TURKISH JUSTICE IN BULGARIA.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 30, 31 January 1877, Page 3

TURKISH JUSTICE IN BULGARIA.

(From the " European Mail.") The Commission charged with the duty of inquiring into the atrocities perpetrated by the Turks m Bulgaria, and of sitting m judgment against the persons guilty of those outrages, has suspended its operations, _ and its members are now m Constantinople, attending festivities of the Bairam. Mr Baring, who had been sent by Sir Henry Elliot to watch the proceedings of the Commission, has come back with them, greatly shocked at the manner iv which these worthy judges have discharged their duties. As the Commission was sent to Philippopolis m obedience to Lord Derby's desire that justice should be done, it will be easy to show how his lordship's demand was attended to by the simple statement that the man responsible for the worst of those excesses, Shefket Pasha, is still at large, defying the agents of the law to interfere with him, as "he has m his pocket the evidence that whatever was donein Bulgaria was simply m compliance with the order of the Government" — an order issued .under the late rSgime and never revoked i by the present rulers till long after it had been only too fully executed. This , for what respects the criminals. The Commission has not, as yet, pronounced a single sentence, and one may: well doubt whetheritwilleverresumeits interrupted labours. What, a cruel contrast to the terrible energy and activity with which the Courts-Martial sitting m judgment upon the so-called leaders of the Bulgarian insurrection sent wholesale batches of priests, schoolmasters and others to the scaffold, after, m I many instances, extorting the proofs of their alleged guilt by torture ! But the insurgents were Christians and their murderers Mussulmans. In the meanwhile we learn what fate is reserved to those who, m the midst of all those horrors, made some attempts to deal with justice and humanity towards the the people committed to their care. Those who have read Mr Baring's Report are aware that honourable mention is made there of Haidar Effendi, the Mutessariff, or Governor of Sliven. By his unwearied exertions this brave Turk was able to save the whole province of Sliven from becoming a prey to the lawless acts of the Bashi-Bazouks, and he also prevented Shefket Pasha, the destroyer of the town of Bayardjik, from destroying seven other villages of the adjoining district, m compliance with a telegraphic order Sbefket had received from Abd-ul Kerim, the present aged Serdar Echxein, orComnmnder-in-Chief of the Ottoman Armies m Servia. This order Shefket himself showed to the Bulgarian Bishop of Sliven, and he is ready to produce it on being brought to trial. Three weeks ago Haidar Effendi was summoned to Constantinople to bear witness m the expected trial of Shefket Pasha. This was the alleged pretext for his recall communicated by the Porte to Sir Henry Elliot. The truth is, however, that there never was any trial, never the begining of any trial, and Haidar Effendi was called to the capital for quite a different purpose. On his arrival at Constantinople Haidar was summoned to the Grand Vizier's, who endeavoiu*ed to induce him to give evidence m favour of Shefket Pasha, thus procuring his acquital of the crime of the destruction of Boyardjik. Haidar Effendi refused to comply with . the Grand Vizier's wishes, pleading that he could not contradict himself, having already told the truth to Messrs. Schuyler and Bariug. The Grand Vizier then, affecting to respect his scruples, bade him go back to his duties as Governor, giving him the choice between the districts of Tirnovo, Uskup, and Slivan. Haidar chose Sliven, as the place where his upright conduct had won him the suffrages of the whole population. He had, however, at the Grand Vizier's request, no sooner expressed his desire than he was told he could not have Sliven, as he had been there superseded by Takzi Bey, formerly the Governor of Toultcha. From this single instance, for the perfect authenticity of every particular of which the " Times" correspondent is responsible, we may judge how justice is administered m Bulgaria and how the demands of the English Government are being attended to.