Declaration, which was announced on 18 February 1856, had the same reforms as in Gulhane Declaration. Mixed courts, reorganization of suburban administrations, controlling expenditure and income, granting rights and freedom to all elements irrespective of their religion or nationality were some of these reforms. They would also be represented in the Province Assemblies and in the Supreme Court. 1856 Declaration gave Macedonian Slavs the right of opening schools in their own language. So they established some technical and commercial colleges as well as schools for teacher training. These reforms gave opportunities for publishing their own magazines and books as well as establishing private printing houses. Bulgarian Bishop Antim said, The Declaration extended the rights of Bulgarians, though on paper.
These reforms helped the appearance of nationalist consciousness among Macedonian Slavs, because they fought against Greek and Bulgarian churches for the independence of their own religious belief. The leaders and ideology makers of New Ottomans, even Ottoman Government, also supported them in their struggle.
Between 1858-1860, there opened catholic schools in some places in South Macedonia with the support of European countries. The aim of these schools was to stop the Russian and Pan-Slavic movement spreading in the Balkans. Macedonian Slavs used these catholic schools and propaganda as a powerful weapon in their struggle against Istanbul Greek Patriarch. On the other hand, Ottoman government also supported them in order to stop this Pan-Slavic movement. Prime Minister sent an order to Selaniko Governor in which he said, According to the laws of our country, our citizens are free in their belief. Our government do not interfere anyone in this respect.
It is Mithat Pasha who gave strongest support to Macedonian Slavs in this respect. While he was Nis and Danube Province, he gained fame with his reforms over Christian people. When they assigned as Selanico Governor on 15 October 1873, local inhabitants met this decision with great pleasure. But Turkish bureaucracy did not like this assignment. He was famous of his help to strengthen national conscious of Macedonian Slavs. Rum clericals infuriated when pastor Damaskin prayed in Slavic. But Mithat Pasha replied complains with these words: Everyone has the right of praying in his own language. He gave his paintings as a present to a school during his visit and promised to help for its building. Mixed schools were important for him because they caused Turks and Macedonian Slavs to come together. It is remarkable for his saying, Everyone should educate.
Mithat Pasha met Macedonian Slav clericals in Selaniko in the end of 1873. He said, Macedonian Slavs are not Bulgarians. They are different nation. They sould also have their own churches. He was the first to recognize the existence of Macedonian nation in modern history of Macedonia. With the suppression of Greek Patriarch and Bulgarian Governor, Ottoman Governor dismissed Mithat Pasha in 1874. Thus, Macedonian Slavs lost one of their great supporters against Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian and other forces in their struggle for independence.
The most important reform in the second half of 19th century was Monarch I, which was announced after the efforts of New Ottomans on 26 December 1976. Benefiting from the right and privileges of the Constitutional Monarch, Macedonian Slavs selected Dimitar Robev as a representative and Georgi Cakarov as a senator. As explained by KKliment Cambazovsky, Macedonians participated for the first time in the social and political life of Ottoman Empire and then they determined their place with the following political incidents.
After 1878 Berlin Congregate, Macedonia stayed within Ottoman borders and could save its unity until plunders and murders by Christian terrorists especially in Manastir province. Because local administration did not take necessary measures, the situation worsened. Famous statesman and reformer Halil Rifat Pasha was assigned as governor in Manastir Province in 1887 in order to stop disorder in the region. With the support of Ottoman Government, he put in force the Security Regulation for Manastir Province.
The End
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