The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-21 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF TURKEL

A letter from Constantinople, dated August 11,
says :—The fall of Mehemet Kiprisli Pasha is an
event of evil omen for the Turkish empire, It is not
that there are no other men capable of filling his
place ; it is not that Aali Pasha is unworthy of the
high trust reposed in him ; it is not that the dis-
missal of the late Vizier is to be viewed as the result
of caprice similar to that which so often led to
changes in the Administration during the last reign;
it is that he has fallen because he has persistently
opposed the men and the measures that have re-
duced the empire to its present state of exhaustion.
During the last two years I have repeatedly given
expression in your columns to public opinion as it
affected the two men who really governed this
country. Of Riza. Pasha it is unnecessary now to
speak. His demerits have formed the subject of
much comment in England, and he has, for the
moment at least, tasted the lot of those who put
their trust in princes, and of those whom weak
princes trust. He broke down, and his friend Me-
hemet Ali Pasha, who had been content to lie at
his heels during a long race over the straight and
easy course that leads to destruction, at once occu-
pied the first favourite's place. This man has every
one of the faults of Riza Pasha without half his
ability. lam told he has expressed surprise at the
unceasing enmity of Mehemet Kiprisli Pasha. Vain '
and uninstructed, he is incapable of understanding
that even a Sovereign's favour cannot save from
contempt one whose sole recommendation would
seem to be that his conduct in office has been some-
what less ignoble than the means by which he was
first raised to power. The only person of any note
in the empire who has had the courage to avow
himself, both in the Grand Council and in public,
the enemy of Mehemet Ali and Riza Pasha is the
ex-Vizier. Before his accession to power, in May
of last year, we heard, from time to time, of angry
and contemptuous words which he had launched at
them across the council table ; and he took office
with a determination of humbling the two favourites
of Sultan Abdul Medjid. He had long been the
leader of the unrecognised Opposition in this coun-
try, and had acquired sufficient experience to con-
vince him that to accept office, even if forced to
take it for a time, with such men for his colleagues
was the only chance of rescuing the country from
ruin at their hands. In a moment of difficulty and
danger, when the Russian demand for a mixed com-
mission of inquiry into the state of the European
provinces had produced no small consternation here,
and when the first shadows of the storm impending
over Syria, had been visible in Constantinople, he was
called upon to take the direction of affairs. Regarded
with but little favour by the late Sultan, and an ob-
jpeacsth
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confidence of the nation ; and, after the revelations
made"on the trial of the leaders of the plot of the
preceding autumn, public opinion could not well be
slighted. His presence in Constantinople at such a
juncture must have been fatal to his enemies ; and
therefore, adroitly enough, they persuaded the
Sultan that it was necessary that no less a personage
than the Grand Vizier should inquire into the
charges made against the Porte by the Russian Go-
vernment. The English and French Ambassadors
backed up the proposition, and Mehemet Kiprisli
Pasha was forced to start on his tour of inspection.
Even at a distance he well nigh proved too much for
his opponents. He had observed, during the early
part of his journey, that there was not one-half the
number of soldiers for which pay and rations were
drawn by the Seraskierate, and on arriving at Wid-
din he telegraphed for Riza Pasha to join him im-
mediately and explain the causes of this difference.
The Seraskier's power depended upon his constant
intercourse with Abdul Medjid. Absence from
Constantinople would have been his ruin, and he
hesitated to obey the order sent him. It was re-
peated in a more peremptory form, and he only
avoided compliance by throwing himself at the Sul-
tan's feet, and praying not to be removed from his
person. From that moment the history of Mehemet
Kiprisli Pasha's tenure of affairs has been one con-
tinued struggle with the enemies in his camp. Un-
doubtedly, had there been no quarrel ready to his
.hand on his return to Constantinople, he would
have found or made one ; but it was the Grand
izier's singular good fortune to be able to fight
the battle on a point upon which he was entirely
id manifestly in the right, and Mehemet Ali Pasha
Etk entirely and as manifestly in the wrong. The
la tter, who was then, as he is now, High Admiral,