er originally a Mohammedan, or originally
a Christian, any more than any punishment attaches to a Christian
who embraces Mohammedanism. In all such cases the movements of human
conscience must be left free, and the temporal arm must not
interfere to coerce the spiritual decision."

Referring to the Imperial Rescript, February 12, 1856, Lord
Stratford says, writing to the Earl:--

"If no one is to be molested on account of the religion he
professes, and no one to be punished as a renegade, whatever form of
faith he denies, I do not see what room there can possibly be for
any practical persecutions in future within the limits of the
Sultan's empire." See _Correspondence respecting Christian
Privileges in Turkey, in Parliamentary Papers for_ 1856, pp. 15, 24,
25, 33, 55, 60, 66, 67, 77-80.

The plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, France, Russia,
Sardinia, and Turkey, assembled in February, 1856, at the close of
the Crimean war, to negotiate what is known as the Treaty of Paris.
It is evident from the Protocols of their Conference, that, having
the Earl of Clarendon and Lord Cowley among them, they were intent
on giving weight and perpetuity to this firman of the Sultan, by a
formal recognition of it in the treaty. This was done in article
ninth, after much deliberation, and with the full concurrence of all
the plenipotentiaries, including the representative of the
Sultan.[1]

[1] "NINTH ARTICLE. His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, having, in his
constant solicitude for the welfare of his subjects, issued a
firman, which, while, ameliorating their condition without
distinction of religion or race, records his generous intentions
towards the Christian population of his empire, and wishing to give
a further proof of his sentiments in that respect, has resolved to
communicate to the Contracting Parties the said firman, emanating
spontaneously from his sovereign will.

"The Contracting Powers recognize the high value of this
communication. It is clearly understood, that it cannot, in any
case, give to said Powers the right to interfere, either
collectively or separately, in the relations of his Majesty, the
Sultan, with his subjects, nor in the internal administration of his
Empire." See _Treaty of Paris_, March 30, 1856, in _Parliamentary
State Papers_, vol. lxi. p. 20. Also, appended, _Protocols of
Conferences_, pp. 8, 13, 51, 57, 58.

The Hatti Humaioun of 1855 was much more than a confirmation of the
Imperia