Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-12
THE TURKISH DECLARATION OF WAR.


The following letter from the .Portafoglio Maltese
gives interesting details of the Grand Ottoman
Council in its late elaboration upon the question of war
with Russia Our own and the English press have hth-
erto informed us Of nothing but its results:
CoSsTAsTINopLE, OcToBER s. 1853.
The Divan, as announced to you in my last letter
had been authorized by the Sultan conyoke an extra
ordinary assembly Of the notables of the realm Sun
day. September 20 for the purpose of pronouncng final
y the Russian question This high political tribunal
handed in its decision at 10 p. NJ Monday. The
Council composed Of go persons minister's vziers
uemas unctionares Of the first and second classes and
officers of the army. 1t presided by the Grand
Vizier, Mustapha Pacha with the assistance Of the
Schekul Islam and the Scherf Prince Mohammed- Ibn-
Naum Reschd Pacha laid before the assembly the his
torical details OF the Turco Russian difficulty, relating
all the phases of the question and explaining how the
Porte had lost oil hope of seeing Russia recede from her
unreasonable demands and accept the modified Vienna
note. The Russian Emperor had, on the contrary de-
cared that he desired to punish the barbarian Turks
With these words the Minister concluded and the
bly, passed on to its final elaboration.
The protocol drawn up the spot as the expression
of the national WILL declared that all diplomatic negotia
tons in the Turkish Russian question were at end
and that the 0tomaus offered to the Grown their proper
ty and their blood for the instant yindcaon of their
rights against Russia, who by throwing her troops into
the Danuban Princpalties manifested her dsdain for
the benefits of peace precisely the when the
Porte and Europe most anxious to maintain it,
After the deiberation Mehemet Pacha, the Minister
Of War; declared that the regular troops the Danube
and on the frontier Of Anatoa amounted to 900 men,
without counting the irregular corps and bands
OF volunteers Moreover the Minister could announce to
the Assembly that the different contngents o. regular
troops offered reserve of $50 900 ready march
and it decided that this imposing force should be di
reced partly to the frontiers of Russia in ASIA and
partly to the borders of Roumelia Marmoud- Pacha,
the Minister Of the Marine, in the of the feet
pressed his desire to visit the coasts of the Black Sea-
Finally Muctar Bey Eend the official agent of the Vice.
roy OF Egypt and Councillor of the State interpreted
the wishes of Abbas Pacha by declaring that his high
ness was disposed to manifest his devotion to the Sultan
and the country by unlimited sacrifices.
member congratulating those present upon the ex-
celent demonstrations Of the Shah of Persia was still
DESTROYS to know whether that Prince had really decided
to make common cause with the Porte The Ministers
were about to make reply to this inquiry, when the
Scherih Mohammed Ibn-Naum started to his feet and
cried aloud May God greatly sharpen the cimetar the
Sultan The Scherif Mohammed- -Naum, who has,
Tor hteen years past held the great Scherat of Mecca
exercises extraordinary influence descendant of
the Prophet the various tribes of Arabia Syria and
kurdistan He then stated that the clergy had placed
immense sums of money at the disposal of the Ministry
OF War. Reschid Pacha took pleasure in laudng the
pacific conduct Of the various Christian populations in
spite of the Vaccinations of Russia, and concluded by
saying that the Imperial Government would protect that
class OF its subjects with peculiar solicude The chiefs
OF the clergy responded that they took real pleasure in
confirming this report Of the christian population They
added that they had contend with but their Rus
SIAN foes and that the Christians in maintaining their
straton to fear but that if they should declare in favor
OF the Russians they would be treated as enemies
Baron De Bruck and Colonel Wildenbruck having made
every effort to delay the convocation of the Assembly,
that they might prevail upon the Sultan to accept the
vienna note purely and simply perceiving the nutity of
their attempt joined the Goth, in conference with NJ
De Lacour and Lord Sraford De Redc and separately
drew up note to the General Assembly depicting the
caamtes that war would occasion 1t is also said that
they protested against the rejection of the Vienna by
the Porte and that the representatives Of France and
England offered guarantee against the Interpretation
that Russia might give the said if the Porte would
yield This version being exact forced to believe
that the Ambassadors Of Prussia and Austria refused
give any such guarantee against the future tendencies of
Russia.
However that may be- the notes in question hand
ed in to the Porte accompanied by verbal declarations
which differed from each other, and did by any
in all instances with the but these demonstra
tons had no influence upon the Grand Council, which
decided that all negotiation had terminated.
At the close of the extraordinary assembly the Scheik
pronounced his trd the sacred and rrevocabe
decision which this Ponti gives forth head of the
clergy and Lieutenant of the Sultan He has thus le-
gazed the deliberation by which is just declared
against Russia unless the Muscove troops retire beyond
the Pruth.