The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-10
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS,
Turkey-Progress OF Reform.

Of the Turkish empire, which ID not generally
known, and which will be read with interest: at
will be gratifying to every person interested In the
state Of this country 10 learn that rapid progress Is
| now being made in the right direction, as regards
the government of the country generally The re-
cent appointments TO the pachacs of men of supe
! rior order, and who determined TO carry out
the intentions of their august master, quite in
accordance with the new order, regards all OH
Gals binding Themselves TO circumference In every
way, directly and indirectly, the system OF corrup
ton and bribery that has existed for centuries past,
and has been the bane and fertile source of all the
evils of this part of the Turkish empire in particu-
| lar The new commercial tribunal formed at this
port is only the dawning Of future good, and the
tardy and vexatious delays to Rayah and European
| merchants will thereby be removed. This and the
other improvements now in progress will be great
boon. Much credit ia due to Emeen Efendi, the
Pacha of Beyrout, and to the Pacha and Seraskier
Of Damascus, for their sincere desire in bringing
| about these changes.
"The erroneous opinion entertained by people in
England of the tottering state of the Turkish en-
pire is quite preposterous; nothing be further
from the truth, and it would only require brief,
statistical report, (Which will be forwarded by the
next mail, } to prove this Turkey, as regards her
civil and military organization, was never, proba
bly,, in more efficient state, and her trade and
| revenue are daily improving; and when the sys-
tenn OF farming the taxes Ia done away, and col
lected by the Porte herself, her revenues will more
than double the present amount, and the hardships
| and injustice to the people will be thus obviated,
and fresh impetus be given to commerce and
purchase in their own name land or house prop
erty will long be sanctioned, and steam and
the press will follow Another great mistake prev
alent in Europe is, that there is security for in
vestment in the Turkish empre more fallacious
and groundless impression could not well be enter
tanned. European, with entire faith and conf
dence in the justice and integrity of the executive
power Of the Sultan without reference TO the tardy
and vexatous meddling OF European officials, need
have apprehension this score; his rights are
as sacred as they are in any part of Europe Prop
luat
| has not been interfered with, and never will
long the Sultan retains his seat of empire-which
will be as long England, France, and Russia are
| divided
conc of the most important events in the history
of this country has Just taken place. by the issue OF
a frman, which, by its future consequences, will
secure the comfort and independence of its people,
and be hailed blessing by the country at large.
The firman entities the present occupiers of land
| to become proprietors, subject only to 1.-THE
tenth of taxes, and not liable to any other but the
ordinary and moderate tax called the Tirdi and
captation tax. 1t was by master stroke of policy,
similar to this adopted, that Baldwin the First
proved the benefactor of Palestine, and saved Je-
rusalem from the ruin which at that time threat
ened its impoverished people. firman OF similar
character in its general application is in progress
| Of preparation Another important measure under
| contemplation is the building of bridges, quays,
public institutions, &c, and the better conduct of
| the application OF convict labor; the results
certain, and were the Turkish authorities not ham
| pered and ntimidated by oficious officials, mat
tiers would be far better, and Turkey and her peo-
| pie would be more at case, more quiet and peace
| able, and she would long since have improved her
! position nation Religion is now fully tolera-
| ted throughout Syria; and happily, neither mis-
sionaries nor people can now complain Of persccu-
| tom
| DEATH or EMPEROR. A Geographic de-
| spatch from Halifax announced the death of the
| emperor thus:
| 'Upon the 18th of the lst moon, his majesty de-
| cd he ri
on a dragon, to be guest on high" ii is said
that he fell victim to the severity of the rites with
which he celebrated the decease of his mother-in-
| law, the late empress dowager, who preceded him
but thirty one days. His reign lasted thirty years.
! The only mementoes of his career mentioned by
the journals are, his murder in 1928 Of MahoIne-
dan Tartar prince, by name Jehangic, who had
surrendered himself on the faith of the royal pro-
! mise in 1882, his killing of his eldest by
hasty blow; later still, when he became involved
in hostilities with this country, his suggestion Of
| Gripping the power of the English by cutting off
their tea and thus destroying them by constipation
1t appears toleraby certain that he has found in his
son and successor, Yih-Chu, a mourner whit
less iantastical and extravagant With a zeal
worthy Of his fathers son, this pious prince has
| proclaimed to his subjects how he " tears the
ground" in the fury of his grief. His tears g are
as OF blood" He "beats his breast-can he yet
bear to speak of t?'' In order TO insure the
due sympathy of his officers, they are impera-
lively required 10 assist at a solemn " Banquet
| of the Dead" Meats were TO be offered, and
|
anticipation, il may be, of these dainty offerings
being declined by their aug ust object, the minis
tiers and officers of the court were 10 beat their
heads against the ground periodically during the
| ceremony, and TO howl and groan in chorus. These
deadly lively festivities were 10 last three days
| For hundred more, the howcry people were CON-
| manded to walk in the white garments of grief,
their caps undccoratcd by tassel button their
boards unshorn, their tails untrimmed, their eye
brows growing wild in barbarous immunity from
tweezers. AS a climax TO the whole, and "to salts
fy, in some degree, his babe-like Affection" the
| Emperor was pleased to extend the mourning APP
pointed for his subjects, by his predecessor, from
| twenty seven days to three years "Who knows af-
| ter ali, !" says the humorous Chronicle, whether
there may not be grain Of sly meaning in all
these monstrous mummeriesl tits certain that by
| their means celestial neighbors enabled 70
secure a spirit of loyalty within their borders
which is quito irrespective of the rcigning prince.
His dcccase is rendered 50 formidable by the rites
with which il lie celebrated that be his rule what il
may, its continuance cannot fail of being regarded
| by his subjects as a minor nuisance compared with
| its Close"
Hong Kong correspondent OF the London Daily
Neios has the following interesting specyatons on
| tho consequences Of the decease of the Emperor
and the accession Of a new one:
1.-THE bonds which have held Chinese society to-
gether for centuries already loosened on this
| point have already written you at some length,
| and, from ample means of observing and knowing
the feelings wants, and sentments Of the Celestial
empire, the conviction gains ground that the time
|
thrcshold) when changes must and will take place
in the relative position and condition Of the govern
ing and the governed The fact is undeniable that
free principles, based free representations are
disc used in all the assemblies Of the iferafi-the
joins Chinois-which even now exercises the ut.
most influence in the policy and conduct Of the
Chinese government The hterafi, they are
styled in all official and municipal documents, are
fast taking the position and -cmincnce occupied
by the French philosophers, the index Of social
and political revolution. Various events arc con-
spring. il were, to bring about this revolution in
the institutions and political condition Of the Chi
nesc empire, The Empress Dowager, who expired
on the Odd Of January, exercised the utmost nfu-
! encc the councils Of the king, and formed the
great barrier 10 the advancement Of the principles
4 by which the hterdt influenced. Her removal
from the theatre Of events and the councils Of the
empire has been followed by the dccease, on Feb
ruary u.s. of his Celestial highness Taoukwapg, the
Emperor, in his 65th 18th year, whose reign has
been marked by occurrences Of far greater mag
niudc than any Of his predecessors. The late king
was pacific, even 10 fault, and on more than
one occasion deserted by his advisers, whose
sentiments were otherwise. The king is
young, and, what is more, is overlooking and self
wilcd this fact learn from one OF the courters