The life of Midhat Pasha 24

The life of Midhat Pasha 24

“I told Odian Effendi in reply that there was a manifest

inconvenience in discussing here the questions which at the same time

were in process of negotiation at Constantinople. I must therefore

refrain from expressing an opinion upon the plan which he had

mentioned to me.

 

“If it was to be proposed by the Turkish Government, this must be

done by them at Constantinople, and upon their own responsibility.[17]

 

“I am, etc.,

 

“(Signed) DERBY.”

 

 

Hardly had the foreign envoys departed from the capital, and the doors

of the great hall at the Admiralty been shut behind them, when the

Palace proposed to put the match to the mine that had been carefully

laid for the reformers.

 

Within a fortnight of the departure of the Plenipotentiaries, matters

were brought to a climax. Two subjects of contention between Midhat and

the Sultan had been reserved for further discussion when the Conference

should be over: the position of Galib Pasha and the question of mixed

schools. Either would serve for a _casus belli_.

 

Midhat had resolved on the dismissal of the complaisant Minister of

Finance, who had, _proprio motu_, doubled the amount appropriated

to the Civil list by the simple device of paying it in gold; there

were other counts, too, against the Minister which necessitated this

measure. One was the specific charge of irregularities in the accounts

of the Treasury, which, although Midhat did not attribute them to

malversation on his part, were nevertheless, in his opinion, proofs

of great negligence in the supervision of the business of his office.

The other was a general charge of incapacity as Minister of Finance,

especially revealed in his tactless method of issuing Treasury bonds,

thereby causing an excessive and alarming depreciation in the paper

of the State. The Sultan had agreed to the dismissal of Galib, but he

desired to have him forthwith appointed Senator, whereas Midhat

insisted on a preliminary examination of the accounts of his office.

It will be perceived at once that there was a great deal more in this

dispute than met the eye, and that it accounted for the bitterness of

the feelings entertained against Midhat at the Palace. The following

letter, if read between the lines, will throw some light on the

questions at issue:—

 

 

_To the First Secretary of His Majesty Saïd Pasha._

 

 

“EXCELLENCY,—By an Irade of our august Master, the nomination of

his Excellency Galib Pasha as member of the Senate has just been

adjourned. The delay on my part in making you acquainted with the

motives which have determined me to remove Galib Pasha from the

Ministry of Finance, whilst abstaining from any reflection whatever

on his personal integrity, only emphasises the responsibility of

Galib Pasha in the matter of finance. It is manifest that that

faithful servant of the State, in conformity with the orders

of our august Master, would not hesitate to admit his share of

responsibility, and in order to put an end to a discussion which has

no precedent, he should certainly claim an investigation, and submit

to its consequences, whatever sacrifices it might entail; but since

explanations are demanded of me, I hasten to give them as shortly as

I can. In order to judge whether or not Galib Pasha is competent to

administer the Finances of the State, it seems to me sufficient to

refer to the fall in the value of paper money.

 

“The paper of the State, fifteen years ago, amounted to twenty

millions (£T), and yet its depreciation never reached more than

50 to 60 per cent, compared to gold, although its circulation was

then limited to the radius of the town of Constantinople, and it

was not received in payment of taxes. At the present time, although

the amount issued does not amount to four millions, and there is no

limit imposed to its circulation in the Empire, and it is accepted in

payment of taxes, the depreciation amounts to 70 per cent. This state

of things is the result of the carelessness and neglect on the part

of the ministers of Finance. The depreciation, moreover, has given

rise to venality and corruption on the part of functionaries in the

Provinces, and to excitement and unrest, in consequence, in public

opinion.

 

“We have no accusation to make against the probity and honesty of

Galib Pasha, nor any complaint on the score of the obligation under

which we lie, of issuing bonds to realise the sum necessary, in

gold, for exportation to Europe for war purposes. But seeing that an

issue of paper money, to an amount necessary for the realisation of

£T100,000 only, is sufficient to cause a still further depreciation

of the paper and rise in gold, the Minister of Finance is in duty

bound to take such steps and employ such means as shall, as much as

possible, prevent or mitigate this consequence. For instance, he

should take a portion of the sum required from the receipts of the

Treasury, in gold, and issue the remainder of the sum in paper, with

such prudence and precaution as to avoid financial panic by all means

in his power. But Galib Pasha seems incapable of appreciating such

measures, and the finances of the State have suffered in consequence.

 

“Such a state of things implies a grave responsibility, and as it is

somebody’s duty to fix this responsibility, the functionary on whom

devolves these particular duties would necessarily be the person to

assume it. But it is also the duty of the person who happens to be

Grand Vizier to superintend the general march of affairs, and to take

steps to prevent all maladministration.

 

“In the report made by Galib Pasha, which was read before the Council

of Ministers, he declares himself incapable of finding a remedy for

this state of things. And when an official makes such a declaration,

it is impossible to keep him in the exercise of those functions

without sharing the responsibility with him. It is on these grounds

that we have based our opinion as to the necessity of replacing him.

 

“The day after the issue of the Imperial Irade approving this

decision, His Excellency Damad Mahmoud Djelaleddin Pasha advised us

to recommend Galib Pasha for some other post; but it so happens that

not only are the accounts in the treasury with reference to this

paper money defective, but whereas we thought that only one million

of paper money out of the proposed seven millions had actually been

issued, we now find that two millions have in point of fact been

issued.

 

“I thought it therefore proper, as I informed you in my letter of

the 14 Moharem, 1294, to keep Galib Pasha in the office of Finance

until all his accounts were put into proper order. In the discussion

on these matters in the Council of Ministers, on the 6th day of

Moharem, Galib Pasha informed us that he had made arrangements with

some private bankers for the purchase of £T90,000 in gold against

£T210,000 paper. This enormous depreciation, which could be accepted

only in the event of the extremest urgency, seemed to us beyond all

limits of reason.

 

“Whatever may be the personal honesty of an official, yet when such

irregularities take place in his Office, it would seem more proper to

request him first to put his accounts in order before appointing him

off‐hand to another position of trust, such as the Senate.

 

“On consideration of the whole matter, we are convinced that just as

Galib Pasha’s incompetence involves no reflection on his honesty and

probity, so the matter of the £T90,000 which I have just mentioned

is far from revealing any desire on his part to conceal the real

situation of affairs.

 

“Hence the only reasons why we have requested a delay in the

nomination of Galib Pasha to the Senate are founded on his own

declarations last Wednesday before the Council of Ministers.

 

“Although this little matter is scarcely worthy of so lengthy an

explanation, I have made it simply on the demand addressed to me to

furnish explanations on the subject, and in order to comply with the

Imperial commands.

 

“I will only, in conclusion, beg you very particularly to be good

enough to bring these details to the notice of His Majesty, if he

should express his desire to be made acquainted with them.

 

“Receive, Excellency, etc.,—

 

“MIDHAT.

 

“9 _Moharem_ 1293, _Hegira_.”

(25_th January_ 1877.)

 

 

The other question held in reserve was that of the mixed schools,

a measure to which, as we have seen on several occasions, Midhat

attached the greatest importance, as a means of welding together the

different elements of the nation. He desired to make a beginning by

applying it to the military academies of the Empire. The eve, possibly,

of a great war, in which the nation might require the service of

all her sons, seemed to him the most opportune moment conceivable

for the application of this most important reform. He accordingly

pressed it on the Sultan. He was met by the ordinary Fabian tactics

of the Palace—procrastination, promises, delay. The Sultan demurred,

temporised, first gave and then withdrew his consent, and a long

discussion ensued between them on the subject. The dispute culminated

in the following Memorandum, addressed by Midhat in the name of the

Ministry, to the Sultan, through the usual channel:—

 

 

_To the First Secretary of His Majesty Saïd Pasha._[18]

 

 

“YOUR EXCELLENCY,—All sincere friends of Turkey continue to

urge us—as did Mr Thiers quite lately—in the actual condition

of affairs, to give proofs to Europe of our sincerity and good

intentions. This very day a despatch from Musurus Pasha informs

us that Lord Derby congratulates the Imperial Government on the

dissolution of the Conference, which he considers as a success for

Turkey. At the same time Lord Derby urges us to conclude peace with

Servia as soon as possible, and to make a beginning in carrying out

those articles of the Constitution, and those propositions of the

Conference, that are susceptible of immediate application. And whilst

we, taking these friendly counsels into very serious consideration,

are working with a view of putting into operation without delay the

Firmans concerning reforms, an Imperial Irade, promulgated yesterday,

prohibits the admission of Christians into the military schools,

which a preceding Irade had authorised. Now, such a prohibition is

calculated seriously to compromise, from the very beginning, an

important reform that the whole world expects from the Constitution,

and it is natural that obstacles of this kind should discourage and

paralyse the efforts that we are constantly making to serve our

country with devotion. We therefore regret sincerely that of all

the questions which are now placed on the order of the day to be

studied by the Council, this important one alone remains in suspense,

and we regret it all the more inasmuch as the explanations that

we addressed to His Majesty on the subject yesterday morning have

remained unanswered. I therefore appeal to the Imperial goodwill,

and beseech His Majesty to bring to bear on this question all the forethought and attention that it deserves.