Page:Christian Greece and Living Greek.djvu/162

I40 CHRISTIAN GREECE AND LIVING GREEK. "The present pasha of the Morea," says Leake, "is said to have paid the Porte four hun- dred purses for his appointment for one year, and he will probably squeeze one thousand out of the poor province. Vanli Pasha, who was removed last year to Candia, paid six hunderd purses for two years, and yet greatly enriched himself. The Morea has the character of being the most profitable pashalik in the empire." In the report which Capodistria addressed in 1828 to the representatives of the powers in answer to the questions which they had put to his Government, he gives some extremely inter- esting information as to the manner in which pashas were in the habit of exercising their powers: "How was it possible," he asks, "to look for just and enlightened administration from a pasha who but very shortly before attain- ing that dignity had been employed as a slaugh- terman, and who is now simply the ignorant nominee of an absolute despot? . . . No man dared to open his mouth in the presence of the pasha of the Peloponnesos. That pasha had the power of life and death over his subjects, and they trembled whenever they had to go near his seraglio. Fear seized them before even they found themselves within sight of the despot, or