Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-23
FREEDOM By COMMAND.

A meeting of Parliament has been called
in Turkey. To those who know something
OF Turkish despotism and oriental ignorance
of the practical details of a free government,
this announcement is a peculiarly strange
one, and the result of Pdrliamcnt's delibera-
lions will be watched with no little curiosity.
For 600 years the will of the Sultan, modi-
fed Ivy come forms and customs, had been
the supreme law when, in 1876, owing TO
trouble in Herzegovina, the Sultan ordered
his subjects to receive constitutions, and 10
enjoy constitutional rights like the people of
progressive lands. Aud very good consti-
ton it was, with provisions in it that our
selves and the English might accept with
advantage. The constitution decl AIRED the
Sultan to be supreme cAliph-that il, the
Pope Of Islam-and ths sovereign of the
Ottoman people. He is irresponsible
and inviolable, and his peoples liber-
ties are inviolabe. Islam is the
state religion; the press il free
any Ottoman may hold public office; the
ministers are responsible TO the Chamber OF
Deputies, which may demand their impesch-
menL. The Parliament is 10 asse mble yearly
it has two houses, deputies and renators; the
deputies vote the taxes; there is one deputy
to every $4,000 males; deputies must be
thirty years old at least, and must speak
Turkish. Judges are irremovable, the courts
are public. The public schools are free, and
attendance there compulsory. Here are de-
tails which have been worked out in the
course of centuries, and adopted by people
OF fair average intelligence as experience
proves their excellence, yet the constitution
has not worked well, il it has worked at all,
among the Turks. A government may be an
excellent one, but It's excellence is not the
only thing to be considered; the great ques-
ton is--will ii FL? The wearers are very
mixed mass, Turks, Greeks, Armenians,
Mohammeds ans, Jews, pashas, vagabonds, and
advanturers Iro.a eveey spot in the Orient,
have no experience OF constitutional rights
and no apprehension of the ma.
ture OF a representative government
But the garment has to be put
on. 1. came not from any Spontaneous
impulse OF the people; its provisions have
no root in their aspirations; its principles
sre not from them, but sre commended 10
them. a despot at his will ssys-be free,
enjoy constitutional rights, send to Parlia-
ment representatives of your political opin.
ions. 1t they have no opinions they cannot
buy them they do their sherbet; if they
have nothing of the habits and modes of
thinking and feeling OF constitutional citi-
zens, such requirements cannot be made TO
order; they must be The fruit of experiences,
and the product Of time. "Be ye Free" says
the Sultan; but if the men have become
crsmped in their prison bars, and lame in
their shsckles, and paralyzed in the vacuity
of bendsga, how are arms and legs and
heart and brain to think and feel and do and
dare all that is required of free man, who
has breathed the free air OF the open sky all
his life? To become free by despo,ic com.
mand is process the world has not yet wit
nesssd, and therefore the sayings and doiugs
of the forthcoming Turkish Parliament will
be watched, as We have said, with no email
curiosity