The record-union., 1895-11-20

ion that the promised reforms in Tur-
key would not be executed. His mai
eSty desires it to be known that he is
carrying out those reforms decided up
on by him. He is desirouS of eXecut-
ing them at the earliest possible mo-
ment and has so repeatedly instructed
his Ministers. His majesty continued: ::
The only reason why Lord Salisbury
should thus throw doubts on my good
intentions must be the intrigues OF GER
tain persons here or false statements
made to cause such an opinion.
After intermediate observations.
his majesty says: I repeat that l will
execute the reforms. l will take the
paper containing them. place it before
me, and see that every article is put
in force. This is my earnest determi-
nation, and [ give my word of honor /
wish Lord Salisbury to know this, and
beg and desire his lordship, having
confidence in these declarations, to
make another speech by virtue of the
friendly feeling and disposition he has
for me and my country
When the Prime Minister had finish
ed the letter he was greeted with loud
applause. When quiet had been re-
stored he again appealed to his hear
ers to acquit him of impropriety for
such an unprecedented act as reading
such message at a public meeting
but declared that he could not abstain
from reading it without showing dis
courtesy to the distinguished potentate
who had written it. He then said:
AS you know, we are part of the con-
cert of Europe, which has resolved so
far as it acts, to act with humanity
Some persons seem to ina gine that we
dispose of the decisions of the Euro
pean Powers. That is crediting us with
more influence than we possess. What
ever is done must be done with human
| ity. l do not admit that the RESPONSE
bility for any decision that the Powers
make rests entirely or mainly on this
country. We and all the Powers are in
a position common to those who are
obliged to act together, namely that if
others do not agree with them they
cannot have their own way, but / in no.
wise desire to intimate by these words
that the slightest shade of disagree
ment has arisen among the Powers"
Lord Salisbury expressed deep regret
for the apparently irrecoverable illness
OF Itustem Pasha, the Turkish Embassa-
dor to Great Britain, and said that he
had been most valuable intermediary
between the Ottoman and British Gov
ernments, but it was not this that had
given him a name among the statesmen
Of Europe.
He was man who. by combining
III IlltSS. justice anu COHcllldllOll. naU
brought peace to the Lebanon District
when it was torn with the dissensions
Of race and creed. He could not help
feeling that if men like Rustem Pasha
had had charge of the districts in
which the recent horrors had occurred
the conscience of Europe would never
have been tried nor it's sympathieS
racked by the details of suffering and
terror.
If" he continued. there were men
like Rustem Pasha around the Sultan,
the problem would not be solved by
external action of the advising Powers.
which is clumsy device q the best. 1t
would be solved by the natural opera
ton of the counsels of an enlightened
minority working through efficient and
competent Instruments (Cheers) I
do not see the men who are to replace
RUstem PaShd. / cannot enter into the
question why there are none such now.
Twenty years ago there were sew
eraI such | eXhort you to consider
that the terrible Armenian problem was
quite as much the want of competent
men as incompetent laws. The Powers
will doubtless do their best, but do not
imagine that the deep-seated diseases
on the empire can be cured by a wave
Of a magician's wand The result of
long years Of error must be paid for.
and the cruel law is that those who will
Pay are not those who We're originally
guilty of the offense"