, 1877-03-03

Null IOOn NR am NAlANA h&Of
in his speech to the National Assembly,
declared that they had been driven to
rsvolt by despair and in a fiery address,
the National Assembly had pronounced
it impossible for Servia to remain indifer-
emit to their fate. Material as we'll as
verbal help was secretly sent by the
Servian people, and some Of the peculiarly
warlike Montenegrins Joined in the fight
against their hereditary foe.
Such was the threatening prospect in
the closing weeks of 1875. The three
Imperial Courts had, meanwhile, been
taking council together in order to pre-
vent the strife from spreading, and to re-
move the causes of dispeace. The task
of stating their common views was left to
Count AndraSsy, on account of his init
mate knowledge OF Turkey, and the dan
ger which Austria found in u spreading
SIav rebellion on the Borders of her own
SclaYonic Provinces. The result was the
famous Andrassy Note, which was first
made known to our Government in a deS.
patch dated the 3Otn Of December, 1878,
from the Austrian Chancellor to Count
Beust. After pointing out that the Porte
had stated general principles rather than
framed practical plans Of peace, Count
Andrassy laid down q series Of specific
demands. The revenue derived in Bosnia
and Herzegovina from indirect taxation
should, he urged, be applied as before to
the general purposes Of the Ottoman EN-
pire while the income obtained from d.
rect taxation should be spent on the Pro
vince itself. Complete religious liberty
should be established. The system OF
farming the taxes should be abolished. The
execution OF these reforms should be plac-
ed under the care Of a Special Commission,
half the members OF which should be Mus
Sulmans and half Christians. Count An
Grassy also showed that much of the dis
peace was caused by the fact that the
Mahomedans owned most of the soil and
the Christians titled it. Hence he urged
that the State should sell portions of its
waste lands to the peasantry on easy terms.
AS the people would not trust the bare
word OF the Porte, the Powers must, he
added, obtain from the Sultan, by means
Of an official Commission, the confirmation
OF his Imperial promises and the accep-
lance Of the demands to be presented by
the European Governments.
After some hesitation the English Gov
eminent gave a general support to Count
Andrassy's proposals. 1t did so the more
freely because the Porte had urged it to
Join in the communication Of them if they
should not be altogether Oh ectionab!e.
Accordingly, the Note was presented on
the last day OF January, 1875, but not
with the formallty OF a collective demand,
nor, indeed, was the text of The document
officially communicated to the Porte. The
Porte accepted oil the demands save the
one defining the purposes to which the
indirect and the direct taxes of the revolt
ed Provinces should be applied. 1t pro
missed, however, that a certain sum should
be set apart out Of the Imperial revenue
for the local wants of Bosnia and Herzego,
vina. That reply was given on the 18th
of February in a Circular Note to the
Powers. Little more was heard of the
famous Note. The rebels, instead of trust
ing to the pledges of the Porte. vent on
fighting. On the oath of March Ali Pasha,
the GOvernor-G General of Herzegovina, Of
fered them an amnesty, but they would not
accept it at the price of surrender. On the
S0th OF March, however, an armistice of
10 days was arranged to enable General
Rocich, the Envoy Of the Austrian Gov
prnnont RI no0ofioto with thA insurron4s.