The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-11-04
TURKEY AND uER REFORMS.


posed During the last fifty years. progress ana not
decline, has been the theoryi9f her government
Before the reign of Selm, the predecessor OF the
father of the present Sultan, the Turkish empire
seakencd by its conflicts with Russia, seemed has
tening with rapid steps to the broad grave oil ma
tons. The unity Of administration had departed
The monarchs appeared to be in state OF somno-
lency with half-conscousness that the sceptre Of
p8sef Sss passing ff6in theif hands, and yet with
Dit the strength to close the faststiffenng fingers
Their traditional foe behind the walls of the Mix
hailof Palace reveled in anticipation of Crimean
protectorate upon Inore gigantic scale Decay had
stricken all the departments of the government The
partition of the empire indeed seriously can
vassed by the Houses of Hapsburg and Romanoif
The Austrian question, What shah we do with Con-
stantinople ~ was at once tho criterion Of expected
triumph and the source Of future dfsagrfnens be-
tween the titled allies. But patriotic eye seized
at one glance the causes of the national weak
ness The statesmanlike vision of Selim iii saw
the necessity for radical change in the admin
istraton Of the nation. lie lacked, however, tho
commanding will requisite to compel his sub
ects to aid him in the work of progress in all
its details. He had the mind to conceive, but not
the resolution to act Possessing the patriotism and
genius of Peter the Great, he unfortunately wanted
that undaunted nerve to make them available. The
magnitude of the undertaking appalled, him. and, at
its very threshold his heart faltered and his hand
grew weak. He instituted few minor changes;
but the great plan of reform he had outlined was des
tined to be carried out by his successor, Mahmoud
It was no mean innovation to correct forcibly and
suddenly inveterate prcjudices, grown hoary under
years of misrule. Ignorance, established and pro-
tected by religion and law, was likely to WELD
two-fold power-the one Of aggression, and the
other of stubborn defence. The Mussulman, firm in
his fatalism and adherence to old forms, at first
laughed at the idea of yielding them at the beck of
his monarch. The traditions of ages are formidable
enemies to the Inauguration of useful measures IN
the march Of progress, conservatism sometimes de-
into an obstinacy petty, foolish, ana
senseless that hugs its worst deusions to It's breast
and sneers at the possibility Of change for the bet
ter. Among tho Turks, conservatism too often as
sumes such phase and, allied to the National inert
ness of character becomes serious bar to their in
dividual or social Improvement. The past and
present are every thing The future nothing.
Mahmoud found his course impeded by the raven
notes Of those who saw nothing good but what was
by the ages ofignorance and narrow-mnd-
edncss, through which the nation had, in spite OF
them, fought it's way to power and renown. Mere
of expedency could not permeate their
brains Innovation on what had become thing Of
holiness to them was wrong; and not even the
power of the Commander of the Faithful, tho head
of their religion and the ruler of the State could give
q house growth to the measures OF reform FRO
gress especially the progress of such race as the
Alussulnan is not endowed with Mineryan finish
and completeness of maturity. It's obliged to crawl
slowly, sometimes Notwithstanding check here,
an impetus there but always subject to the dcpress-
ing fluctuations of popular sentiment. Though,
when once commenced, il be rarely failure, it is
never other than struggle. Luckily for the inter-
ests of Turkey, sublime truth is mbodied in the
hopeful thought Of Benjamin Constants LIE friomphe
DIES dtes utass nest jan,ds quune question dc date
Time u.s. indeed, the great maker OF nations--tho
rectifer of abusesthe exposition OF doubted truths
the friend of useful theories. Mahmoud, with cour-
apeous heart and patriotic instincts battled for thirty
wears, and finally succeeded in engraftng upon the
policy of his country many of the useful and beneficial
measures of European civilization. Cherished customs,
that had become almost part of the national policy,
were abolished abuses, that had crept into the adj
of law and the government, we're cor
rected useless and injurious antipathies were re-
moved and vitalizing activity given to the polti-
cal financial and civil administration Of the nation,
which brought it into closer companionshp with the
civilization of the enlightened peoples of Europe.
complete system ofpublic schools for the children
of Turks Christians, and Jews, was established by
tho government and the fine arts and the useful pro-
fessions were encouraged and fostered.
The rcigning Sultan has not been less Jealous than
his father in his efforts to give force and stability TO his
empire by raising the moral and political status Of
his subjects He has, however, met with fewer diff
fculties. The nations pride has been touched, and
Abdul Medd 20 longer finds unwilling coadjutors,
but enthusiastic supporters. He has purified the
public mind and directed it to higher and better
aims than tho pleasures of the passing hour. Old
preiudces have faded into fotgetfulness Those
reforms which had, at first, appeared invested with
all the horrors Of useless changes have gradually
begun to be understood and welcomed by the
masses.
There could be, perhaps, better evidence OF the
spirit of federation that has mperceptiby reversed
the former feelings of the whole people thar the de-