The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-24
The Proposed Turkish Congress-An Assembly
Of Notables.

Of Notables.
The unhealthy condition Of Mexico and the
means which have from time to time been
adopted in the hope of effecting permanent
cure have made our minds familiar with what
is meant by an assembly of notables. A re-
cent telegram relating to the affairs Of the
East informs us that it is the intention OF the
Sultan to convene an assembly of the reprosen-
tatives of all the different religious creeds in
the Ottoman empire, to consult and to adopt
what measures may be deemed advisable for
the more effectual execution Of the provisions
of the Hatti-Sherif or Hatti-Humayoum of
1856. An assembly of this sort, whether regard
be had to the individuals composing it or to
the interests which they represent, will GER
tainly put the most motley OF all the Mexican
assemblies entirely into the shade.
Among the thirty-eight or forty millions COM
posing the Turkish empire in Europe, Asia and
Africa there are probably twenty-four millions
of Mussulmans. With the exception of some
one hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand
Jews the rest may be considered Christians.
There are Christians of the Greek Church and
Christians of the Armenian Church there
are Christians of the Greek United and
Christians of the Armenian United there
are Christians calling themselves Catholic
there is the Church of the United Syrians
and Chaldees, and there is the Church Of the
Maronites. We have not spoken of the names
and divisions which exist even among Moslems
themselves, nor of the Copts and Druses and
Yezidis and Metamalis and others, all of whom
have separate organizations of their own. Nor
are the interests with which these names are
identified to be considered as purely local for
though they may have special connection
with particular districts they have their repre-
scntatives all over the Turkish empire. Then,
again, what variety OF languagel We have the
Latin, Greek, Slavic, Arabic, Turkish, with the
almost inconceivable varieties which these
have assumed in different provinces. A con-
gress composed ofsuch materials will certainly
be Of a sufficiently heterogeneous and polyglot
character. 1t will, however, have one advan-
tage over anything of the kind which has pre-
ceded 1t. Political congresses and ecclesiastical
councils are not new things in the worlds his
tory, but anything SO thoroughly catholic in
its constitution as this one has not yet been
Witnessed. 1t will represent, not one religious
belief, but the many shades Of the many reli-
gious beliefs known throughout the Turkish
dominions. 1t will certainly be curious
thing If the grandest lesson of federation which
has yet been read to the world should be read
by descendant of Osman, and by the still
recognized chief Of one of the most exclusive
of all religions. Truly the world marches
apace. What next-and nexti
Seriously, however, we do not imagine that
much good will result from this proposed Con-
gress. The best that can come of il will be an
agreement that the provisions of the Haiti
Humayoum will be faithfully executed, and
that disability on account Of religion shall no
longer exist. What followed the agreement Of
1856 will follow the agreement Of 1867. Disa-
bilites will not be felt in the nearer provinces,
where the influence of the government more
directly tells. In the remote provinces disa-
bilities will exist as formerly. The DISPOSE
ton manifested by the Sultan in this matter is
remarkable proof Of the triumph Of modern
ideas. The railroad, the steamboat, the cleo
trio telegraph have, one by one, forced them
selves on the Moslem in spite of his creed,
and now the Sultan finds his only hope Of
salvation in a congress or parliament He
does not see that the inevitable tendency of
these changes is to sap the foundations Of the
entire system on which bis power depends.