The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-06-23
THE TURKISH COUP D'ETAT.

THE TURKISH COUP D'ETAT.
How At was Brought abo4s-an Unnattcr-
| Ing Account of the New Sultan.
Philadelphia Ger. N. Y Herald.
Desiring to obtain some light on the
foggy subject of Turkish politics, / called
yesterday upon Hon. George H. Boxer,
late United States Minister to Russia,
who has recently returned to his home
in this city, as one of the few persons on
this side of the Atlantic at all capable of
yielding such light.
Mr.. Boxer has had special Opportuni-
ties for becoming acquainted with the
true inwardness of the eastern question,
as well from his residence at st. Peters
burg-where, as we all know, the affairs
of the "sick man are regarded with a
peculiar tender interest-as though his
sojourn at the metropolis of the Ottoman
empire as our minister to that nation
previous to his appointment to the Rus.
| sian mission.
l met Mr. Boxer at his favorite resort,
| the aristocratic Philadelphia club, of
which he was long time president, his
natural affability not at all disturbed by
indulgence in one OF the famed dinners
of the club. Seating himself beside me
the poet and diplomat began an interest
ing and pleasant conversation concerning
his bservations in the land of the crescent
and the recent revolution which cost abdul
Aziz his throne. He was not surprised at
the transfer of the reins of power from the
hands OF the latter to those OfMurad Effen-
di. A year before he left Coustantinople,
about a year since, the probability of an
intrigue to bring about such a change
was freely talked of and regarded with
| general faver Abdul Aziz had long
been extremely unpopular, and was exc
Grated by the people with very little
| fear of the consequences of their bias
phemy of their prophets successor. GA
year and a half ago." caid Mr.. Boxer,
"I made trip through the interior, and
found this feeling oven more intensified
and more openly expressed than in Con-
stantinOple. The condition of the coun-
try was fearful, industries of all kinds
Frustrated, the people ground to the very
dust by the heavy taxes, everything at
standstiII, and everywhere Abdul Aziz
was bitterly cursed as the author of all
their ills"
THE NEW SULTAN.
Mr.. Boxer did not believe, however,
that the situation would be at all i'm |
proved under the new sultan. The fault |
is in the system of the government and
not in the man. Murad had been adopted
by the new Turkish party as a sort of
figurehead or standard, around which to
rally as a defiant point, and personitied
sentiment to catch the national feeling.
He had never impressed him as man of
special ability or strength of character.
THE NEW TURKISH PARTY.
A leading mind in the recent revolu-
tion was Midhat Pasha, really the chief.
of the new Turkish party of which Mu- |
rad Efendi was the ostensible representa- |
tive. Midhat Pasha was formerly grand |
vizier but attempted some reforms in
the sultan's private affairs which soon
brought him into disgrace.
The fact is, there is no chance for the |
sultan to effect reforms in the govern |
ment as at present constituted, even i'll
he possesses the will and ability to att
tempt them. There is no possibility of
an improved condition until there is a
radical change in the system, of govern |
ment and until the sultan takes an ac-
tual part in it, as he does not now. He |
is really the head of the MOhammedan !
faith, the descendant of the prophet, a
sort of grand llama, who is almost deified |
and is altogether too sacred a being to
poral affairs of the nation he is supposed !
to govern. The grand vizier is the ac-
tual ruler, and governs as the servant of
the sultan. The latter has nothing to
do with the details of government and
does not even preside at the meetings
of the ministers. He is thus in utter
ignorance of what is going on in his
dominiOns, and it is to see what abuses
are possible, in fact inevitable, under such
a system.
AS To THE SOFTAS,
who have played so prominent part in
the revolution, they are simply reli-
gious cqste-theological students, they
might be called, embracing all classes
and supported from the immense reve-
nues of the mosques. They are in prep
aration to enter the Mohammedan priest
heod, and their reputed sanctity gives
them large influence with the fanati-
cal pOpulace. Acting with them were
numbers, of the lower order of
priests, whose influence is in proportion
to their ignorance and fanaticism. Their
leader, Sheik-ul-Islam, signifying the
head or chief of Mohammedanism, is the
spiritual head of the nation under the
sultan, as the grand vizier is the tenn
poral head, but like the latter is subject
10 ICDONdl ny OllC 6uiGdIs DdChCu ny
the softas, and behind them by the min
listers, however, Sheik-ul-Islam was able
to first compel the sultan to radical con-
cessiOns and finally to demand his abdica-
ton.
THE TURNING POINT
was reached when the sultan refused to
assist the country in its desperate finan-
cial strait out of his immense private re-
sources, wrung as this money had been
from impoverished labor The means by
which he accumulated this immense sum
of 100000 900, in the condition of the
country, was Enthusiastically oriental.
When he desired Gel tain sum of money
he would order the grand Vizier to fur
nish it forthwith. No excuse was ac-
cepted for failure, and if not speedily
forthcoming the grand vizier was at
once disposed. Consequently his grand
viziers were accustomed to keep him in
a good humor by constant gifts of money
which they were bound to obtain, no
matter how, from an Overburdened and
bankrupt people. There is no system in
the process. no books or vouchers, and
the budget is a mere sham, in which no
one has any confidence.
A TAME WILD BoAR.-There is a
great variety of game in the forest lands
of France, but there ale no efficient laws
for its preservation. A system of poach-
ing is practiced with skill and with i'm
punity by cl IS of professional hunters
and trappers called Braconniers, who
! supply the markets regularly at the eX-
pense of the land owners and to the
| gradual determination of game of all
sorts. The wild boar is very common
| inhabitant of the dense woods, affording
1 G.,
is the nature of this animal, it is said to
be easily tanned when captured young,
and to display much fondness for its hu-
man companions. Hamerton mentions
the case of one (which regularly followed
its master to the village church, and
would not be excluded, but came at last,
by the toleration of the cure, to hear