The Osceola times., 1876-06-17
THE TURKISH COUP DETAT.
How u WIS Brouwhs abWwt-Am Unnatter-
Ing Account of the Ncw sultan.
PHILADELPHIA Cor N. Y. Herald

Desiring to obtain some light on the
foggy subject of Turkish politics. I called
yesterday upon Hon. George ii. Boxer
late United States Minister TO Russia
who has recently returned TO his home
in this city, as one of the lew 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 affair
of the "sick man are regarded with a
peculiar tender interest--as though his
soiourn at the metropolis Of the Ottoman
empire IN our minister to that nation
previous to his appointment TO the Rus
sian mission.
met Mr.. Boxer at his favorite resort
the aristocratic Philadelphia club, o
which he was long time president, hi
natural aAability not mt all disturbed by
indulgence in one OF the famed dinner
of the club. Seating himself beside mi
the poet and diploma: began an interest
ing and pleasant conversation concerning
hssbservations in the land of the crescen
and the recent revolution which cost bdu
Aziz his throne. He was not surprised al
the transfer of the reins of power from the
hands of the latter to those OfMurad EfIen
di. year before he left Coustantinople,
about year since, the probability Of an
intrigue to bring about such 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. "a
year and a half ago." raid 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
q standstill, 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 sort of
fgurehead or standard, around which to
rally as a defiant point, and personiiied
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
ton was Midhat Pasha, really the chic
Of the new Turkish party Of which Mu
rad EHendi was the ostensiblc representa-
tive. Midhat Pasha was formerly CRANE
vizier, but attempted some reforms il
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
he possesses the will and ability to at
tempt them. There is no possibility o
an improved condition until there is q
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, Q
sort of grand llama, who is almost deified
and is altogether too sacred being Il
descend to the consideration of the TEN
poral affairs of the nation he is supposed
TO govern. The grand vizier is the &C
tual ruler, and governs as the servant o
the sultan. The latter has nothing Il
do with the details of government, ant
does not even preside at the meeting
of the ministers. He is thus in utte
ignorance of what is going on in hi
dominions, and il is to see what abuse
are possible, in fact inevitable, under sucf
a system.
AS TO THE soFTAs,
who have played SO prominent a part i
the revolution, they are simply reli
pious caste-theologica students, the,
might be called, embracing all classe
and supported from the immense reve
nues of the mosques. They are in prep
aration TO enter the Mohammedan priest
heod, and their reputcd sanctity give
them large influence with the ianati
cal populace. Acting with them wer
numbers, of the lower order o
priests, whose influence is in proportion
TO their ignorance and fanaticism. Thei
leader, Sheik-u Islam, signifying tn
head or chief of Mohsmmedanism, Is tn
spiritual head of the nation under th
sultan, as the grand vizier is the ten
poral head, but like the latter is subiec
10 removal by the sultan. Backed b.
the softas, and behind them by the min
listers, however, Sheik ul-Islam was abl
to first compel the sultan 10 radical col
cessions and finally 10 demand his abdic;
, ton.
THE TURNING POINT
was reached when the sultan refused |
assist the country in its desperate finar
cial strait out OF his immense private n
sources, wrung as this money bad bee
from impoverished labor. The means b
which he accumulated this immense SUI
of 500, 900 900, in the condition OF tn
country, was Enthusiastically oricnta
When he desired cel tain sum of none
) he would order the grand vizier to ful
: nish it forthwith. No excuse was az
cepted for failure, and if not specdil
forthcoming the grand vizier was a
once disposed. Consequently his graz,
yiziers were accustomed to keep him
a good humor by constant gifts OF none
: which they were bound to obtain, n
matter how, from an overburdencd an
bankrupt people. There is no system j
the process no books or vouchers, an
the budget is mere sham, in which n
one has any confidence.
! A LITTLE six-year-old boy went int