TURKEY. 



773 



Christians, but occupied a very subordinate 

 position in Roumania, and the Armenians also, 

 dmmndocl iliai their cases should be considered 

 by tlio conference. 



In the middle of December an important 

 change in the Government had taken place. 

 The Grand -Vizier Mehemet Rushdi Pasha 

 resigned, and Midhat Pasha succeeded him. 

 This put an end to a long struggle between the 

 two foremost men at the Porte. It was known 

 though, of course, it was officially denied 

 that an irreconcilable difference of opinion had 

 prevailed between the Grand- Vizier and Mid- 

 hat Pasha with respect to the constitution 

 which had been drawn up under the direction 

 of Midhat, and was then ready for promulga- 

 tion. Both urged their conclusions on the new 

 Sultan, Abdul-Hamid, whose short reign had 

 been entirely occupied by their rivalry. The 

 Sultan seemed to have been convinced that, 

 whether the constitution be valuable or worth- 

 less, whether it be destined to endure or to 

 perish, the acceptance and promulgation of it 

 would be expedient as a political act at that 

 time. This had, no doubt, been intimated to 

 the Grand-Vizier, and the consequence was 

 the resignation of the highest functionary of 

 the State. 



On December 23d the conference itself as- 

 sembled, when the delegates of the Porte, 

 Savfet Pasha and Edhem Pasha, were also 

 present. According to diplomatic etiquette, 

 the presidency was given to Savfet Pasha. 

 This first sitting was filled up with the neces- 

 sary formalities, the exchange of credentials, 

 and the delivery of the result of the prelimi- 

 nary conference to the Turkish representatives. 

 Hardly had the members of the conference 

 taken their seats, when the firing of guns an- 

 nounced, as Savfet Pasha explained to them, 

 the adoption of the new constitution as pre- 

 pared by Midhat Pasha. The following is a 

 transcript of the principal clauses : 



The indivisibility of the Ottoman Empire. The 

 Sultan^ the supreme Caliph of the Mussulmans and 

 sovereign of all Ottoman subjects, is irresponsible 

 and inviolable. His prerogatives are those of the con- 

 stitutional sovereigns of the West. The subjects of 

 the empire are called, without distinction, Ottomans. 

 Individual liberty is inviolable, and is Guaranteed 

 by the laws. Islamism is the religion or the state, 

 but the free exercise of all recognized creeds is guar- 

 antci'il, and the religious privileges of the communi- 

 ties are maintained. No provision investing the in- 

 stitutions of the state with a theocratic character 

 exists in the constitution. The constitution estab- 

 lishes liberty of the press, the right of petition to 

 both Chambers for all Ottomans, liberty of educa- 

 tion, and the equality of all Ottomans before the 

 law. They all enjoy the same rights, and have the 

 same duties toward the country. Ottoman subjects, 

 without distinction of religion, are admitted to the 

 service of the state. Taxation will be equnlly dis- 

 tributed; property is guaranteed, and the domicile 

 is declared inviolable. No person can be taken from 

 the jurisdiction of his natural judges. The Council 

 of Ministers will deliberate under the presidency of 

 the Grand-Vizier. Each minister is reponsible for 

 the conduct of the affairs of his department. The 

 Chamber of Deputies may demand the impeachment 



of the ministers, and a high court is instituted to 



try them. In the i-vi-nt "t the Chamber adopting a 

 vote hostile to the ministry on any important ques- 

 tion, the Sultan will change the ministers or dis- 

 solve the Chamber. The minister* are entitled to 

 be present at the sittings of both Chambers, and lo 

 tak- part in the debates. Interpellations mu\ ! 

 addressed to the ministers. Public functionari(b 

 will be appointed in conformity with the couditi' ns 

 fixed by law, and cannot be dismissed without legal 

 and sufficient cause. They are not discharged fn in 

 responsibility by any orders contrary to law which 

 they may receive from a superior. The General Asr 

 hcmbly of the Ottomans is composed of tw o Cham- 

 bers, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, who 

 will meet on the 1st of November in each year, the 

 session lasting four months. A message from the 

 Sultan will be sent to both Chambers at the opening 

 of each session. The members of both Chambers 

 are free with regard to their vote and in the expres- 

 sion of their opinions. Electors are prohibited from 

 imposing binding engagements upon their represen- 

 tatives. The initiative in proposing laws belongs in 

 the first place to the ministry, and next to the Cham- 

 bers, in the form of propositions. Laws must he 

 first submitted to the Chamber of Deputies, then to 

 the Senate, and finally to the imperial sanction. 

 The Senate is composed of members nominated by 

 the Sultan and chosen from among the most eminent 

 personages in the country. The Senate votes the 

 laws already passed by the Chamber of Deputies, 

 and returns to the latter, or rejects, any provisions 

 contrary to the constitution or to the integrity or 

 safety of the state. In the event of a dissolution 

 of the Chamber of Deputies, the general elections 

 shall be held and the new Chamber meet within six 

 months from the date of dissolution. The sittings 

 of the Chamber of Deputies are public. The dep- 

 uties may not be arrested or prosecuted during the 

 session without authority from the Chamber. The 

 Chamber votes the laws article by article, nnd the 

 budget by chapters. There is to be one deputy for 

 every fifty thousand inhabitants, and the elections 

 will be made by secret ballot. A special law will 

 determine the mode of election. The mandate of a 

 deputy will render him ineligible for any public 

 office, except for a ministry. Each legislature will 

 continue for a period of four years. The deputies 

 will receive 4,600 francs for every session, which will 

 last from November to March. The senators are ap- 

 pointed for life by the Sultan, and will receive 2,800 

 francs monthly. Judges ure irremovable. The sit- 

 tings of the tribunals are public. The advocates 

 appearing for defendants are free. Sentences may 

 be published. No interference can be permitted in 

 the administration of justice. The jurisdiction of 

 the tribunals will be exactly defined. Any excep- 

 tional tribunals or commissions are prohibited. The 

 office of Public Prosecutor is created. The High 

 Court, which will try ministers, members of the Court 

 of Cassation, and other persons charged with the 

 crime of lese Majeste, or of conspiracy against the 

 state, will be composed of the most eminent judi- 

 cial and administrative functionaries. No tax can 

 be established or levied except by virtue of a law. 

 The budget will be voted at the commencement of 

 each session, and for a period of one year only. The 

 final settlement of the oudget for the preceding year 

 will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies in the 

 form of a bill. The Court of Accounts will send 

 every year to the Chamber of Deputies a report upon 

 the state of public accounts, and will present t<> the 

 Sultan, quarterly, a statement showing the financial 

 condition of the country. The members of the 

 Court of Accounts are irremovable. No dicmistal 

 can take place except in consequence of a ref olution 

 adopted by the Chamber of Deputies. The pro- 

 vincial administration is based upon the broadest 

 system of decentralization. The Councils-General, 

 which are elective, will deliberate upon and control 



