“This arrangement being calculated to afford to Europe a pledge of the union of the Five Powers, Her Britannic Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, agreeably to an understanding with the Plenipotentiaries of the Four Powers, undertook to bring this matter to the knowledge of the French Government, requesting it to take part in an arrangement by which, on the one hand, the Sultan should declare his firm resolution to maintain for the future the above-mentioned principle; the Five Powers, on the other hand, should announce their unanimous determination to respect that principle and to conform themselves thereto. “(Initialed) E. N. P. B. B. C. On the 6th of March Mehemet Ali’s and Said Muhib Effendi’s letters to the Vizier arrived at Constantinople[112]. Mehemet Ali’s, in respectful terms, and with great clearness, pointed out the impossibility of his consenting to the first, third, and part of the sixth articles of the Firman; the other articles he cheerfully acceded to. The Commissioner makes a long report of the arguments he used to induce Mehemet Ali to consent, and the very clever way he evaded them; and it must be admitted the old Pacha had the best of the argument. The Porte, as might have been expected, was now in a false position; France had so far joined the Allies as to initial the Treaty for shutting the Dardanelles, but it was not likely she would now attempt to coerce Mehemet Ali or even advise him to yield; and under this embarrassment Rechid Pacha, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, wrote to the Ministers for advice. Lord Ponsonby did not hesitate to entirely agree with Rechid Pacha that the application of Mehemet Ali to change some of the articles of the Firman was no proof of submission[113]. The Firman, says the Ambassador, is an order, and no subject can refuse to obey an order and be considered submissive; he does not admit that he petitioned for a change, but he asserts that he disobeys. I cannot read Mehemet Ali’s letter in that sense. After giving his reasons why the hereditary succession should go by right of primogeniture, which appear to me convincing, he states, “It is evident, moreover, that his Highness, moved by sentiments of clemency, desires the maintenance of repose and tranquillity, and it is for that reason that I request that the question of the hereditary succession may be settled as has been stated above.” Surely this may be considered petitioning, and in a moderate way too, when we recollect that Mehemet Ali knew full well that the Porte had no means of enforcing these orders.