Ottoman Diplomats

Synopsis

Etienne Carathéodory Effendi reports about a newspaper article from Le Bien public, concerning Count Montebello, the French minister in Brussels. Carathéodory notes that this was a newspaper for the aristocracy and fervent Catholics, that was known for its polemic on prominent men, even on politicians from the Catholic party who were more moderate and correct. The moderate Catholics had a respectable leader, Jules Malou, and a moderate newspaper, Le Journal de Bruxelles. But there was also a more radical wing, which Carathéodory calls the Jesuit party or the party of the bishops. Even pope Leo XIII tried to stimulate them to be more moderate, but his efforts were in vain, as the Jesuits seemed to have the upper hand within the Catholic Party. This resulted in the complete rupture between Belgium and the Vatican. Since then, the language use of Le Bien public was even more violent and knew no boundaries. The enclosed newspaper clipping attacking the French minister in Brussels and the French government, should be seen in this light. Carathéodory hopes that this incident – from which the most prominent Catholics distanced themselves – would not compromise the relations between the Belgian Liberal Party / government and the French Republic. (The enclosed newspaper clipping is not photographed.)

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