the government to abridge or revoke them. The tendency of the Tanzeemât is to pave the way for the people to become more prosperous and consequently more independent, and in the same ratio that they attain to this state will they become more impatient of control, and more disposed to resist any species of aggression on the part of their rulers. And here it is important to bear in mind, that the Turks have no hold whatever on the affections of the masses in the empire; on the contrary, they are cordially hated, not only by the Christians, but also by the Coords, Yezeedees, Druses, and Arabs, that is by ninety-nine out of a hundred of their subjects, who could overthrow the Ottoman dynasty at a blow. The prejudices of religion and caste, which separate these distinct races, may perchance always prevent their combining to any such end; but it is by no means improbable that the attempt may be made when once the better circumstances of the disaffected shall supply them with the means of effectually withstanding their feeble and degenerate masters. Hence, it seems to me, that in easing the yoke of servitude wherewith they have hitherto ruled their subjects, without making any adequate provision for the probable consequences of the immunities now granted to them, the Turks are arming their adversaries with weapons which they will not fail to use against them on the first favourable opportunity.
For one thing is certain, that the administrators of the new laws have no right conception of their spirit, and hence, whereas in some cases they are likely to be misinterpreted or misapplied into immunities for crime; in others, they will only serve as an additional sanction to the misgovernment of provincial Pashas. Thus, Asaad Pasha of Diarbekir deeply regretted that he could not punish offenders as they deserved, because of the Tanzeemât, and the Pasha of Mosul adduces the same excuse for a leniency destructive of the well-being of society. During my visit to Mosul in 1850, this last mentioned official dismissed several notorious thieves, in whose possession a large amount of stolen property was discovered, which had been claimed and restored to its rightful owners, on the ground that the proof required by the new ordinances to convict them was not forthcoming. The same Pasha has been frequently known to require the members of the municipal council,—who, by the way, are
