LORD STRATHEDEN AND CAMPBELLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the revival of the Ottoman Assemblies overthrown by the war between Russia and the Porte is a leading object of the special Embassy to Constantinople?
§ EARL GRANVILLEI think I can give an answer which will be satisfactory to the noble Lord, and it is that the arrangements of the Powers with respect to the first steps they are about to take for the fulfilment of the Treaty obligations are nearly concluded, and that I hope in a very short time to be able to lay on the Table Papers which will give noble Lords all the information they require. Until that time arrives, however, I do not think it would be convenient to enter into any explanation with regard to any particular point. The noble Marquess opposite (the Marquess of Salisbury) at the time of the Conference made a severe attack upon the proposal to summon a Parliament in Constantinople, a criticism almost as severe as if it had been a Reform Bill proposed by a Liberal Government. I am afraid I spoke subsequently disrespectfully of it; but I am bound to say that there is now a general consent that while it lasted it did much better than was expected, and that, properly constituted, it contains valuable elements for the better government of the Ottoman Empire.
§ THE MARQUESS or SALISBURYSpeaking from memory, I think that the objections I took to that Constitution were as to the very imperfect and fragmentary character of its provisions, which left some of the most important securities unascertained; and I noticed the fact that so long as the Sultan retained the power of exiling at his will the principal Members of the Opposition, there was not likely to be any effective security for good government, [laughter.] I suppose if the Government of any country possessed that power there would not be much chance for the Opposition. And Turkey is, perhaps, no exception to the rule. But I think the amount of my condemnation of that Constitution was simply to say that it was not, in my judgment, likely to be held by the Representatives of the Powers 515 then discussing the question as an adequate substitute for the recommendations they made.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, that the word revival used by the noble Lord who had put the Question was the correct one, since, in case of emergency, the Ottoman Parliament might be summoned without any other elections than those for deceased Members. Last autumn, when in Turkey, he had seen some Members of the Turkish Parliament; they were very fit persons for Members of Parliament, and they felt much indignation at the indifference to their Parliament shown in England. It was inconceivable that a Liberal Government should not support the Turkish Parliament, unless there was insincerity in their desire for reforms in Turkey, or else undue subservience to Russia.
§ House adjourned at Seven o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.