sultan abdülmecit

• vakti zamaninda protestan tebasi hakkinda vermis oldugu ferman'in ingilizce tercumesi 5 nisan 1851 tarihinde ingiliz daily news gazetesinde yayinlanmistir.
  
  mealen diyor ki:
  
  pek muhterem vezirim muhammed pasa. cok delikanli adamsin vesselam seni severim. bu ferman eline ulasinca bilesin ki, hristiyan tebamdan protestan olanlarin cok acilar cektigini goruyorum. bu guruh, diger hristiyan gruplardan ayrilmis olmalarina ragmen kendi dinleriyle ilgili meseleleri cozecek bir yapilari yok.
  
  eh benim imparatorlugumun sefkati, bu imparatorluktaki tum siniflara olduguna gore, iclerinden bir sinifin boyle sorun icinde olmasi hic yakisik almaz. hangi dini inanisa sahip olursa olsun, benim tebam huzur ve guvenlik icinde yasama hakkina sahiptir.
  
  bu nedenle, bundan boyle protestan tebami temsil edecek bir eleman belirleyeceksin. bu kisi polis bakanligina bagli olarak, bu kitlenin dini meselelerinden sorumlu olacak, dogum, olum, evlilik gibi idari islerini halledecek, protestan kitlenin dinlerini istedikleri gibi yasamalarina ve ibadetlerine yardimci olacak. herhangi bir sorun oldugunda da gelip babiali ile gorusecek.
  
  kisaca, dini olsun ya da olmasin, bu guruhun ibadetlerini istedikleri gibi yapmalari saglanacak.
  
  bu ferman eline gecince geregini yap.
  
  bu boyle biline. (tugra buraya)
  1267 yilinin mubarek muharrem ayinda yazilmistir (kasim 1850'ye tekabul eder)
  korunan istanbul sehrinde ilan edilmistir.
  
  -----
  
  (ingilizce tercumesinin orijinali)
  
  "translation of the firman of his imperial majesty sultan abd ul medjid, granted in favour of his protestant subjects
  
  to my vizier mohammed pasha, minister of police at my capital, the honourable minister and glorious counsellor, the model of the world, and regulator of the affairs of the community, who, directing the public interests with sublime prudence, consolidating the structure of the empire with wisdom, and strengthening the columns of its prosperity and renown, is the recipient of every grace from the most high. may god prolong his glory.
  
  when this sublime and august mandate reaches you, let it be known that,
  
  whereas, hitherto, those of my christian subjects who have embraced the protestant faith have suffered inconvenience and difficulties. in consequence of their not being placed under a separate and special jurisdiction, and in consequence of the patriarchs and primates of their old creeds which they have abandoned, naturally not being able to administer their affairs;
  
  and whereas, in necessary accordance with my imperial compassion, which extends to all classes of my subjects, it is contrary to my imperial pleasure that any one class of them should be exposed to trouble;
  
  and whereas, by reason of their faith, the above mentioned already form a separate community, it is therefore my royal compassionate will, that, by all means, measures be adopted for facilitating the administration of their affairs, so that they may live in peace, quiet, and security.
  
  let then a respectable and trustworthy person acceptable to, and chosen by themselves, from among their own number, be appointed, with the title of agent of protestants, who shall be attached to the department of the minister of police.
  
  it shall be the duty of the agent to have under his charge the register of the members of the community, which shall be kept at the police. the agent shall cause to be registered therein all births and deaths in the community. all applications for passports and marriage licenses, and special transactions of the community that are to be presented to the sublime porte, or to any other department, must be given under the official seal of this agent.
  
  for the execution of my will, this my royal mandate and august command has been specially issued and granted from my imperial chancery.
  
  hence, thou the minister above named, in accordance with the explanations given, will execute, to the letter, the preceding ordinance: except that as the collection of the capitation tax, and the delivery of passports, are subjected to specific regulations, you will not do any thing contrary to them. you will not permit anything to be required of them on pretence of fees or expenses, for marriage licenses, or registration.
  
  you will see it that like the other communities of the empire, in all their affairs and in all matters appertaining to their cemeteries and places of worship, they should have every facility and needed assistance. you will not permit that any of the other communities should in any way interfere with their rites or with their religious concerns, and, in short, in nowise with any of their affairs, secular or religious, that thus they may be enabled to exercise the usages of their faith in security.
  
  and it is enjoined upon you not to allow them to be molested an iota in these particulars or in any others, and that all attention and perseverance be put in requisition to maintain them in quiet and security; and, in case of necessity, they are permitted to make representations regarding their affairs through their agent to the sublime porte.
  
  when this my imperial will shall be brought to your knowledge and appreciation you will have this august edict registered in the proper department, and cause it to be perpetuated in the hands of the above-mentioned subjects, and you will see to it that its requirements be always executed in their full import.
  
  thus be it known to thee, and respect my sacred signet.
  written in the holy month of moharrem, a.h. 1267 (nov. 1850).
  given in the protected city of constantinople."