The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-02

TaE PlossEss or TuxKxY.-The Journal Of
Constaatipopls, on the 70th Of December last,
gave the ALLOWING picture OF the very crafty
ing psogsess made BY the OsmanIess during the
year 1850 andsr the wise and bsneicent rule of
the Sultan. Although the date Of the article il
not recent yet it contains much information
which has not been made public previously -
Two days more, and w shall arrive 1t the end
of this year, 1850. Of which the com.nen cement,
70 full Of clouds and grave complications, made
W fear fatal events. Thank God, the clouds
have disappeared, the political G0rixon is bright
and, 10 spits Of our anticipatious, we have seen
the government continue with perseverance it's
work al reformation and progress, notwithstand-
ing The numerous difficulties created by the dis
orders which, for two years, agitsted Europe.
Thus, we see that many social and political
questions, which divide nearly all the western
nations Of Europe, have been solved without
noise. and modcstly put in practice ut Constan-
tinope.
When Sultan Mshmoud, and, lately, II. 8. M.
Sultan Abdul Medjid, undertook TO introduce in
the Ottoman Empire reformations inspired by
the spirit Of the western people. there where in
Europe many persons who refused to believe in
the good result OF this attempt But il one
examines the social position Of Turkey. he will
see that many Of these new laws have, for a long
time, taken deep root and are now in full Of.
feet there So far, it is true, that the time aid
ing, q firm desire, with respected will, reason
il always The strongest for it 10 not in an hour,
it ~ not in day, that great projects may be ac-
complshed. The public opinion which to-day
governs the world, which overturns and breaks
H. 81 h..
tile, has become favorable to the empire, and
sympathies that she had never previously had.
II We look, now, behind, upon the principal
facts accomplished during the last year, we will
see that the government has not failed in it's
mission Of civilization and progress, and that it
has not bean unworthy of the approval of pub
lie opinion. We desire TO speak of measure
which seems to us one of the wisest and most
important with which the government has ever
favored the country. II it obtains the success
10 which it IL entitIed-and every thing makes
us believe that it must--it will be, in contempt
rary history, one of the best acts of the reign Of
the Sultan. and which does the greatest honor
to the ministry. Is there, indeed, in an empire,
greater evil to extirpate than that of stealing
and wasting the public money? These are the
two great enemies of authority that the Sultan
engaged himself to pursue in all ranks and all
classes Of society. This engagement was SOL
emu, for it was sworn on the Koran, in presence
of all the ministers, and he obliged all the pub
lie functionaries, great and small, to engage
themselves, by oath, never to give or receive any
present without the authorization of the sover-
eign; never to squander, or let be wasted by
others, the public money, and not to engage en-
ployees, the service of whom would not be USE
full, or indispensably necessary to the admins
tration of public affairs.
This measure, completed by the reform of
the many abuses by the public functionares. is
we repeat it, decisive event, and the beginning
of q new era. Nevertheless, all these fruitful
principles arc contained in Haiti. Cherif of Gull
Hane, and it is only necessary, at a favorable
time, to make their application. Without aston
ishment, we remark the important notifications
which have taken place in the jurisdiction of the
tribunals. These beneicent laws, of which we
have already stated the happy results are not
circumscribed to the capital, but they begin to
apply them in the provinces. We have recently
seen established in Cairo, Alexandria, and
Smyrna mixed tribunals-the same as that of
Constantnople-an We hope to see, very soon,
all the important cities of the empire. favored
with such useful institution, giving to COM
merce solid guarantees and encouragements.
Between the aueliorations which every year
enriched Turkey, there was one, above all, which,
we demanded with all our sympathies This
want, at last, has been granted, and soon the
ministers of public works and commerce will be
able to open, fer public accommodation, a large
road from Trebizande to Erzerouns The crea-
ton of this large way of commerce will offer to
trade immense advantages which make us hope
that the government will follow out project,
the necessity of which is deeply felt, and that it
will devote. every year, sufficient sum OF mo-
ney in order to keep in repair the roads already
existing, and to establish new ones.
The government has not forgotten, for sim
ole moment, that instruction is the basis Of civ
ilization; it follows with the greatest interest
the intellectual movement difused with rapidity
in the interior Of different provinces Of the en-
pre- Never had public instruction received be-
fore greater impulse than during the closing
year. Constantinople counts actually 403
schools, ofdiferent degrees; 396 primary schools,
attended by 22,sOO pupils, of both sexes: In
order to complete work which dates back for
n few years, and which has already given extra
ordinary results, Fl. NJ, the Sultan, has sent to
Europe Renal Efend, in order to study in
France, England, Belgium, and Germany, the
organization of public instruction, and the best
metnOdS tnere pursueu, Ill o'ue' W aooPt l"eh
in Turkey.
Important ameliorations have taken place in
the army and navy the active forces of the EN-.
pire are powerful, and the minister of war can,
in case of war, raise an army Of reserve to the
amount Of 100000 men. The steam naviga
ton continues to take great extension the
steam and sailing frigates visit, at this moment,
the military ports of France and England and
although we greatly regret the terrible catas-
trophe which has deprived the Turkish marine
of part of its best sailors, and of one of it's
most beautiful ships we will not the less render
justice to the imperial government, which has
made such exertions to raise the Ottoman ma
riie to the rank occupied by il as naval power.
Whena power has under its hands such con-
siderable forces, it is possible for it to begin,
with resolution, wise and prudent reforms and
if aalfish am l.tion-if corrunted men. instirated