Year: 1868

Who er,,ar,s SueecI, on RefOrm--The NRishI


Of Every Onc'' to Liberty-"Violent and


arh.trary Government EviI-Imperiul


Basi. for "a New Constitution.


CoNsTANTINoPLR, May 10, 1858.


The following is the fall text of the speech made
az the sultan to the members OF the Council OF
state ana the High Court OF Justice at the forma-
,soD OF those two bodies. His Highness said:-


The duty OF the State s to preserve under al cir
snmstances the right of every to liberty and In
she prosecution Of this duty it ought not to be char
aeteTi2ed by violent arbitrary acts. violent and
arbitrary administration is evil an oppression, in
te exercise of which the State exceeds its rights. 1t
appears TO that even as that would constitute
Injustice there is necessity to grant concessions
which would exceed the bounds OF legitimate liberty.
By liberty is intended to give to each the pow er
to act as he pleases, his actions uncontrolled by
authority We're such the case the interests of one
person would clash with those of another, and men
would deror each other like wild beasts. In fact If
the interest Of is satisfied 1t should not be
O. the expsnse Of another. Thus, since personal
interests are OF small importance and which cannot
OF course e advanced to the detrment Of Others it
is righS thit each individual should seek to promote
nus private interest by the advancement of the
Interests Of the whole community. Moreover, the
more tha; the laws upon which the administration





spre principles OF Justice and equity the better Will
that administration be able To fulfil its mission, be-
cause justice, and not merely authority is the refuge
and The support OF all the unfortunate and oppressed
Orc OF the most essential conditions of the State
is $50 TO possess such force as will allow IL to de-
ied in their tegrty the rights OF the SUBJECTS and
tf force Will be the result ol the wealth ofthe popu
laioD and the prosperity OF the country Now, that
wtaltn ana that prosperity can only be realized by
preserving intact Individual rights and by respecting
6tlh aDded and funded property, and this again
can alone be done by regular administration,
fpnest and free from all abuse and injustice. All
hWs and all regulations having reference TO the ad


lnisration derive their character OF legality Trom
ihe public welfare. That is salutary principle by
when IN all times legislation has been guided, and
at would not be just TO declare as legal an action the
effect OF which would oppose the personal or pro-
ipreiary rights which each enjoys, and thereby to
fs indeed, not possible for us, in the age we
live in to utilize all thav has been done in former
ages for the welfare OF the country In FACT had the
f0r tne needs OF our country and our people we
should now, at the present day ind ourselves IN the
same rank with those states which are the most
civilized and best governed in Europe. One OF the
most active causes which bring about the ruin OF
State is the misery OF the population; to this also
may be added disagreements and anagonisms which
differences oi opinion and the absence OF conf
dencc and OF security. IL Is not possible that while
these causes continue 10 exist commerce and public
wealth should acquire their desired development. II
is with the idea OF improving this state OF affairs and
surDountng these dilicutles, and IN order TO guar
antee the rights of our subjects, that new nstitu-
tion has been created under the name OF the Council
OF State, the members OF which have been selected
from all classes of our subject without exception.
Another body, established under the name OF the
High Court OF Justice, has been charged with the ad
nnstratlon OF Justice 10 our subjects on all points
bearing reference either TO their persons, their wei
fare or their property This last institution estab-
fishes the principle OF the separation OF the executive
and judiciary powers, both religious and CIVIL The
members OF these councils must regard our en-
pire as single body formed by the union
of ali our subjects. They must labor sincerely
and with one accord under all circumstances,
whether fortunate otherwise, thoroughly to lurthcf
the welfare OF our subjects, the prosperity OF the
State and the progress OF public instruction,
which the objects OF desires. A. regards
religions every one may follow his convi ction and
there can be no discussion upon this subject. New
ertheess whatever the creeds protested By sub
jects they all children OF the country anG
they must not entertain sentiments VI contempt
haired one towards the other on account
OF the difference Of religious belieS. In one
word, II indispensable that the modil-
cations OF the laws shall correspond with the real
objects With which they are made and also with the
exigencles OF the present age 1ne degree Of power
attained by European nations anu the progress
achieved by them are convincing proofs OF the truth
Of this principle In pointing out the rights OF every
one and the principles which have served as bases
for the new institutions fudl a sacred duty. May
The Most high deign 10 crown our efforts with sue
cess