The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-23
OF the n. '. jour. OF eonnraoE.


CORRESPONDENTS OF THE N. " jour. OF COMMERCE.
SMYRNA, 9Th December, ls49.
beautiful country is Asia Numerically en-
dowed by nature; and the pcasantry, taken all in
all, as good people as can be met with anywhere.
That they are indolent and careless of improve
ment, is more their msiort une than their fault II
Ia consequences OF bad government, and insecurity
Of property. Whether the produce Of their petty
farms be great or small the result ia pretty much
the same; the local authorities, and the leeches
that surround them, form pretty correct estimate
how much blood can be let for the season. Just
fancy, in neighborhood of Baindir. the ordinary
interest for loans 10 the farmers against coming
crops is four per cent. per month, compound in
terest. The scoundrels that prey upon these poor
fellows not satisfied, however, and cheat be-
sides the simple minded peasants to an enormous
for notwithstanding all the absurdities that from
time to time appear IN European journals, about
forms and so forth, Turkey is day by day sinking
deeper into misery and degradation, and must ut
wretchedness. Diplomatists who are, or appear to
be, anxious 10 maintain the integrity Of the Otto
man empire, have not yet certainly strven to adopt
or rather encourage the only possible means Of re-
generating the country The great end Of all Eu-
ropean embassies at Constantinople appears 70 be,
that OF gaining the mastery in the councils OF the
Porte but whether the ruling influence be British,
French, or Russian, do not that it really
makes the slightest difference to the country. The
same acts OF oppression, the venality, exist
throughout the interior The hard gains Of the pea
SAINT not more secure, whctDcr Canning
TitoR leads the Dvan--the same reforms are being
perpetrated," according to the boasted reports OF
the Turkish Stree press" whoever may be the
favorte of the day---whether the Vizier be
sos distant liberal, apeing European customs,
stern Moslem Christian hater. Such reforms, If
indeed they can 20 by such title, are all centred
in the capital. The Interior nothing Of them
Institutions and manufactures start up at Consan
tinople under the patronage of enlightened Pachas,
who can hardly sign their names, and bood-suck-
ing Armenian bankers dazzle the eyes of aours,
and to make q dashing report in the papers--all
velvet and embroidery outside, rags and dirt with
in. These boasted institutions, &c, put their mil
lions into the pockets of favorites and inriguers
create few more officials to prey upon the public,
| and then sink to ruin and decay-forgotten and ne
glectedto give place to some new freak of fancy.
Ask DR.. Davis OF South Carolina, who brought
to Turkey TO improve the cotton culture of the East,
but who was compelled to cultivate model cotton
farm, not in the genial climate and soil OF Anatolia,
known as the cotton district, but at Constantine
an enterprise, if buried in the wlds Of Anatolia?
How could the growth and cleaning Of cotton amuse
the Sultan, unless il be sprouting out under his
nose? Ask DR.. Smith, who was also invited from
The States to explore the mines Of Turkey, but who,
after reporting on the wealth that really lay buried
in the earth, retired from his post, heartily dis
| gusted, lbeleve, with Turkish "patriotism." How
could he possibly succeed? He did not find mine
| at Constantinople Could he have manufactured or
concocted such desideratum at the capitol, he
would have made his fortune. Science is all hum
bug here. IL is the country for the 'Charlatan."
Poor Turkey What with the venality of its rulers
and the squabbes of foreign ministers, the country
cious show of maintaining the integrity Of Turkey
| is kept up in European courts, laughable enough
| to any one acquainted with the real state Of the
country.