The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-07


out his consent more arbitrary or exaspe-
rating ultimatum has never been received by
any ruler The words to ''sell or transfer in
relation to the iron-clads and small arms,
mean one and the same thing. If the Viceroy
chose to sell the goods which his lord covets,
a tax would be put upon his own subjects to
raise the money, and after all the Sultan
would select his time of payment. The hu-
initiation to Ismail Pasha consists in his
being compelled to part with materials of war
fare which he bought for the protection of his
kingdom.
1t seems almost impossible for the Viceroy
to resist the commands which have been
transmitted to him. The complete indepen-
dence of Egypt is a dream which may have
fitted through his mind during the last few
years, and the manifest decline of Turkey
may have tended to give it shape and sub
stance. But is Egypt ready to shake off the
bond of the Caliphs? Her people scarcely
know what patriotism means, and very
large proportion of them would look upon
revolt against the head of Islam rs an act of
sacrilege. Since the time of Saladin, Egyp-
tian independence, on a settled basis, has
been as impossible as the return of the Pha-
raohs The Caliphs have ruled the country
with hand of iron. The spasmodic efforts
of the Mamelukes resulted only in greater
miseries for the oppressed people. Egypt
JIleu 10 THROW OH uer ulleBlduCB 10 Jue OOuTJ
of Constantinople less than six and thirty
years ago. but the old bugbear of the ''bal-
ance of power" frightened Europe, and the
greatest Viceroy of modern times was de-
prived of the fruits of a long and gallant
struggle. What better hope could Ismail
Pasha have of conquering now, supposing
that he meditated resistance?
The province has been impoverished by
heavy and long-continued taxation-so far
the taunts of the Sultan are quite justified.
But it did not suit the purpose of Abdulz-Asiz
to admit that these exhausting imposts were
levied partly to maintain the barbaric splendor
of his own court. The Sultan does nothing
for Egypt He takes part of the money
which is wrung from the people, and deems
that he has proved his claim to it when he
has sent a naughty reprimand to the Vice
roy We do not believe that in the present
age this kind of despotism can be applauded
in Europe. The sympathy of the great
powers is no longer with Turkey England
is sick of her; France would never send an
other soldier to aid power which has fallen
lower and lower in the estimation of the
world ever since the Crimean war saved
it from destruction. If Turkey made war
upon Egypt. it would be at great peril to
herself. But how is Egypt to make war upon
Turkey? She must do that in order to
throw off the yoke. The Viceroy is asked to
give up his iron-clads; and he must do it, or
fight If ten years more had been allowed
him he might have made struggle. But
where is the necessary money to come from
now? Ismail Pasha has done something
towards restoring the country to sounder
financial position. Within the last year he
has converted a deficit into surplus. But
he is not in position to throw off his ale
glance. Abdul-Aziz fears that he may be
getting ready for the attempt, and this
alone accounts for, if it does not justify, the
warmth of his recent rebuke and the degra-
dation which he is subsequently reported to
have thrust upon the Viceroy. In these
measures he will receive little sympathy
abroad. The claims of the Sultan to
Egypt are only tenable when they are not
discussed. If pressed to violence, the effects
might be more disastrous at Constantinople
than at Cairo.