The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-11-05
TAa xisk Man,

There are few VINO VIII not agree WIN lnat
able journal, the Philadelphia North Amert-
ear. that the Emperor NICHOLAS was right
when he pronounced the sick man." OF Tnr<
KEY. incurabIe and invited the attentionbf
the civilized world 20 immediate inierWn-
ton in the affairs of country desecratef by
barbarism and subtracting contnually/from
the wealth Of nations by the suppression or
trade and commerce which is prac'iced under
Turkish rule. From late accounts 1t appears
that a conspiracy for the overthrow OF the
government has just been disclosed, which
had NANTES ta1ions in every part of the En-
pire. and the promised support OF fifteen
thousand troops and of almost all the Mo-
hammedans in Constantinople. The ring
leaders were arrested and executed just about
two hours before the instruction was to be-
gin, and upwards OF three thousand persons
were captured and thrown into prison.
brief recital of the causes of this outbreak,
which we condense from an article on the sub
iect before us, will show that the "sick man"
is on his iaSt legs, and must soon be carried TO
his long home.
Prominent among the causes OF dlssatisfac-
ton was the edic, of the ultan of the Eth Feb
ruary, 1885, granting perfect freedom ana pro-
lection to The Christians in Turkey in the ex-
on a footing of equality with Musselmans as
witnesses in Courts of Law This edict, 1t
will be recollected, was extorted from the Sui
tan by the European Powers, at the close of
the Crimean war, as the price of the assistance
rendered by England and France to Turkey in
that contest The concession was, however,
profoundly unpopular with the people, ana
especially odous TO the Ulamas, or Doc o1S of
7 hnr izpd
Koran, aud whose opinions have the greatest
weight with the populace. These bigoted
Turks have steadily resisted, from the begin
ming the reform measures of the government
with reference to the Christians, and the edict
Of Eth February 1850, exhausted the last
drop in their cup of forbearance. Moreover,
their national pride was touched, as il has
often been lately, by the ascendancy of for
eigu cauEsels in their affairs, and the evident
fact tina. the independence OF their country
was gone when their government always
yielded to the imperious demands Of foreign
ers. The conspiracy commenced a long time
ago, with the very first reform initiated by
the present Sultan, and il has widened and
gained volume with the widening and in
crease of his reforms.
But if there had been no other cause the
incredible extravaganza OF the Sultan would
have been enough to excite discomfort among
the most abiect and submissive of serfs. The
most wastefui expenditure has peryaded every
branch of the public service. and ruinous
taxation became; necessary 10 supply the re-
quired funds. The Sultans own manner of
living exhibits a prohigate and reckless waste,
without parallel in modern times. 1t is said
that his personal expenditure on his civil list
and his harem, with its inuumerab!e occn-
pants amounts to seventeen millions of dol
lars year, being just one-nlnth of the annual
income of the Empire. 1t seems, however
tina; even this enormous amount does not sup
ply his wants, for he is eNerlastingiy borrow
ing, and now owes the handsome little private
debt OF a hundred and twenty millions of dol
lars IL is mentioned instance of his
fast way of living, that, in is5e, he borrowed,
at eleven per cent, two millions of dollars
the whole of which was spent upon n grand
entertainment given by him upon the mar
rage OF TWO of his daughters. Ii is said
that he never inquiries what the expense
of any scheme will be, but orders it to
be carried out no matter at what COST
Thus, it is stated that, being one day accident
ally asked what the old palace of Dolmabach
cost, and being told (by way of joke) that il
cost SI20, (Which was exactly the cost of the
paper used in making assignaRts for the
Si2,5U0,UUU which the palace really COST he
swallowed the answer, and at once gave orders
for rebuilding the edfice. Zach of his thirty
ministers receives ST., 800 a year, and there are
hundred and twenty Marshals, having each
$.u,0oG year, making total annual expentii-
ture for these officers alone of S6,3O0,OOO II
there is no limits human endurance, there is
20 the productyeness of a nation and the
present ruler of Turkey seems to have pretty
nearly reached that boundary Nevertheless
in the midst OF the tumults caused by the dis
covery of the late conspiracy, and which re-
sslted in great measur from his own wanton
extravaganza, the Sultan is trying to raise a
new loan at any price, and invites Prince Al
FRED, of England, to Constantinople, where a
fete will probably be given to The young Prince.
the cos, OF which many of the Sultaus old
creditors would be most happy to put in their
pockets.
The overthrow Of the Sultan, especially by
party of fanatical Turks, who seek to bring
back the old regime Of oppression and injus-
tice towards Christians, lis not to be desired bv
the civilized world. But the in teresls of the
world and Of civilization would be highly
benefited If the European Powers would take
possession OF Turkey and di vide it among them
selves. Ii they cannot agree upon the terms
on which this shall be done, which is prota-
bly, the only reason that they have not appro-
priated the sick mans effects long ago, the
propeet is that the empire will soon fall to
pieces OF its own corruption and decay.