The Sun.
London, England, 1802-01-11 00:00:00

UR IC LS' E PiR

reBforatiOh of Peace between Frande and the
Turkish Empire, the hope of attaching to us by in_
dissoluble ties, an ancient Ally. whose fidelity has
undergo ;e so many cruel trials ; the iffesrimable ad..
vantages which we may derive from its union with
us, are motives sufficiently cogent to ihteiest us in
behalf of an Empire, which, happily for Ciancei
has not fallen a vietim to the prediction of j. J;
RoussEAu, and has not disappeared from the face
of Europe, before the..end of;. the . eighteenth cen-
tury.
The influence of, rcligion,, conjointly with the
habitual sanEtion of 500 years, had consolidated the
authority of the Turkish Emperors, when the late
war which they sustained against Austria and Rus-
sia, seemed to shake the foundations of this formid-
able pOwer4
..The loss of a million of subjefts, the
revolt of the Governors of the -Asiatic Provinces, the
menacing attitude of European Bashaws, the re-
bellion of 1786, revived among the Beys of Egypt,
the Province of Bagdat nearly declaring itself in-
dependent, the whole of Turkey in Asia, exposed
to pillage and an unbridled licentiousness, the death
of the unfortunate Sultan An DULLHAMID ; were the
fatal effects of the sanguinary contests in which the
Ottoman Empire has been involVed for the last 15
years with its neighbours.
• In the midst of these critical events, SELIM
at 24.1yearsof age, ascended the tottering throne of
MAt: ommt D. Endowed with the -most amiable
-qualities, animated with the purest intentions, and
impelled by the ardour of youth, SE IM instantly
devoted his mind to the reformation of abuses. He -
gave no quarter to those powerful Rebels, . who had
become almost habituated to. independence, and had
he been allowed to have pursued his own plans, had •
he been permitted to have taken the command in
person of an army that was attached to him, SELIM
would have rivalled the OSMANS and the SOLY-
MANS. But , the Courtiers who surrounded the
throne, strongly opposed the execution of these ge2
nerous projects.

To that epoch, the Koran had been the only
fundamental law of the State; and the-Divan, corn-
posed of six Viziers, or Bashaws with three tails,
of the Mufti, and of tie two Cadileskiers, (or two
Ministers of Justice, of Roni.,:lia and Natolia), were
entirely dependent on. the GRAND VIZIER, who
assembled them at,his pleastite;- and who alone held
the reins of Government. There is one remarkable
circumstance, e4pecially in Turkey, that a GoVern_
merit upheld by the two-fold authority of religion
and time, was capable of being changed, without
struggles, violence, effusion of blood, or the depo_
sition of the Prince. This, however, happened
under SE Lim. The power of the GRAND VIZIER
was entrusted to a Council of State,- in which the
former enjoyed only the right of sanctioning the
Decrees, determined upon by • the majority.
This measure was projeded and executed by two
men, RASCH I D-EFEENDI and ISCHEL IDI-EFF EN-
names- which will for everbe renowned in the
Annals of Turkey. They associated to their cause
JUSSUPI-I-AGA, through whose influence the Sul-
tana Dowager was brought to engage in the scheme.
Shgts;ok advantage of the asr:endaney wl4ch the
fillA piety of her son had given her over him,
while the two Effendis proved to the Monarch,
that this reform was the only method of terminat-
ing the disorders, and of securing the confidence of
a Veople, who were become restless at beholding.
their Prince stripped of heirs, and who were desir-
ous of the establishment of a new order of things,
that might prevent the Calamities attendant on civil

The new Council of State was thus organized..
and composed of t.:ri Members, namely, a Kiaja_
hey (Vice Grand Vizier), a Reis-Effendi (Secretary
of State for Foreign Affiiirs), a Refterdar Effendi
(Minister of Finance), an Itchelidi-Effendi (Ad-
ministrator of the Produß of the Taxes), a Forsana-
Ernini (Minister of Marine), an Ischiaou-Baschi
(Secretary- of State), two Reis-Effendis, and two
Refterdar-Effendis,. who--.hai-e'been removed from
•
their funtions.

At extraordinary Meetings, flussr IN, the fam4
Capitan Bashaw, and jussurmAGA, the Chamber-
lain of the. Sultana Mother, were summoned to at:.
tend.

HUSSEIN, who has been so often mentioneldur-,
ing the late war in Egypt, was the slave of SEL IM,
during the captivity which, as heir to the throne,
the latter was compelled to undergo, agreeably to
the usages of Turkey. -.Born in Giorgia, of humble
parents, he raised himself by the favour of his
master to the rank -of High Admiral, and SELIM
even gave him -his sisterin marriage. JUSSUPFI-
AGA, . the chief author of these innovations, re-,
tains a powerful influence over the new order of
affairs; he left Candia, his native country, and ar-
rived at Constantinople, destitute of interest, wealth
or friends ; but the versatility .of his charatler,'
unite 4-, his talents and perfect f knowledge of men,
raised him to the distinguished rank which he now
fills.

Thus, the close of the eighteenth century, a
period fertile in revolutions, produced in Turkey
also a great change in 'its political government, it
is considered as very remarkable, chat the people,
became acqUainted 'with this change only by -the
effetts which it occ:asioned ; the secret was for a
long time known only La the Seraglio anti the Court.
This novelconstitu tion is called, The Code of Sultan'
SFlrm (NAUSUMSUL I All-SEL Jr.l), and from the mo-
ment of its adoption, the Council Of State became
the foeus of all public affairs.

Experience soon proved that the people were no
gainers by these innovations. • The members of aid
new State Council, having assumed a. species of
aristocratic authority, endeavoured to remove and
weaken the Janitaries, who werc the partizans and
Support of the ancient order of things. Their
number was minced ; those distributed in the Pro-
vinces were nor paid; they were.celled to adopt
a discipline heretofore unknown tO theth; they were
drilled according to the• rule-s, of European mates,
and at length they were driven to become 'mal-
contents. The Toptchi, the Djebedschi, the Bo-
standschi, were -the first to submit to the reforma-
tions which were proposed for the whole Ottoman
ariay ; but the discontent of the. janizaries soon
communicated itself. to the other subjeds of the

. .
Empire. Tt ii6eirhe necessary to abandon the Euroa.
. • .
peati system Najd ; could not be stippOrteet
Withotit accruing an enormous expellee; .tor which
no provision had been
.made. The other innov a:
Lions experienced anearly the same fate; the ,eve,
flues were in a state of the highest disorder ; the
Provinces murmured against the exorbitant sve;e tit
of taxes, although a considerable share of the do.
mains and prOperty of the Grand Signer had been
sold to defray the public Wants. On every-side the
new adthinistration encountered difficulties ; tflct
power of Stelet had become tot; weak to reneda.
the evil ; the Sultana mother exercised an unlimited.
sway, find the Council were enabled to erhpioy:Ordy.
feeble palliatives, which increased instead of di.
minishing di; public embarrassments:
In the midst of this crisis, appeared liAsswicat
Oceou, • of whom so much has been, and still
continues to be published. Never did a rebel Bae
shave possess so much talents, address, and perse.
verance. He avowed his inclination to submit td
the Grand Signor the moment he resumed that
sceptre which he had entrusted to a Council of State,
_in opposition to the law of the Koran, and con-
trary to the inclinations of the true disciples of
MAHOMMED. He called himself the friend and
supporter of the ancient regime ; in consequence of
which, the `Janizaries, and all the dissalleated in
the different provinces, rallied round his standard,
and thus a formidable army was colleetel, which,
though- sometimes dispersed by want of provisions,
and by disunion, at other times victorious and etn-
boldened.by success, maintains its menacing attia
tude to the present hour.
The first advantages gained by Passwas: Ooreou
soon encouraged all the mal-contents who had not
yet declared themselves. 'The environs of Sabey,
Traunicha Sophia, Adrianople, Tarnova,
Philipopolis and other parts, were tfie theatre of
rebellions which burst'forth at the same time. The
insurgents, without plan, 'concert, Or discipline,
fought- sometimes against the BaShaws and other
Par tizans of the Porte, at other times they fought
against -each other. The Commandant of Nissa
one day went out of his garrison for a walk ; on
his return, he found the gates of the city closed, and
he was obliged to save himself by flight. The Hos_
podar of Moldavia was compelled to purchase his •
liberty of those very persons he was sent to com-
mand ; the formidable Montenegrins took an aCtiee
part in all these disorders, and every where anarchy
and riot prevailed.
, •
The insurreCtion'at Belgrade was another conse-
quence of all these disorders. The Journals of
Europe have been filled with its derails. For a
long time the Divan had ceased to hold any coo-
munication with the remoter provinces of the Ern.
pire, and it received intelligence of the events,
which happened_at Belgrade long after the rebel... •
lion had broken out. It then endeavoured to con.
sole the unfortunate Bashaw whom the Janizaries
held in captivity, by conferring on him the dignity
of Seraskier ; the Government of Bosnia, which
was in the possession of PasswAN, and the cont..
mand of an Army of 20.000 men. But of what r.
use were all these sounding titles to a man impria
soned by a rebel force ? The troops which should
have been sent against the rebels never made their
appearance. ; the son of the Bashaw could 'afford no
assistance to'riis father,. and the Divan .was con- .
strained to make concessions, and to embolden the
malcontents by This tacit avowal of its weakness.
An amnesty was granted to the Janizaries, and to
all who chose to accept of it. Peace was restooel,
but it has not proved of long duration. The in..
surrroents. have not fulfilled • the conditions of the
amnesty ; habituated to the policy of PASSIV
thty pretend, like him, that they never took up
arms against the Grand Signor, but against his
.CoUncil ; and in his' name they took possession of
Belgrade. It must be confessed that the science of .
Insurreetion has been brought to a great degree of
perfeeiion among the Turks, who are not inferior,
in this gout, to more polished communities.
• In this._manner the spirit of anarchy, 'of revolt
and pillage, has ravaged the beautiful provinces of
the Ottoman EMpire, from the frontiers of Austria
to the gates of Constantinople. The cause of these
disasters must be attributed to those innovations,
which have been enforced, and from their origina-
tion we must date that dangerous fermentation which
has nearly subverted the Empire'of Mahorrened.—
The provinces of Asia and of Africa have likewice
felt their terrible,effefts. The Grand Vizier, in
his Expedition to Egypt, found every where none hut
mutinous BaShaws, who disdained to reeognize his
authority. The 'celebrated GHEZZAR, BaShilktV Of
Acre, by his stubborn resistance, and deprived ot'
the. abilities of Sir SIDNEY SMITH, had tbrosvn
the greatest obstacles in the way of the Cnaihined
Armies. A similar rivalship manifested itself in
Egypt, between the Grand Vizier and the Capiran
Bashaw ; and the English had more difficulty in
preventing theM from fighting one against the other,
than they experienced in contending ail tosather
against their common enemy.
This mutinous diSposition which predominated
over the provinces. of three pats of the ancient
Worlde'displayed itself also in the Divan. It was
remarked that it was
_divided into two Parties, the
one. attached to the interests of Britain, the other
to those of France', Great alterations appeared in
the condu& of those persons • who were 00041 with
the public authority. The capital seemed fast ap.
proaching to a
.condition in which it was •to have
become the centre of fresh troubles -and insurrec. •-
tions, When the Peace restored to the Sublime Porte
one of its most important provinces,. and placed in
its hands, arms and powerful resources, wherewith
to crush the fa&ious, and repair its disorders. The
pacific conduit of chi: young Emperor of Russia, the
interest of France, and even the inclinations of Bri;
rain, secure an independent existence to Turkc'y,
which tray he protracted to an indefinite duration,
if the Government will renounce those projects of
innovation, which have proved so fatal in their
operation, and of which it is now evident, that the
lurks are not, at this time, suscer4ble.

O►► Tuesday a man took his wife into Plymouth
Dock Market,' with a halter about her neck, and
acivally sold-her publicly_to a, stone mason's I,lbourer
for is. and a glass of gin. He carried off his bstr.
gain, and three-children, her appendlges, amidst
the shouts 'and liuzzos of the mob. •