, 1854-01-28
The Future Of Turkey.

LtHeS mas the following remarks on ihs
French mission 10 the East:
For reasons not necessary to alluds 4,
more particularly, am disposed 10 the 4. ~
lief that the mission intrusted to Gonpr,l
Paraguay d'Hilliers is not without view "a
some more general object than is eeneraVv
supposed. How he may conduct himsef1 Il
it time only can tell and, though his VA,
not precisely tho name that would hav,
suggested itself 10 the public, yet ] find lh,,
most people seem to have confidence in N,
judgment of Louis Napoleon, and bis knowI.
edge of men--at least, of his countrymen
and they begin 10 believe that Baraguor 4,
Hilliers is the best man that could be cha.
sen, simply because he has been chosen
Perhaps the most important part Of the Cen.
erals mission will begin when the quarrel
with Russia shall have been arranged. If
that arrangement be as all expect the reyo.
lutionary party desire, the mission of the
new ambassador will be noble one. SouuB
he prove himself possessed Of the prudence.
and resolution requisite in the conduct Of
proiracted and difficult negotiations, be will
enter on task which has reference TO tbe
future state of the Ottoman empire, raihe,.
than 10 its actual position. Il is admitted
by all who give themselves the trouble of
thinking seriously on the anomalous eoudi.
ton of the Turkish empire, that matters
cannot go on as they have hitherto doue.--
The Western Governments cannot be called.
on every occasion, 10 intervene foT the pro.
lection of an unwieldy empire, which is IN.
able 10 protect itself efticaciously from 40.
gression. II is no more compatible will
the dignity of Turkey as a power, that i
should be so, than it is with the TRANQUILITY
of Europe. Such a stale of things has loD1
called for remedy, and the Western Gov.
ernmenis think that the moment has arrived
to apply il. Russia is dangerous neigh.
Dor Tor Turkey; but il is only that the de-
ments Of danger exist in Turkey itself II
the Emperor Of Russia puts forward prelen.
tions for the protection Of the Greek sub
jects of the Sultan, it is because there have
existed wrongs which require to be redres.
sed. The oppression aud persecution Of
the Christian population may be exaggera-
ted, as, NO doubt, the tolerance Of The 'Mus-
sulman rulers, their meekness, and lleir
equity, have also boon. Reforms and i'm.
prOvements have unqueslionably been affsc,
ted, but they were mostly under the pressure
Of circumstances like the present; or they
emanated from the genllehcss Of character
Of particular Sovereign, like the present
Sultan, or The enlightenment Of few indi,
viduals raised 10 power by foreo of sircum-
stances, like Mustapha Paeha and his COL
leagues, rather than from the nature oI
Turkish system of administration. They
are more 10 be attributed to the persons who
may be at the head of affairs, than as form.
ing part and parcel of Turkish polity in its
application 10 the Christians. Tho rule Of.
the Sultan is not prob, bly, more oppressive
10 the Turks than that Of the Car 10 ihe
Russians; but whatever benefits are derived
from .despotism must be shared alike by Tho
Christian as well as the Mussulman subiech
Of the Porte. 10 order to keep a place
among the nations of Europe, the social and
political system Of Turkey must be modified,
and this modification is the essential eond.
ton Of its political existence. The Koran
must bo gradually closed, and the hsrem
gradually opened, so as 10 fl il for ass0Cia-
lion with more civilized nalions it is the,
price that must be paid, the sacrifice that
must be made, 10 place il on equality with
Europe. But, such as Turkey is at present,
all inequality between lis population must
be made to cease. Whatever yet exists op-
pressive or degrading 10 any denominaliOn
or class off is population must disappear.
The Christian must be placed on The same
footing as the Mussulman. No tax must bS
imposed or him, which his fellow subject,
whose belief is in the Koran does not pay,
and the amount must be regulated by his po-,
sition as q subject of the Porte, and not sole
ly by that of follower Of the Cross. Equal
justice must be administered to all, and equal
rights and privileges accorded and il may
be taken as pretty certain that, when no
reasonable ground for complaint exists with
the Greeks, it will be very difficult for The
Emperor of Russia or any one else 10 as
sumo the role Of their protector; The oecu.
patton of redressor of wrongs, hitherto 80
profitable to Russia, will have passed away.
The substantial reforms in the condition
Of the Christians Of Turkey, which cannot
be longer delayed without danger, will ma
terially diminish the power Of mischief Of
Russia, and will compel her, if sho slilIen-
tertain views Of aggrandizement, 10 turn
those views some other way. believe that
the mission of Gen. paraguay d'Hilliers .
not foreign 10 the subject to which have
alluded. There is reason to believe lhslh
forms the more important part of that mis-
sion, and that, whether war or peace bel
result Of the present crisis, il will not be losl
sight Of, but will be urged and insisted up
on by him.
OPENING OF FREE MAsoSs' HALL IN
HoNGKoNG.-MAsoNRY, which is an in-
stitution Of very recent growth in China,
has, after some difficulties, succeeded in
planting itself firmly in the Celestial soil,
and haa rnarnA n hnnInnrnn Innnuln nnnciallN