New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-21
THE STLT4N'S LETTER.

Abdul Ilamid'S letter 10 LORD SalSDur! IL
uniouc. The chronicles of royalty and the rec
ords of diplomacy may he searched in vain for
precedent or parallel! For monarch to write
n uolitical letter to fellowsoyercign, or to some
great dignitary Of his own court, is unusual
Rut This one has written to a Minister Of for
cien and not now friendly court. And such
letter. 1t is an appeal for mercy request
that Lord Salisbury will make public speech
in the Sutan's behalf. and use his influence
toward a relaxation Of the pressure Great Brit
ain and the other Powers are putting upon me
Porto. There never was anything like it in the
world before.
The first fact suggested by this extraordinary
document is Of COURSE that its writer is i'll
de.peratc plisht. We're that not 50, he would
not have written it But after that. what! Is
The appcal TO he granted: Shall the Powers
withdraw and let the Turkish Government take
IT, o,rn courser We think not We most de-
cidedlv trust not We have no sympathy with
the Radical prints of London, which make TINS
letter mere occasion for reviling its writer with
all the billingsgate ut their command. we are
inclined to agree with those more temperate anu
malicious journals which see in the Sultans lei
ter a frankness and a pathetic dignity which
none the less call for sympathy because lney
are mistaken and Intellectual This extraord-
nary procedure is just one more evidence OF
Abdul Hamid's desire TO do well.
Bnt-and this IS the all-important pont-it Is
equally strong evidence. absolutely convincing
evidence. Of his inability 10 govern his Empire
arisht. and Of his inability even 20 see and to
unders,oud the root of the trouble He says he
will execute the reforms: he will place the paper
containing them before him. and that every
article j. PIT in force; TO this he gives his word
Of honor Well. We are willing TO believe he
means H. But the answer IS that he has Deen
lr,-ing t. execute the reforms for the last TWO
or three weeks and has not succeeded. and Is
now further from success than ever. The maSSa-
crrs continue and increase. The Sultans own
officers and troops disoby his orders. Every
part of The Empire is falling into chaos. Ana
Abdul Ham.d with all his good intentions and
earnest promises is helpless to check the down
ward rush toward ruin.
Doubtlrss his eyes are blinded to these facts
He is surrounded by throng Of the most cor
rrnt courtiers in the world. They fatter him,
and lie 10 him. and substitute their will for his
throughout the Empire. They tell him. ana he
hcl'eyes. that there have been no massacres. but
Armenans are responsible for all the trouble
that has occurred. How can he help himsef /!
He cannot personally 90 to Sassoun ana 10
Alcppo and to Diarbekir and to every scene or
trouble in the Empire. He must trust his Min
listers ard Governors and other agents and II
they betray him. what can he do! That they
have betrayed him Is certain. The represent
ativcS Of the Powers. Of America aS we'll as OF
Russia and France and Great Britain. are con
vinced from personal observation. that the very
worst tales Of wanton massacre and outrage fall
short of revealing the whole dreadful truth
Amid such circumstances for the Powers to take
one backward step would be a crime. which no
faith in the Sultan's good intentions nor sym
patlv with his evident distress could palliate.
Lord Sali>bury's comment on the letter was
true one The results Of long years of error
must be paid for and the cruel law Is that those
.who will pay are not those who were originally
guilty of the offence" Abdul llamid may not
he guilty of the offences of the KurdS. or OF the
knavcrics of IIaSsan and Fahkri. But there is
no cscaDing the relentless law that he must pay
the penalty That is kismct.