The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-06-15
Abdul Asfr.


scissors (as reported) was born in Con-
stantinople February 10, 1880, and was
educated in strict conformity to Oriental
custom. On the death of his brother in
1861 he became Sultan. He had spent
the thirty-one years of his life in retire
ment, and had cultivated, it is said, yir.
tues unusual to Turkish sovereigns. He
was wise, people said, and temperate in
the use of pleasures. While his brother
lived Abdul Aziz showed no desire to
mingle in State affairs, and seemed con-
tent to study and practice agriculture on
his model farm, near Scutari. 1t was
well for him, perhaps, that he was calm
and content, else his head might some
morning have fallen from its support.
Turkish rulers have never, loved their
heirs greatly. Mustapha tried to kill
Mahmoud, but the latter killed him and
his children; and even the weak Abdul
Medjid could have been prevailed upon
to sacrifice Aziz if he had made himself
conspicuous. However, the latter was
discreet; he saved his head and finally
secured the throne. He at once COM
menced the work of reform by dismiss
ing the corrupt politicians who had
ruled the country during his brothers
life time; he reduced his own salary by
5000, 900, and declared he would not
indulge in polygamy. At the same time
that he dismissed his brothers seraglio
and announced that he would still keep
only the wife of his youth he presented
to his astonished Ministers son, who
had been born in 1857, and whom he had
kept secluded and reported dead, on ac-
count of the rule that the male issue of
all members of the royal family except
that of the Sultan and his sons must be
killed as soon as born. This son. Yous-
soufed Din, is the one in whose favor
Abdul Aziz has lately been reported to
have plotted to change the custom of
succession to the throne. Soon after his
succession the new Sultan issued an inn
perial "hatt," addressed to the Grand
Vizier, in which he expounded the line
of policy he intended to adopt. His
firm intention was, he said, to secure
order in the Administration and the
financial affairs of the Empire, and at
the same time to maintain the discipline
and effectiveness of both land and sea
forces. The bent of his foreign politics
would be to strengthen more and more
amicable relations existing between the
Ottoman Empire and her allies, and pre-
serve the greatest respect to existing
treaties. Troubles, however, began with
his reign. When he assembled the throne
the people of Montenegro were carrying
on rebellion, which was not suppressed
until 1862. In 1866 the Cretans again
rose, and were not quelled until 1869
and only then at the intercession Of
European Governments, who prevailed
on the Sultan to make concessions to the
insurgents. The former sovereign, from
the moment that he became Sultan
seems to have been determining unit
very recently to change the succession
to that Office, SO that his own son, Yous
soufed Din could follow him, instead o
his nephew, Murad Efendi. Sentimen
among the Turks was very strong agains
such change; and if it were announced
suddenly, Murad might get up yer.
troublesome insurrection. A precedent
even though it occurred in another coun
try, would help to prepare the people o
the Empire for the novelty, and so Abdu
Aziz hailed with joy Ismail Pacha's az
plication made in 1866 for the line o
succession to the yiceroyalty of Egypt t
be made from father to son. Ismai
Pacha was not in collusion with Abdu
: Aziz; and he did not know how his n
quest suited the purpose of the Sultar
Anyhow, although the request ran cour
ter to the Mohammedan law, the Sulta
granted it very readily. In the follow
ing year, 1867, the Sultan made new col
cessions to Ismail, and conferred on hil
: the title of Khedive of Egypt. But 500
, the latter revealed that he wished to /
6 independent of the Sultan, and the ws
between Turkey and her yassal was onl
prevented by the interference of tt
, European powers. For some time pa
the policy of Abdul Aziz toward tt
great Powers in relation to the insure
|, tion in Herzegovina and Bosnia has b
! come very unpopular with the fanatic
= Turks, and the demonstrations of IL
softas and the massacre at Salonica we
= only striking instances of revival
= the old Ottoman fanaticism which pr
| vailed throughout the Empire. His d
position by the Cabinet and the Shei
= : ul-Islam, backed up by the influence
y the softas with the populace, is fresh
!, the memory of all.
It An Improvement In FOr0es.