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tion absolutely depends on an infusion of European life from Christian fountains. The grand problem presented to him for solution is, Can this infusion be made without the patient expiring in the convulsions of a fanatical resistance, or from fainting under the energy of the treatment? It seems that the present youthful sultan, the last, it is said, of the race of Othman, has determined to apply the remedy and abide the issue. The first exhibition shows the hand of a bold practitioner, the second and third indicate wisdom; but the result must depend not only upon the condition of the empire, but also upon the movements of the great powers; while, in the mean time, the Divine Providence seems to indicate that the days of the empire of the False Prophet are numbered.

Reschid Pacha, chief minister of the Sultan, returned from London and Paris in 1839. In the latter part of October in that year, many gay tents were pitched in the Plain of Roses, near the capital, and early in the morning of Sunday, November 3d, the suites of the Sultan and of his cabinet ministers, of the ulemas and pachas, and of the ambassadors of Christian powers, together with the patriarchs of the Greek and Armenian Churches, and the chief rabbi of the Jews, were seen concentrating on the plain. The crowds of the city followed, and when silence was made, at the command of the young Sultan, Reschid Pacha read as follows:

"HATTI SHERIFF, READ BY RESCHID PACHA ON NOVEMBER 3D,* 1839, IN PRESENCE OF ALL THE MINISTERS, ULEMAS, PACHAS, AND DEPUTATIONS OF NATIONS, SECTS, AND RACES SUBJECT TO THE SULTAN.

"All the world knows that, in the first times of the Ottoman monarchy, the precepts of the Koran and the * I am indebted to the Foreign Quarterly Review for this paper.

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laws of the empire were a rule ever honoured, in consequence of which the empire increased in force and grandeur, and all its subjects, without exception, acquired a greater degree of ease and prosperity; but, since a century and a half, a succession of accidents and different causes have led to people's ceasing to conform to the sacred code of laws, and to the rules which flow from it. Thus the internal prosperity and force became changed to weakness and poverty. An empire loses its stability in ceasing to observe its laws.

"These considerations are always present to our mind; and, since the day of our accession to the throne, the thoughts of the public good, of the amelioration of the provinces, and the alleviation of the people's burdens, have occupied me solely. If one considers the geographical position of the Ottoman provinces, the fertility of their soil, the aptitude and intelligence of their inhabitants, one remains convinced that by seeking out efficacious remedies, these may be obtained and put in practice within the space of a few years; so that, full of confidence in the succour of the Most High, and relying on the intercession of the Prophet, we judge fit to seek, by new institutions, to procure for the provinces of the empire the benefits of a good administration. These institutions relate principally to three things, which are, 1st. Guarantees which ensure to our subjects the security of honour and fortune. 2d. A regular mode of fixing and levying imposts. 3d. A regular mode of levying soldiers, and fixing the duration of their service.

"Are not, in fact, life and honour the most precious benefits which exist? What man, no matter how averse to violence be his character, could refrain from recurring to violence if his life and honour be threatened? If, on the contrary, these be secured, a man will not quit the VOL. II.-Z

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paths of loyalty and fidelity. If such security be absent, every man remains cold to the voice of either prince or country. No one thinks of the public fortune, being too anxious about his own.

"It is most important to fix the rate of taxes. The state is obliged to have recourse to them for the defence of its territories. Fortunately for the people, some time back they have been delivered from the vexatious system of monopolies—those bad sources of revenue. As bad a source of revenue still subsists, in the venal concession of officers. By this system, the civil and local administration of each region is delivered up to the arbitrary will of one man—that is, to the most violent and greedy passions; for if such farmer of the revenue be not super-excellent, he can have no guide but his interest. It is henceforth requisite that each Ottoman subject should pay a certain sum of taxes, proportioned to his fortune and facilities. It is also requisite that special laws should fix and limit the expenses of the military and naval force.

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Although the defence of the country is an important and universal duty, and although all classes of the population must furnish soldiers for the purpose, still there ought to be laws to fix the contingent of each locality, and limit to four or five years the term of military service. It is an injustice in itself, as well as dealing a mortal blow to agriculture, to take away more hands from districts than they can fairly spare; and it is depopulating the country, and reducing soldiers to despair, to retain them all their life in service.

"Without such laws as these, of which the necessity is felt, there can be neither empire, nor force, nor riches, nor happiness, nor tranquillity. All these blessings may be expected from new laws. Henceforth, moreover,

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every accused person shall be publicly tried, according to the Divine law, after act and examination, and no power shall secretly or otherwise cause any to perish by poison or any other means, until a regular judgment has been passed. No one shall hurt another's honour, and each shall possess his property with liberty, and in fear of no one. The innocent heirs of a condemned person shall inherit his property, nor shall the goods of the criminal be confiscated.

"These imperial concessions extend to all our subjects, of every religion, without exception. Perfect security is accorded to all the inhabitants of the empire, in life, honour, and fortune, as wills the text of our law. "With regard to the other points, which must be regulated by enlightened opinions, our Council of Justice, augmented by new members, and by the adjunction of the ministers and nobility of the empire, shall assemble in order to prepare laws for the security of life and fortune, and the regulation of imposts. Each person in these assemblies shall state freely his ideas, and offer his advice.

"The laws respecting military service shall be debated in a military council at the palace of the Seraskier. When the law is prepared, we will give it our sanction, and write a heading with the imperial hand.

"These institutions aiming to cause religion and government to flourish, we will permit nothing contrary to our promise. We will have the laws placed in the Chamber of the Prophet's Mantle, and will then swear to them in the presence of the ulemas and grandees, making grandees and ulemas also swear. Whoever shall infringe these laws shall be punished with the legal penalty, and a penal code shall be drawn up for the purpose.

"All venality and traffic in offices shall be abolished, as the great cause of the decadence of the empire.

"These dispositions, being a revocation of old usages, shall be published at Constantinople and throughout our empire, and communicated officially to the ambassadors resident there.

"May the High God keep you in his guard, and malediction on those who shall act contrary to these institutions."

This is a very remarkable paper, and is produced here chiefly to show the conviction existing at Constantinople of the deep decline of the empire, and, at the same time, the difficulty of arresting its decay by the introduction of Christian civilization. Its provisions are all drawn from Christian institutions; and yet the contradictions contained in its declarations prove the inextricable difficulties which surround the Sultan, and point to a failure of his efforts to regenerate the empire.

1. It guarantees to all equal security of life and property.

2. It institutes an equitable system of taxation.

3. It provides an equal and reasonable mode of keeping up the army.

4. It guarantees to every one a fair trial in open court, upon examination of witnesses.

5. It forbids the confiscation of the property of criminals.

6. It promises a regular judicial system by the institution of proper courts of justice.

7. It places Moslems, Christians, Jews, and Pagans on the same footing as it regards the law.

These are wise and enlightened provisions, but they were unknown to the Koran and to the practice of the empire. Two more were wanted to complete this Con