Reflection of Cavit Bey's Murder, Member of Council of State, in The French Press and Abdülhamid II’s Reaction

Şura-yı Devlet Azası Cavit Bey Cinayetinin Fransız BasınındakiYansımasına II. Abdülhamid’in Tepkisi

Abstract

Sultan Abdülhamid II would like to know the pieces (and their authors) issued in foreign press aiming atdiscrediting his person, the crown and the caliphate. It was among the jobs of the embassies to follow up thenews and articles seen in the press abroad that were related to the Ottomans. Almost all these were translatedin full/short and the Sultan would ask sometimes for further researches about those He deemed significant.Nearly all the pieces showed up were penned by men that intended to extort by intimidating the Sultan, andindeed were issued in papers that attracted very little attention. However, to avoid the possibility of creating anegative public opinion the related office opted to take due measures. The note written down by the Sultan himself upon the confidential telegram wired by Salih Munir, the Turkish ambassador to Paris, gives us thechance to catch a little hint about the approach of the Sultan to those matters. Pierre Quillard, published anarticle in the newspaper L’Aurore. In the article, Abdülhamid II accused of being the instigator of the murderof Cavit Bey, who was son of the PM Halil Rıfat Pasha. Sultan asked Salih Munir to do his job tough-mindedlyand apply to the related French authorities to get this man punished. On December 9, 1899 Salih Munir had atalk with the Foreign Minister and was told that Pierre Quillard would be harshly punished for all his slanderousdiscourse if it had not been for the principle of separation of powers and the judicial independence. Uponreading these lines Sultan wrote down, “It is not a matter of politics, but honour” and showed in a concise wayhow much stress he put on the subject. This very short sentence gives us a clue about the approach assumedby the Sultan against the news showed up in foreign press and about the dimensions through which the defencewent on.

Özet

himself upon the confidential telegram wired by Salih Munir, the Turkish ambassador to Paris, gives us the chance to catch a little hint about the approach of the Sultan to those matters. Pierre Quillard, published an article in the newspaper L’Aurore. In the article, Abdülhamid II accused of being the instigator of the murder of Cavit Bey, who was son of the PM Halil Rıfat Pasha. Sultan asked Salih Munir to do his job tough-mindedly and apply to the related French authorities to get this man punished. On December 9, 1899 Salih Munir had a talk with the Foreign Minister and was told that Pierre Quillard would be harshly punished for all his slanderous discourse if it had not been for the principle of separation of powers and the judicial independence. Upon reading these lines Sultan wrote down, “It is not a matter of politics, but honour” and showed in a concise way how much stress he put on the subject. This very short sentence gives us a clue about the approach assumed by the Sultan against the news showed up in foreign press and about the dimensions through which the defence went on.