished in the vices of'the " VV e ^ t , and only rnore . r efined persecutors and : ogpress . pcs than their-fslthers were . ¦" . ¦ Iff they- iitev&- preserved * tlieir religionj it- is > intensified , into a- fanatical ihatred ofe © hjusfcian ^ oeieiiyv ancL : a , sombre apprehension ofl thfi fall of the ? Ottoman . Ej&p , i * e > It-,: is . the Army-thai has ma 4 e process in ^ u ^ k ey . ; no , army hasten sqlauchhar . d fighting , Yet out-qt a ,, hbs ^ of Mussulman

    officers who , have . studied military science in Europe , and who . have risen to high posts in the Sultan ' s arniy , not onfe distinguished name can be cited ; The ( 3 ' onwnandiBr-in-chief is an Anistriah renegade . Are , these atteinjxts at the recorie&tution- o £ a power-strong' enbugh « to serve as . a . t > araier against Rus&iaj compatible ' vsrita the existence 1 of' the- Ottoman supremacy ? ' Wo iepl y * tha ^ mcei whose strength ' was its' fanaticism , is- ! condemned to ; impor tence m < denouncing- oppressioni Will the . oppriessiad' r-acesr forget ; < thei £ wrongs undiesc-the patronage of 3 ? ranee * and England ;? - ILor ^ Kedchflfe tpld the Boyte-tli at ? ife inu&t- no longer- counti upon-the ' pewnarient assistance- of the Great Powers , and that the dominant race must-rely on t $ Q \ sympdth ~ y > o £ the ialas . It : app _ ears . useless . to tell-a ' blind-man how-to walk : he-niust be led : ami'led 1 he-is / rather Toue&lv . -

    We have seen how thedominant race has acted upon the councils of the English ambassadorV Crjueltiea and- exactions drive , the Greek popur lat . ions-. to revolt , and tW surrcetioRS which areobnoxioats tothe political action of Russia . The ( Ottomans Wall ? mt accept reli gious and political equality . They are treacherous by ; nature , and hereditary oppressors by the law . of conquest : but they are ; npt Qowards : they will not . accept ; the passive part y . pu offer them . ^ orwiU ; the o ^^ the newi Arcadia of your-- creation-. . . . . . . . But ; the feet ; is , religious and moral : considferatjienfl' are out of ' the . question . The ; l ^ ultan himselfjs . reduced ' , to . a fiction or prete ^ cti af rnqsir a tjieory . The question is the ' partis tion of the . Eapt r , tU . e . Orientalsaecessi 6 n , the , eventuality : of a . Latin Euipire , in the

    the destruction ol-. J ^ ssiain povviqr , Black ;; Sea . Constantinople has always been-the knot of the-Eastcm . question : ' itsgeographital position , its < jomnierei « V advantages- have been enlarged ; upon by poets and diplomatists . Perhaps , man , has been fbrgotten , in these , exaggerations : the populations to whom God ,, baa assigned the fortunate shores o £ the Bo 3 phor . u 3 and the Hellespont have been . lost * , in geographical and commercial considerations . The political diestinies of . the Greek and-Bulgarian , who wore lords ofi those lands bofore the Tuples l encamped- in EUropej' are worth a thought . As to aBatin Umpire , the Oriental , a'aces are alinost more jealous of the spiritaldomination of the West than of . the Mussulman persecution ; this jealousy i » traditional and inveterate . All tho eflforts of the Latin propar ganda an * ongthe Greek and slave populations aixs condemned to sterility . The diplomatists are not sincere in pi-eaching to the Turks religious and political , eqwalityi They know ? well , enough thafr the moiial and political education , ' of ) the Onental xaoea is . not to be recast . by a-few notes and ! firmans . Ajn : abMur . d analogy . hoe qompared thft enmncipation of the Christians in Auvkey with ti tho

    > e oinanojpfttxon . of -Roxnan , Gatholios in Ii-elandi Not to speak of the difference between England and Turkey , we do not find that the ilotisrn of the Irish has gained much fey tlie reform . The Catholic Church in Ireland is still oppi-essed , while the Anglican Oburch groans under the burden of its privileges- TAereis a certain expiation for evert / Government which inscribes in its * teniporalcode the anathema of one religious persuasion againstanother > in tfa form , ofinequality of civil and political righ ts and privilege of ivorship . Woe to the legislator who denies the eternal rigid of man to Jf ^ er / y of consc ie n ce , Russia , youngest daughter of modern civilisation , Hat had t 7 ie inappreciable happiness to proclaim at the moment of Mr entering into the family of European States , the most complete equality o VtyMii ffir vllfonma of worship : even the Mua&ulnmns enjoy that right ) J , he uwn , ai ( ig whiqU thq ]? or , t « has prepared , at the . dictation of Buropo , aaimttnu * thft ovidence of Christians andtlioir public employment , and generall y alfirmtog civil equality , arc fancy specimens of Turkish stylo and callJgraplty . Equality of rights for all tlio subjects of tile Sultan was solemnly assumed '\> y the " Act ofGulhtme , " bearing date 18 » f > i We have scon its fruits .

    punishes with death . K " ox would that apostasy , be favourable to the pretensions of the West . Turkey would then become the natural ally of Russia * We recommend , to the English ministry , tie conversion off the Turks ; that is , at least , a good idea to . put forward ; the English people ¦ would doubtless pay with rapture a , few millions- to the prosecution , of a war for so noble a cause . The feudal law which , expropriated a conquered people is out of . date . That exotic civiliBation which denationalises peoples is impossible in the East .. The Greek preserves his . nationality distinct at London as at Marseilles ^ at Vienna as at . Venice .. The ,- Qceeks ,. the Bulgarians , the Albanians ,, the Montenegrins ^ the : Bosnians , ; those hardy , intelligent , and adventurous ; races will prolong the struggle against your governmental system as they have against tie Ottomans . They will present

    a perpetual obstacle to all attempts at ftision with tie conqueror , to all solutions of the Oriental problem which are adverse to the rights , of ; nationality . . , ... But who will have to answer at the-, supreme tribunal foe all the . blood " . to be sh « d _ by Christian nations in this war ? W > i unhappy Turkey ; she is hors de cause ; not Eussia , as we have proved bj an examination of her-interests , and of the continuous and premeditated policy of . her rival' ^ nofe . even . France * iji spite of thai personal , policy , which the national feeling . wiU sponsor late condemn . The . whole resfiowibHiti / of fliis wax , must , fall upon a , few English , statesmen—notably upon L . ord Jfedctiffe and Lord Palmer ' stony wJao , while they detest each other , have worked .

    QOijdially together in driving their Country to war . The English nation has been misled by the excessive-instinct of-her material inteirestSi ; The opinion of-enlightened and upright men unanimously cbndenins , those statesmen whose names-we . cite before ; the bar of posterity . We do . not , absolve , the English nation anil . the . English Goyerpment . la less ^ than half a .. centu . Erigian . d ha& ; dishopoured fiye pages of . her . history ; in ;] 807 by tlie b . ombardiment of Copenliagen ; in 18 lla by the barbarous treatment of i ^ ePrometheus of St . Jfete ? i& ; i £ 1819 : by the sale of thteGhpistiari t *> wiv of Parga veitli its ; territory to Aili Pacha , of JTanina ; in 183 d by the Chinese' vtsobyva . ¦ . IMS . by theattack oil : Greece . ... . . >

    We . will not describe , the consequences of the intrigues : foniented in the priiicijiial statest of . Eurape : by the English Goyernnient ., We -will , equjallyi abstain from , penetrating the spyibre . yiysteries which are wrought over that immense space between ilie " Hinjalaya and the ^ ^ tropical . siea :: (/ 5 e groans of thai'slow hecafomli of ' jiepptes offered as a hpldcaiist to a company iiiercTiants scaiJeelifireackotir ears * I ] s > noi-that enormotts-tragedy expiated by- the prema * ure ; de ^ epjtudei aaidi death' of the agents , of the - erame ? iar ; does the : EngU ^ . natio \ flatt&r . itself .. thajLitsSaWa ^ o ^ servmiceii : ite l $ ibU ? r $ adingi ; anf its elosing of peer -iiduse § , atone for tjiese huge and hemoi ^ s sins ? . i $ uj 3 li aidocr . trine of ' good , wprks' would be inconsistent , with the Protestant creed . Is the English nation content to balance profit and loss with the cold and calculating snule > of the- counting-house for ever on its lips , careless enou gh how the profit , comes ?

    We ^ dpubt if this : war will , not prove a . bad spegidatjioai ,. if ife do not . proyca . sixth disgrace tp English , histpry , and a pnefiace t orotUer wars . Or ; lei us adrnit the hypothesis that England , repudiating the -traditions of ^ the . last century , and that political system by which , she succeeded in destroying successively the three na / vies , of Holland , Spain and : Priince , in now attackingrthe feolatedf riawy of Russia has no arriere pmsee against the navies bfi prance and . the , XJnited States ; J&rettjjcts of war will not be < wanting ' ia tjje- . ' ljfjew : Wor , ld , nor inithe . Old .. It will be enough to p , ro . cljai »> itlie , itttegrity Of the . provinces of a monarchy alread y in thesituatiQii pf . Tyrkey and the sovereign rights , of soin / e pasteboard king protected by the British , flag , and disguised in scarlet uniform . . . . . We say to JTtance , to the nation as to the Government : ambiguous policy leads to incoherent action . War is sometimes , a sad necessity , , an inevitable consequence . Such , perhaps , is the . present Ayiij : between England and ; liussia .. Nf ) t so the wao hQtweent Tranee and Russia .. ,

    Let France , instead of pursuing the phantom of an EastQrn . Binipir . e , seek , in the Arab race of . 'Asia a fiher field of activity than Algeria . Instead , of : disputing with a few Greek monks the possession of a lamn and a doornail or two at the sanctuaries of Jerusalem , let her avenge her orusadihg-ancestors ,. and tlw memory of : Louis IX- ; God would , accoptitlus lasha&ian . cxp ia " tion . of 1793- ' Elect , of , Universal Suffrage , and most , sacred Majesty ,, aban > - don tho idea of imposing , by the . force of arms * , tho law of ft Mussulman , minority upon the immense Christian majority of Bosnia , Epirus , and Thrace . If you interfere in the East do not stake French courage against tlie two indomitable forces , national sind religions independence . Bo rather the champion of England than of Mahomet . If you |; dream , of an Eastern throne for a member of your family , remember the abdication of Foivtainebloau , inscribed amon « those glovious deoroeg . which crectod , thrones fqr your family in Holland , Spain , Naples , and Westphalia . " .... We have , proved the cause of the Emperor of Buesia , to bo just ,, Wo

    doubt not he wijl persevere in liis disinterested course . Providence-, ha 3 assigned to liinx a beau rOie , and ho will not swerve from , it ijv pursuit of military conquest . In the East ho has to save his church and to avenge the disgrace of ; the fifteenth-oontury ; in the Wost ho has to win the sympathies of nivtiona- perverted by deinftgog ^ nco and by England ^ to justify the opinion of those who haivo always , do . nc justice to ljis . xioblo ami , chivalrous nafcur , e . In his own dominions ho will continue the civUizsmg , work of Feifccv the Great , and thus coi « j | lctn } tho political system of Europe . The permanent interests of tho contihent of Europe are likewise thoso of Kuesia . France , roynl , republican , or hnpox ^ ial—is , wo repeat , the natural ally of lius . aia . Thoso two States , are tho two arms of tlie body politic of tho JEurojioun Continout . In , tho . K » st they > nny unito ia dofenca of Christian , jutevosts . Their alUancc ift ncccss , ary onowgli to pi-otcot Europe from , Engji ^ b , ) insult , and from the deluge of anarchy .

    " Wo have seen the Eniperor of Uussiu i'op , Jy to accusations of tyranny and infcolomnce , by progressively liberal institutions in hie dominions . Europewill bestow on him tho anmo praiao as it bostowod upon his brother . . . Wo hi > vo ^ oftvoely spqltMHi ; of-Austria , Prussia , and tho other Gorman States . Yet in thp p ^ qsGnt , J « urQpQ » vn . diflicuHios it ; ia tl » o Geyiuwx nation , t ] Uat ia p r ^ - eipally intoreeted . England boasts of having Hubsidiscd Gcri » ajixy m tlya lust grcnt Avar . It may bo askpd , did Englnnd pny a huncU'edth pjaxt oJ th « costs of tho war to Germany ? Has not German honour been insulted

    • , ' •> Wo shall not bclievo in tho sincerity of tho councils addressed to the Porte until tho Turks have- been porsuadod by gradual concessions to become Chrietiuns , and to impose the Greek v ) Xo of baptism upon the Sultan , tho -Ultimas , tho army , nnd tho owners of the soil . This W . cultl only bo analogous with tho pressure of tjhfl Wcat on . the Christian < 3 mmro of Byzantine , and with tho attempts in tjio ftftoontU conturv to jAnnofcse t ^ jo Latm dogma upon the Emperor and clergy of Constantinople ! . Anis wxraltfrbo to not with frankness nnd dignity , though we doubt if the lur-lt * would submit to the l&et extremity of apostacy , which theiir law

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    Ss ^ SM © K « : 9 , 1854 . ] fH K L , E ADER . ^^

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 9, 1854, page 859, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2055/page/19/