Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-05-12
AlisrRllanfnus.
THE TURK AT HOME.
FROM DICKENS HOUSEHOLD WORDS.
fConcluded.

C0Hctuded.
There are, however, other Otto
mans who vehemen,ly ,spouse the
reforms Of the Sultan, and wish TO
place the Turkish empire in IFS prop
er relation with the civilized states Of
Europe. Thirty years ago there
were relentless confiscatlons, tyrani-
cal imprisonmenis, arbitrary judg-
men,s, an organized system of gen.
eral robbery, corruption in every de-
partment OF the administration, and
irresponsible pachas quietly pillaging
at their own private will. Against
all this disorder and wrong Turkish
reformers have struggled maniully
and if at present, the Ottoman en-
pire presents spectacle of compar-
alive barbarlsm IN close contrast TO
advanced civilization, the advance il
has made during the last thirty years
from anarchy to some kind of order
and law, may tempt us to hope that
the infdes" who have led the
Musselmans thus far, may yet let in
more daylight upon them. The Sui
tan's people venerale the law when
/ i, is made. This Is part of their re-
/ ligion, and every individual not only
strives 10 obey il, but also watches
his neighbor. Thus, strange as it
may appear, smuggling is crime un-
known in Turkey.
The constitution OF the Turkish
Empire is contained in two vast TO-
Ito volumes, aud is known as the
Muliequa. 1t was written originally
in the Arab language by The learned
Cheik Ibrahim IIaleb;, who died at
Constantnople in 1910.
The civil code regulates the treat
ment of slaves, the claims between
husband and wife, and the succession
to properly. Slaves are daily de-
creasirg in number throughout Tur-
key. War no longer furnishes
supply, and open slave-trafiic is, as
already stated, prohibited throughout
the Ottoman empire.
The penal code. now in force
throughout the Ottoman empire is
that promulgated in the year 1910.
/ II is a great improvement on the old
penal laws, by which the punishment
of death was in the hands of the
petty provincial iyrants. The first
article Of this recent code declares
that The Sultan promises not TO in
fl:ct death upon any subject who has
not been IrIed by competent Judges
and condemned according To csinb-
llshed law, and threatens with CAPT
tai punishment any vizier who shall
hencelorih take the lie of a subject
on his own responsibility, " even that
Of a shepherd" Capital punishment,
( Icy this code, is inflicted for exciting
Ouoman subjects to revolt, for as
sasInaiion, aud tpr resistance to the
police (when this resislan~s infllcts a
mortal wound) in the execution of
their duty. BY this code robbery is
punished by seven wears imprison-
ment; various periods of confne-
ment or punishment are awarded TO
! public officers, who fail to discharge
their functions honestly, and all sub.
lecls of the Sultan are enjolned to
deliver up TO justice any delinquent
who may come under their observa-
ton. Every subject of the Sultan is
by this law equal IN the eyes of the
Judge, without regard To race or reli-
gion.
In 1916, the famous talimaii o.
moumeh were published. These
DEGREES regulated the powers of all
the government officers, the admins
lratlon of the national treasury, and
the organization OF the police. In
1850, the Turkish government, pur-
suing its measures of reform, issued
a new commercial code of laws Of
three hundred and fifteen articles,
regulating the internal and external
trade of the empire.
But all these DEGREES put together,
although important, are not likely to
effect that revolution which may be
expected from the great reform made
in the educational machinery in the
Ottoman empire. The first of Sep
TENDER, lS45, when the first stone of
a great Turkish University was laid
on the site of the old janissaries' bar
racks was remarkable day in Ottoman
history. Education was taken from
the hands Of the Mahommedan priest
hood and the children Of the empire
taught the great truths Of the world.
Henceforth every Turk must send
his child to school, and the State
charged itself with his instruction.
Thus, al the present time,
when the child Of Turk has reach
ed the age of six years. the father is
compelled TO present himself before
the monkhtar or municipal chief Of
his locality, and to inscribe the child's
name on the register Of the mekleb
or primary school, unless he can sat
isfactorily prove that he has the in