Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-06-21

sketch of the Late Turkish Sultan and
His Successor, Murad Effeudf.

IAN OF turkey, was the second son OF
the Sultan Mahmoud Kahn, and broth
er of Sultan Abdul Medjid. He was
born February 9, 1880, and succeeded
his brother June Is, 1861. He received
a liberal education, spoke huently
Ere nch and English, and prior to COM
ing to the throne had managed model
farm at Scutari. At his accession the
Sultan introduced several reforms. He
reduced the civil list, and promised
equal rights to all his subjects regard
less of creed. He reformed the civil
service, and declaring that he would
have only one wife, he dismissed his
harem. His dealings with foreign ma
tons likewise began satisfactorily. He
recognized the kingdom of Italy, and
conclude commercial treaties with
both France and England. He estab-
lished friendly relations with his vassal,
the Viceroy of Egypt, and reduced the
Montenegrins to dependence. The
Sultan continued in the early days of
his reign to make display of reform.
He changed the land laws and allowed
foreigners the right to hold real estate
in the Ottoman Empire.
In May, 1867, he visited the Paris
Exposition and was received with great
splendor. He also went to- London,
and WAS presented with the freedom of
the city The year following he found
ed, at the instance Of the French, a
Council of State, which he inaugurated
with speech in favor of the regenera-
ton Of Turkey. He established at the
same time an imperial academy, where
Mohammedans and Christians were to
be educated in common. Soon after
he founded an observatory at Constan-
tinople. Pursuing his work of reform,
the Sultan made public in 1869, the
first part of a civil code, which he had
directed the supreme court Of the en-
pire to prepare. From 1866 to 1869
the Sultan's reign was disturbed by the
instruction in Crete, which, after stub
born resistance, was finally quelled.
In July last revolt began in Herzego-
vinia, which has since become very
formidable. During the progress Of
hostilities the three imperial powers
Austria, Germany and Russia-pro-
posed reforms, to which tie Sultan re-
Iuctantly acquiesced. The insurgents,
however, refused to accept the proffer-
fed only with independence. Recently
three powers agreed upon a new basis
of peace at Berlin, which has not yet
been formally presented to the Porte.
The Sultan's troubles were lately in
creased by formidable revolt in Bull
garia, and a fanatical outbreak at Sal
onica resulting in the murder of the
German and French consuls. He has
likewise been embarrassed by the hos
tile attitude of Servia and Montenegro
both of which states are friendly to the
insurgents. Last year the Sultan was
unable to meet the interest on the pub
lie debt, and proposed to suspend pay,
ing it for five years. This act of
national insolvency has been almost
fatal to Turkish credit in Europe. In
late years the Sultan had departed
from the wise policy with which his
reign began. He lived in great luxury,
squandered money on palaces and iron
clads, and appeared Indifferent to the
public veal. r
The new Sultan, Aforementioned Eff
fendi, is the eldest son of Abdul Med
| jid, the predecessor in the Sultanate of
Abdul Aziz, just dethroned. He attains
to the throne under the law fixing the
succession according to seniority in the
male descendants of Gilman. He did
not succeed his father upon ms death,
because Abdul Aziz, his uncle, ante
dated him, so to speak, in nativity. He
now takes precedence of the sons of
Abdul Aziz under the same law, ascend
ing the throne made vacant by the alb
diction or reinforcement of Abdul Aziz,
he being the senior male member of
the great family of Gilman. He was
born Sept, 81, 1910, but does not seem
to have been subjected to the rigid Sc
clusion generally undergone by princes
of the Ottoman Empire with any pros
poets of reaching the throne. He is
spoken of as enjoying great popularity
and being q prince of considerable
learning and ability. To, this is prob
ably due the abandonment of a contem-
plated change in the law of succession,
advocated by the late Sultan and some
leading Turkish statesmen few years
ago, by which the eldest son of Abdul
Aziz would be permitted to ascend the
throne after his father. It was said at
that time that the Grand Vizier of
that day had promised the Sultana
Valide that her grandson, the young
Prince Youssouf- Izzeddin, would be
nominated heir to the throne, provided
he (the Grand Vizier) should remain in
Office for a period of two years. So
Intimately associated is the Turkish
sovereign with the Mohammedan faith
as its spiritual head, and this scheme
or any other affecting a succession be-
ieved to be fixed by the Koran, was
not likely of accomplishment by any
thing short of a violent revolution.
The suspicion also of Russian influence
in this matter served to intensity the
opposition, and the law of succession
remains unchanged. The new Sultan
was married few years ago to a beau
tiful Circassian slave who was pur-
chased for the SUM of 912,OOO. She
was taken to Constantinople at a very
early age, and was taught all the &C
complishments that could be acquired
in that metropolis. When she arrived
at manageable age she was reckoned
to be the most beautiful and elegant
lady in all the Turkish Tn,nire This