The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-01-11
.AtBcRtIaMp.
From NJ. MaltYe-Br4n. |
THE TURKS.
Posser "a dc Grand Seignior.

Il
Selgnlor. is far from enjoying by law IN
unlimited authority. He cannot infrinte
ON any of the rules dictated 10 the Ko-
ran, the divine law whichis obligatory on
all the Moslem, or true believers. He
cannot even, without extreme risk. in,
teriere with the institutions which long
usage and national prejudice have con.
secrated He appoints and displaces Al
his pleasure the great civil and military
iunctionaries; he is master of their fortune
and their lives. But the exercise of fhis
redonbied power is impeded by grea,
obstacles. One Pasha beats the armies
sent to deprive him of his government ;
another sends TO Censtanlinople the
head of the capidji who came for his.
Yet these restrictions on the sultan,s
power, substantial as they are, have not
the effect which some have maintained.
OF making Turkey a limited monarchy
10 the European acceptation. We rath-
er Ind In the constitution of that en-
Pire military tyranny which has fallen
to pieces, and degenerated into anarchy.
The opposition, made by the people aud
by the Pashas, amounts to nothing more
than dismal train of devastating insur-
rections This victorious nation CON
tlnues to treat its vast conquest like a
city taken by assault. II is less like =
nation than an army encamped in the
midst of vanquished nations.
Grand Vizier.
The general runel.-aea of monoroh.
born in the seraglio has led them 10 en-;
trust the cares of government 10 a
prime minister, called the Vizier-Azem,
| =, --.. rEt.ie eersonaoe i, in
the full extent OF Inc ,s SUI. = e.
gent of the sultan. He keeps the i'm
perial seal, he commands the armies
| in person, he arranges the finances OF
the State, he disposes of all civil and
military offices. But the responsibility
attached to his situation is dreadful in
proportion to his power. The sword,
constantly suspended over his head,
strikes him with equal certainty, whether
he displeases the people or the Sultan,
The DiUan.
The Diyan, OF Council of State, con-
sists of the principal ministers. The
Refs Effendi is the high chancellor Of
the empire, and stands at the head Of
the body Of the kodja, or attorneys,
which has contrived to acquire great
political influence, aud which, at the
present moment, contains the best in.
formed men of the nation.
| The UIemn.
The Ulema, or the body of Doctors
in Theology and Jurisprudence, is en-.
trusted with the guardianship of the
/ fundamentallaw of the Complexities
laws reduce themselves to the Koran
itself, and the commentaries which the
ancient doctors have written on it. The
members of the Ulema, who are called
Ehfeudi, combine the judicial with the
religious authority. They are both the
interpreters of religion, and the judges
i in all civil and criminal causes. None
of them can be legally condemned ID
death without the Consent of their head
The Mutt.
/ The Mufti, or Sheikal Islam, is The
supreme head of the Ulema, and the
vice-gerent of the sultan, as caliph, Of
successor of Mahomet, and the head o
the church. The Sultan issues no law
makes no declaration Of war, establishes
no tax, without having obtained fest;
or decision Of the Mufii. This eminen
office would form sort of counterpoist
to the almost unlimited authority of The
sovereign, and might even paralyze il
exertions, did not the Sutans take OF
themselves the power ofdeposipg, hang
ing, banishing, or even decapitating ,ht
Mufii.
The PGShds.
The provincial administration il
modelled on the same system by which
the empire is goverped.-The Pashas
distinguished in rank by the number o
tails or standards which they usc, unite
the military to the civil power, and, by
an abuse still more prejudcial TO the
interests Of the people, the greater par
unite with these the framing of the tax
es. The Pasha with three tails possesses
like the Sultan whom he represents, The
dreadful prerogaiiye Of Furnishing will
death any agent W HON he employs, an,
even any individual who seems tt
threaten the general safety. He keeps
on foot military establishment, more
: or less numerous, according TO the con
dition of his revenues and the position
Of bis Pashalic, and marches at the