REDSHID PASHA, a celebrated Turkish statesman, and long the chief of the party of progress in Turkey, was b. at Constantinople about 1800. He accompani:i his brother in-law, the governor of the pored, into Greece, and after his death, obtained the post of chief secretary in one of the government offices at Constantinople. On the outbreak of the Russian war (1828-29), he was charged with a mission in Bulgaria, and exerted him self effectually to protect the Christian subjects of the Porte from the fanatic rage of their Moslem neighbors; and on his return obtained from Mahmoud, who fully appre ciated his character, a post in the fofeign office. On the creation of resident representa tives at foreign courts, Redshid pasha was sent to the courts of France and Britain, and applied himself diligently to the study of the language, manners, and political constitu tion of these countries; but was recalled in 1837, and] nominatedgrand-vizier. His per suasive eloquence and firmness of character greatly aided the sultan in carrying out his plans for the better centralization of the administration, and for mercantile intercourse with foreign nations; but the old Turkish party were still too strong for him, and he was resirrn office, and return to Paris and London to support the Turkish against the Egyptian interests. Recalled by the death of the sultan, and the disaster of Nisib, to his old post, the foreign office, lie succeeded, after a debate in council of three days' duration, in obtaining the hattisherif of Gulhane (Nov. 3, 1839), a species of constitu tional charter, which, from the comparative weakness of its premoters, became a dead letter. The effects of his foreign diplomacy were soon apparent in the humiliation of the Egyptians in Syria; but a seraglio intrigue, which occasioned his dismissal, deprived 'him of the honor of concluding peace. From 1811 to 1845 he was the Turkish
representative at the French court, and though recalled to fill the post of grand-vizier (Sept. 28, 1846), lie found his influence at court greatly diminished under tb.1 new sultan. IIe was vigorously supported by sir Stratford Canning, the English ambassador, who was of the opinion that all hopes of a bright futnre to Turkey depended solely upon Redshid pasha. Ile was frequently deposed, and almost immediately recalled, according as the anti-reform party gained or lost the ear of the sultan; but the complications with Russia, which arose in 1853, threw the anti-reformers (who had counseled an obstinate disre gard of all the Russian representations) into discredit, and Redshid pasha, more power ful than ever, was again recalled to the direction of foreign affairs. In 1854 he was again overcome by his political opponents, and retired from office, which he did not resume till after the peace.of Paris. His reappointment as grand-vizier excited great hopes of further salutary reformations; but the French influence at the Porte was pertinaciously antagonistic, and lie was twice forced to resign, and as often recalled. At last, worn out with harassing cares and toil, he was seized with an illness, to which he speedily succumbed, at his palace of Emmirgian, Jan. 7, 1858. Though a Turk, lie was one of the most enlightened men of his time, and was well versed in foreign languages, genera: literature, and science.