which their ancestors enjoyed; but it is precisely this great degree of favour, this height of comfort and tranquillity, that has been the cause of the revolt, excited by malignant men, incapable of appreciating the value of such marks of benevolence. Yielding to the delusions of a heated imagination, they have dared to raise the standard of revolt, not only against their benefactor and legitimate sovereign, but also against all the mus. sulman people, by committing the most horrible excesses, sacrificing to their vengeance defenceless women and innocent children with unexampled atrocity.

As each power has its own particular penal code and political ordinances, the tenor whereof forms the basis for its acts of sovereignty, so the Sublime Porte, in every thing relating to the exercise of its sovereignty, rests exclusively upon its holy legislation, according to which, the rebels fall to be treated. But in inflicting necessary punishment on some with the sole view of amending them, the Porte has never refused to pardon those who implore its mercy, and to replace them as before, under the ægis of its protection. In the same man. ner, the Sublime Porte, always resolved to conform to the ordinances of its sacred law, notwithstanding the attention devoted to its domestic affairs, has never neglected to cultivate the relations of good understanding with friendly powers. The Sublime Porte has always been ready to comply with whatever treaties and the duties of friendship prescribe. Its most sincere pray. ers are offered up for that peace and general tranquillity which, with the aid of the Most High, will be re-established in the same man.

ner as the Sublime Porte has always extended its conquests, namely, by separating its faithful subjects from the refractory and malevolent, and by terminating the exist. ing troubles by its own resources, without giving occasion to discus. sions with the powers who are its friends, or to any demands on their part.

All the efforts of the Sublime Porte have but one object, which is the desire of the establishment of general tranquillity, while fo. reign interference can only tend to a prolongation of the rebellion. The firm and constant intention of the Sublime Porte to attend to its principal interests which spring from its sacred law, merits their appro. bation and respect, while any foreign interference must be liable to blame and animadversion. Now, it is clear and evident, that by ad. hering to this principle, every thing might have been terminated long since, but for the ill-founded propositions which have been ad. vanced concerning the conformity of religion, and the fatal influence which this state of things has, per. haps, exercised throughout the whole of Europe, and the injury to which maritime commerce may have been exposed. At the same time, the hopes of the malevolent have been constantly encouraged by the improper conduct of giving them assistance of every kind, which at any time ought to have been reproved, conformably to the law of nations. It is besides to be observed, that the relations and treaties subsisting between the Sublime Porte and the powers in friendship with it, have been en. tered into with the monarchs and ministers of those powers only; and considering the obligation of

every independent power to govern its subjects itself, the Sublime Porte has not failed to address to some friendly courts complaints respecting the succours afforded to the insurgents. The only answer made to these representations has been, to give to machinations tending to subvert laws and treaties, the signification of liberty; and to interp et proceedings contrary to existing engagements by the expres. sion of neutrality, alleging the insufficiency of means for restraining the people.

Setting aside the want of reciprocal security, which must finally result from such a state of things to the subjects of the respective powers, the Sublime Porte cannot allow such transactions to pass silently. Accordingly, the Porte has never omitted to reply to the different pretensions advanced, by appealing to the justice and the equity of the powers who are its friends, by often reiterating complaints respecting the assistance afforded to the insurgents, and by giving the necessary answers in the course of communications with its friends. In fine, a mediation has at last been proposed. The fact, however, is, that an answer restricted to one single object can neither be changed by the process of time, nor by the innovation of expressions. The reply which the Sublime Porte gave at the beginning will always be the same-namely, that which it has reiterated in the face of the whole world, and which is in the last result its sentiment on the position of affairs.

Those who are informed of the circumstances, and the details of events, are not ignorant that at the commencement of the insurrection, some ministers of friendly courts, resident at the Sublime Porte, of

fered effective assistance in punishing the rebels. As, however, this offer related to an affair which came exclusively within the resort of the Sublime Porte, in pursuance of important considerations, both with regard to the present and future, the Porte confined itself to replying, that though such an offer had for its object to give aid to the Ottoman government, it would never permit foreign interference. What is more, when the ambassa. dor of a friendly power, at the period of his journey to the congress of Verona, entered into explanations in conferences with the Ottoman minister on the proposed mediation, the Sublime Porte declared, in the most unequivocal manner, that such a proposition could not be listened to; reiterating, every time that the subject was resumed, the assurance that political, national, and religious considerations, rendered such refusal indispensable.

In yielding to this reasoning, and in admitting more than once that right was on the side of the Porte, the before mentioned ambassador, on his return from Verona to Con. stantinople, again clearly and offi. cially declared in several conferences, by order of his court, and in the name of the other powers, that the Greek question was recognised as belonging to the internal affairs of the Sublime Porte; that as such it ought to be brought to a termination exclusively by the Porte itself; that no other power was to interfere in the sequel; and that if ever any one were to interfere, all the others would act according to the principles of the law of nations.

The agents of one of the great powers which has recently consolidated its relations of friendship and good understanding with the

Sublime Porte, also officially and explicitly declared, in their conferences with the Ottoman agents, that there should be no interference on this subject. That declaration having served as the basis for the result of those conferences, there cannot now be any question re. specting this affair, which the Sub. lime Porte is entitled to consider as completely and radically adjusted. Nevertheless, the Porte still considers itself authorized here to add the following observations in sup. port of its antecedent assertions:

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The measures which the Sublime Porte has adopted from the commencement, and which it still pursues against the Greek insurgents, ought not to make the war be considered a war of religion. Those measures do not extend to all the people in general; for they have for their sole object to repress the revolt, and to punish those subjects of the Porte, who, acting as true chiefs of brigands, have committed atrocities equally serious and reprehensible. The Sublime Porte never has refused pardon to those who submit. The gates of clemency and mercy have always been open. This the Sublime Porte has proved by facts, and still proves it, by granting protection to those who return to their duty.

The real cause of the continu. ance of this revolt is to be found in the different propositions made to the Sublime Porte. The injury arising from the war, too, has only been felt by the Porte; for it is known to all the world that European navigation has never been interrupted by this state of things, which, far from prejudicing European merchants, has afforded them considerable advantages.

Moreover, the troubles and the revolt exist only in one single country of the Ottoman empire, and among the partisans of malevolence; for, thanks be to God, the other provinces of this vast empire have no way suffered, and with all their inhabitants enjoy the most perfect repose. It is not easy, therefore, to understand how these troubles are to be communicated to other European countries. Sup. pose, however, that this were the case, as each power is paramount within itself, it ought to know such of its subjects on its own territory as manifest seditious dispositions, and it ought to punish them according to its own laws, and in pursuance of the duties inherent in its own sovereignty. It may be superfluous to add, that the Sublime Porte will never interfere in such transactions.

Considering the points above set forth with reference to justice and equity, every one must be easily convinced that there remains no ground for discussion upon these affairs. However, though it is fit that all ulterior interference should cease, an offer of a mediation has been in the last result made.

have revolted, how can this case ever be made applicable to its situation; and must not the Ottoman government attribute to those who advance such propositions, views tending to give consequence to a troop of brigands? A Greek government is spoken of, which is to be recognised in case the Sublime Porte does not consent to some arrangement; and it has even been proposed to conclude a treaty with the rebels. Has not the Sublime Porte great reason to be struck with astonishment at hearing such language from friendly powers, for history presents no example of a conduct in all respects so opposed to the principles and duties of governments?

The Sublime Porte, therefore, can never listen to such propositions-to such propositions to which it will neither hear nor understand, so long as the country inhabited by the Greeks, forms part of the Ottoman dominions, and they are tributary subjects of the Porte, which never will renounce its rights. If, with the aid of the Almighty, the Sublime Porte resume full possession of that country, it will then always act as well for the present as for the future, in comformity with the ordinances which its holy law prescribes with respect to its subjects.

The Sublime Porte, then, finding that in respect to this affair, it is impossible for it to listen to any thing except to the precepts of its religion and the code of its legislation, considers itself justified in declaring, that from religious, political, administrative, and national considerations, it cannot give the slightest countenance to the propo. sitions which have been framed and finally brought forward. Al. ways prepared to comply with the

duties imposed by the treaties con. cluded with the friendly powers who now render this categorical reply necessary, the Sublime Porte hereby declares, for the last time, that every thing which has been stated above entirely accords with the sovereign intentions of his highness, of his ministers, and of all the mussulman people.

In the hope that this faithful exposition will suffice to convince its equitable friends of the justice of its cause, the Sublime Porte embraces this opportunity for reiterating the assurance of its high consideration.

Health and peace to him who followeth the path of rectitude.

Note presented on the 16th of August by the Ambassadors of the three Allied Powers to the Reis Effendi, announcing the treaty of London.

To his Excellency the Reis Effendi.

The undersigned are charged by their respective governments to make to his Excellency the Reis Effendi the following declaration :

During six years, the great powers of Europe have been engaged in endeavours to induce the Sublime Porte to enter into a pacification with Greece; but these endeavours have been constantly unavailing, and thus a war of exter. mination has been prolonged be. tween it and the Greeks, the results of which have been, on the one hand, calamities, the contemplation of which is dreadful for humanity; and on the other hand, severe and intolerable losses to the commerce of all nations, while at the same time it has not been possible to admit that the fate of Greece has been at all within the control of the Otto, man power.

The European Powers have

Consequently redoubled the zeal and renewed the instances which they before made, to determine the Porte, with the aid of their mediation, to put an end to a struggle that it was essential to its own interests should be no longer kept up. The Europe. an powers have the more flattered themselves in the hope of arriving at so happy a conclusion, as the Greeks themselves have in the interval shown a desire to avail them. selves of their mediation; but the Sublime Porte has hitherto refused to listen to counsels dictated by sentiments of benevolence and friendship. In this state of affairs, the courts of France, England, and Russia, have considered it their duty to define, by a special treaty, the line of conduct they are resolved to observe, in order to arrive at the object towards which the wishes and interests of all the Christian powers tend.

In execution of one of the clau. ses of the treaty, the undersignǝd have been charged to declare to the government of the Sublime Porte, that they now in a formal manner offer their mediation between it and the Greeks, to put an end to the war, and to regulate by a friendly negotiation the relations which are to exist between them in future.

That further, and to the end that the succes of this mediation may be facilitated, they propose to the go. vernment of the Sublime Porte an armistice for suspending all acts of hostility against the Greeks, to whom a similar proposition is this moment addressed. Finally, they expect that at the end of 15 days the Divan will clearly make known its determination.

The undersigned flatter themselves that it will be conformable to the wish of the Allied Courts; but

it is their duty not to conceal from the Reis Effendi, that a new refusal, an evasive or insufficient answer, even a total silence on the part of his government, will place the Allied Courts under the necessity of recurring to such measures as they shall judge most efficacious for putting an end to a state of things, which is become incompatible even with the true interests of the Sublime Porte, with the security of commerce in general, and with the perfect tranquillity of Europe. (Signed) C. GUILLEMINOT. S. CANNING. RIBEAUPIERre.

Aug. 16, 1827.

[For treaty of London, vide Am. Ann. Reg. for 1826-7, page 228.]

Note of the Sultan to his Viziers, Pashas of three tails, on communicating to them the note of the allied Ambassadors, announcing the Treaty of London.

Though from the beginning of the rebellion of the infidels, our Greek subjects, the European pow. ers not only have declared their neutrality, but appeared even desirous to see the rebels and insurgents punished, it must be too surprising to reason, that after the lapse of some space of time, they begin to proceed differently; that is, in the opposite direction.

But of all the other powers, En. gland administered to the rebels, in various modes and circumstances, mediately and immediately, different aids for their support in the cause of rebellion, without ever consenting to listen to the most just and reasonable plaints of my Sublime Porte, ad vanced solemnly at various times.

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Besides this, it wished formerly to interpose its mediation in favour