Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-02-13
Last of the Grand vlzlers.

st. Louis Globe-DemOcrat.l
More than four centuries and a
half ago 0rtogrul, the father of
Othman, was the real founder Of
the empire of the Ottoman Turks.
His son was 0thman, from whose
loins the sultsns of the Oaliphate
have sprung, and 0thman's son
was Orchan, who, in 1926, first APP
pointed Ala Ed-Din grand vizicr Of
the nascent empire, aud thereby
placed him in a position only Sec
ond to his own as commander of
the faithful. We are told that in
the Arabic, from which the word is
derived, the title being interpreted
means a " bearer of burdens" and
the yiziers, from first to last, have
most certainly borne at least half
the burdens Of the empire, and not
only Of the newer but Of the older
Caliphates Of Bagdad and Busso-
rah. The Office has ranged itself
with some Of the most illustrious,
many Of the most splendid and yet
more Of the most romantic periods
in Mohammedan history. Itsprung
into life almost as soon as the disci-
piles Of Mahomet by the marvellous
military conduct and valor of the
Arabs and the Moors first gained q
footing among the imperial powers
of Asia. The name was even
known in Mecca and Medina when
Ali the Uncle was in Office, and in
blood only second in authority and
influence to the prophet of El Islam
itself. 1t has been illustrious in
Aleppo as well as in Constantine
pie and in Bagdad. 1t was tabled
in the Arabian Nights, it was car
ried into the reality of grand action
under Mohammed ii, under the
Selims, under Soleiman the Magnif-
iccnt, under the more fortunate of
the Amuraths and the Baja19ts.
Under Genghis Khan and Tanner
lane, aud throughout all the oren-
tai splendor of the empire of the
MogulS, the same name, although
sometimes changed. was preserved
in all popular traditions, in the
breath Of poular favor.
And now all this historic gran
deur of the Vizierate has disappear.
ed from its last resting place. 1t
had faded in the process OF ages,
and the power OF the vizier had
declined as his expectations oif life
after political failure had decreased.
Under Mohammed II, there were
seven viziers, but all were liable to
that death by the bowstring which
overlook SO many under the rule of
the more impetuouS sultans of two
or tbree hundred years ago, when
an unfortunate minister received as
a special favor the cord which was
to end his life, woven into alternate
stripes Of blue and green ribbon.
Those were the days when the sui.
tan, upon ascending the throne,
sent to summary execution all his
brothers and relatives who might
possibly rival him, and when any
one Of his numerous wives was in
danger of being sewn up In a sack
aud cast into the Bosphorus. The
times are changed now. Within
the memory Of every intelligent
reader, Midhat Pasha was grand
vizier, and upon bis courage and
craftsmanship the hopes of all Tur-
key rested. lie djsplegsed the men
who, like Mahomoud Damad pasha,
were the hatterers Of the sultan.
But bis only punishment was exile.
Had he lived even one hundred
years ago he would not have escaped
SO easily. He would have received
the bow-string, and, like Seneca at
ths bidding Of Nero, he would have
died patiently With the word "Kis-
met" upon his lips. The yizier, Ia
later as well as in earlier ages, was
thp lieutenant of the sultan. 10
the commander Of the faithful he
stood in the same relation that an
English viscount stood to an earl
when the latter was strictly "a title
of territorial jarislielioa. lie was
bis lieutenant He was IN PLACE Of
a ministry, ig lieu of a council, and
merely the executant of imperial
orders. He performed the orders
Of IN able master and aided in the