//Ed. Note: "Meşrutiyet" (constitutional government) was
restored by Sultan Abdülhamid II in July 1908. The Sultan
himself would last another year with diminished power.
Şerefeddin Mağmumi, an exiled Ottoman intellectual,
returned to Istanbul at this time, after 12 years in exile -
6 years in Paris and 6 years in Cairo.
Mağmumi began writing for an Istanbul newspaper.
Herewith his first column, written amid the tumult of
joy and confusion brought about by the end of the
dictatorship.//
In the Aftermath of "Meşrütiyet" (restoration of the Constitution)
I'm Thinking That...
“Hukuk-ı Umumiye” newspaper: 8 October 1908
patriotism and freedom, I have returned to my homeland, much like
the Seven Sleepers. It's certainly not the same place I left, nor are
the people the same. Everything seems foreign to me. When I left
12 years ago, the streets and markets of Istanbul were filled with
personified shadows that were both deaf and dumb. They moved
like machines and on their faces there was noting but fear and timidity.
shadows, these mobile statues, have been transformed into real, live
people. The abundance of freedom has given everyone new life
They're wearing carnival masks that reflect their disgust with
despotism and their tied tongues are now shouting, screaming and
speaking without restraint.
The "hafiye" (red hats/secret police).
The "hafiye" (red hats/secret police) that used to resemble a field of
poppies, the big and small microbes of that despotism, could not bear
the light of freedom and have disappeared. But the country cannot be
changed instantly after centuries of oppression and despotism and the
symbols of deterioration remain everywhere. In particular, the
remnants of the last 30 years of vicious dictatorship are everywhere,
with every step one sees yet another of these ruins.
One thing I have noted, though, is that we are the heirs not of the
fair capital city the Byzantines left to us but, rather, to the mistakes and
the foolish squandering of their successors. It may be that the ground
(earthquakes?) has had something to do with this and exacerbated the
decline over the years.
With the coming of this period of freedom the first reaction of the
people has been to throw themselves into pleasure and enjoyment,
non-stop for the past two months. In every neighborhood there are
dances, concerts and music day and night. The squares are filled with
no one other than dancers and their audience. Posters for entertainments
are plastered on the walls and everyone has a free ticket in their hand.
The poster quickly gave way to reality.
The populace is enamored of this celebratory activity. Thanks to the
coming of the holy month of Ramazan, however, these orgies of
enjoyment have diminished somewhat. Yes, of course, the people have
a right to stage patriotic plays and hear rousing music amid enjoyments
that celebrate the restored freedom and justice denied to them for so
long. In fact, this is necessary. But this shouldn't seep down to school
children and youths in every neighborhood. This frivolity cannot go
on for months, like it has.
One should not think that because we now have freedom there's
nothing else to do but enjoy ourselves. The task at hand is to work to
preserve and protect the Constitution and this will not be easy.
Sultan Abdülhamid II, on his way out the door...
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