of my States are in your hands.  I do not, however, seek to deny the evils with which I have afflicted you; but, alas! these evils have been the result of my enforced obedience to the cruel and perfidious orders of the Sublime Porte.  It is to the Porte that these wrongs must be attributed, for if my actions be attentively regarded it will be seen that I only did harm when compelled thereto by the course of events.  Interrogate my actions, they will speak more fully than a detailed apology.

“My position with regard to the Suliotes allowed no half-and-half measures.  Having once broken with them, I was obliged either to drive them from my country or to exterminate them.  I understood the political hatred of the Ottoman Cabinet too well not to know that it would declare war against me sooner or later, and I knew that resistance would be impossible, if on one side I had to repel the Ottoman aggression, and on the other to fight against the formidable Suliotes.

“I might say the same of the Parganiotes.  You know that their town was the haunt of my enemies, and each time that I appealed to them to change their ways they answered only with insults and threats.  They constantly aided the Suliotes with whom I was at war; and if at this moment they still were occupying Parga, you would see them throw open the gates of Epirus to the forces of the sultan.  But all this does not prevent my being aware that my enemies blame me severely, and indeed I also blame myself, and deplore the faults which the difficulty of my position has entailed upon me.  Strong in my repentance, I do not hesitate to address myself to those whom I have most grievously wounded.  Thus I have long since recalled to my service a great number of Suliotes, and those who have responded to my invitation are occupying important posts near my person.  To complete the reconciliation, I have written to those who are still in exile, desiring them to return fearlessly to their country, and I have certain information that this proposal has been everywhere accepted with enthusiasm.  The Suliotes will soon return to their ancestral houses, and, reunited under my standard, will join me in combating the Osmanlis, our common enemies.

“As to the avarice of which I am accused, it seems easily justified by the constant necessity I was under of satisfying the inordinate cupidity of the Ottoman ministry, which incessantly made me pay dearly for tranquillity.  This was a personal affair, I acknowledge, and so also is the accumulation of treasure made in order to support the war, which the Divan has at length declared.”

Here Ali ceased, then having caused a barrel full of gold pieces to be emptied on the floor, he continued: 

“Behold a part of the treasure I have preserved with so much care, and which has been specially obtained from the Turks, our common enemies:  it is yours.  I am now more than ever delighted at being the friend of the Greeks.  Their bravery is a sure earnest of victory, and we will shortly re-establish the Greek Empire, and drive the Osmanlis across the Bosphorus.  O bishops and priests of Issa the prophet! bless the arms of the Christians, your children.  O primates!  I call upon you to defend your rights, and to rule justly the brave nation associated with my interests.”