The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-05
The Death OF Abdul Aziz.

dul-Aziz, the lately dethroned Sultan, CON-
mitted suicide, like Seneca, yesterday
morning by opening the veins OF his
arm. There was so wide an expecta-
ton that, in accordance with what might
be called Ottoman etiquette, the dishonored
Abdul would be treated to the twist OF a
bowstring about his throat, carving by
yataghans piled by willing hands that lately
were proud to smooth the royal carpet for
him, or fling at night with sack for
shroud into the glittering waters of the Bos-
phorus, that the wise will wag their boards,
or chins if they have no boards,
and say, 81 told you So" So great
was the expectation of his sudden
demise that the Queen OF England,
whose ministers had hand in Abduls I'M
doing, fastened to beg his nephew, the new
Sultan, that the bowstring ceremony might
be omitted in the case of his uncle. That
Abdul-Aziz lived long enough to be settled
in gilded prison, the palace of Tcheragan,
with its slime water view and all tho modern
Turkish improvements, was hourishingly
announced as another triumph Of British
diplomacy; but for all that the life-blood
of the unfortunate Abdul trickled away yes
terday morning as miserably rs if it ebbed
from the veins Of the meanest cur that yelps
around Stamboul. 1t had however, a stream
direct from Mahmoud, the Conqueror who
raised the Crescent above the Cross in Con-
stantinople four centuries ago.
Admitting the suspicious look of the case
and he would be very bold indeed who took
q bare official announcement for the truth
Of the matter-there were some motives
for Abdul-Aziz to die by his own hand.
Like all despots who have outgrown their
popularity-and for many years he had
none-he had become morose, sullen and
isolated save to the creatures who ministered
to his sensual pleasures or his costly whims.
With the growth of the popular discomfort
he applied all the energy spared from his
voluptuous Incidence to the boarding of
money. He was never a man Of action I; the
expression of his face was half WEAKNESS
and half insensibility and when the day
for action came, when the menacing sofas
from the mosques and the rabble from
the streets clamored around the
palace for q new Grand Vizier, he
had neither the means at hand nor
the energy to stamp them out as bloodily
and effectually as did his father Mahmoud
II. the janizaries just fifty years ago.
He was as self-helpless as Clarence that was
drowned in the butt of his favorite Malmsey
There could be no darker mind in the world
than filled the frame of Abdul-Aziz, rs, with
all the passions of the overthrown
pampered tyrant writhing through his
native imbecility, he staggered from his
throne urged by rebellious hands to
prison though it was a palace, leaving
power, pleasure and the crafty golden gath
erings of years behind. All that life was
worth was behind him, and not even the
place for his foot yard before him was
assured. Would it be marvellous, then, with
the fate before his eyes of his grand uncle
Selim Ill, who was murdered by the jani-
zaries after being deposcd by them, that he
should deem his murder at the hands of the
softas so likely that he took counsel of de-
spair and killed himself to escape butchery,
| if, even, his act wanted that noble Roman
weakness that cried Life is ended when our
honor ends?"
| His dethronement was undoubtedly the
work of England His death or murder fol-
lowing so closely thereon cannot, however,
either agree with her desires or benefit her
plans Whatever remnant of power re-
NAMED in his name his death has given to
Russia or to the enemies of the hackers
of Mourad Efendi. This may not be
much, but no Power in Europe has now
any influence to spare that bears on the
Eastern question. The reign of Abdul-Aziz
represents IN Intellectual struggle to implant
reforms upon the Turkish system, ending in
| the disgust of the monarch and founding
the unpopularity which his own course sub
sequently deepened into the discomfort that
overthrow him. To the Turks his successor
is supposed to be the opponent of all that
Abdul-Aziz attempted. In the hands Of
England Mourad will, however. be pushed
to repeat the attempted reforms that
Abdul failed in and hence with the ianatical
Moslems he will soon be as unpopular as his
uncle. The death Of Abdul-Aziz takes place
when Europe is seething from end to end
with excitement, when the widest rumors Of
| coalitions obtain belief, when Austria is
timidly hesitating whether to join England
or Russia, when Russia is holding Servia
and Montenegro in leash and looking even
to Greece and Egypt for allies, and when
Germany with her enormous war power
stands as nm arbiter waiting to cast her
sword in one or other of the scales and stay
or precipitate a fight of Titans that will
shake Europe till the tabled war upon Jove
| Olympus, with its crash of hurled noun
tains, will no longer be figure to invoke
when one would picture in phrase the
terrors of mighty fray. The ghost Of
Abdul-Aziz may look down from tho bosom
of the Prophet upon a blazing pyre in which
i tlo fhronn Of Islam shall be burned hnfnrn