"Murad Bey retorted, 'What could we have done? Whenever we attempted to rebuild and fortify, you accused us of plotting rebellion against the Sultan. These accusations have hindered our ability to act.'" (from al-Jabarti's Chronicle of the French Occupation)

"During their discussion, one of the Shaykhs charged at Mamluks beys, 'This calamity is the result of negligence in managing the ports and allowing matters to deteriorate to the point where the enemy has been able to seize the Port of Islam.'"

I suggest this one as a followup to the one on bakers.