The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-09-20

slavery, and polygamy In which slavery Is expressly
aud formally recognised. Let any one Perase that
part Of the Koran called the chapter Of prohibilion
as well as other parts of it, and he will see al once
the truth of our sssor ton,
Paganism also recognises and practices slavery and
polygamy, involving slavery as fu'ly, and perhaps
more fully, than Mahomsdan'sm.
So long as their own modes Of religious belief re-
main, the remarks of sensible writer IN relation TO
the Japanese on particular OCCASION will apply TO
analogous cases in Heather and Mahomedan nations.
The eradication Of their erroneous creed the only
way of destroying the penieious practices which
exist among ihem This author observes
"If Messrs Meylar and Fischer had told us that
the japanese were the most forgvlag and forgetiul
nation OF their acquaintance, We who know how
seldom those qualities belong TO nations protesting
religion which enjoins them, might doubt the veraci-
" OF these authors. They do tell US that vlndeti'e-
ness is striking feature Of their character and that
tie forgiveness Of injury considered as spec'
men OF disgraceful pusiilanimity."
If in countries where the light of Christianity ex-
lists and is acknowledged there in reality little
of Christian practice, much luxury, little self
denial-men acting much in accordance with the
dictates Of avarce and sensuality, how much more
in Pagan and Mahomedan nations
A faithful deneation Of the Turkish character,
drawn with mastery graphic vigor, in the Edinburgh
Review, assures us at Of the mpracticability
in the mode proposed by the British Government to effect
| the abolition Of slavery among the Turks. The
British Government, nobly protects the missionary in
almost every part of the world. When his labors
dad
creed Of men, then there will be strong probability
of the final and not very distant extinction of sa
very. But TO suppose II can be done by her direct
Governmental influence, with foreign, AIahomedan,
and Pagan States, is as idle the most eccentric
thought that bewildered the brain of the Knight
of La Mancha Why should Governments go out Of
their sphere, and spend their time fitting against
windmills and The like Can they not find abundant
and more useful employment
The character of the Turks to which we referred,
reads thus:'
"The Turks neither write print with the K
ception IF bombasuc poetry and more b0mbastic
history They do not build, but destroy. They
show no wish to adorn the soil which they inhabit
to connect in any way the existence of the present
generation with poserlly Their object IN this
world seems TO he mere animal existence, as CON-
petely that of the beasts of the field. Their
ligious is Deep enduring exalted; but il is
religion which deadens and Supplies the intellectual
faculties 1t so exaggeraes the worthlessness the
present life, that it arrives in practice at nearly the
same result with irreligion itself. Let lis eat and
drink, for Immortality begins tomorrow!
Ii such belief exalts the courage Of the conqueror
in prosperous days, the very resignation which it
inspires teaches It's votary 10 acquesce in defeat and
degradation And although some points it has
tendency to cherish and to elevate the moral
sensibiltles, yet it allows ample indulgence to the
conscientious believer both in ferocity and sensu-
atty"
in modern times, the development of Mahomedan-
ism in other nations is very similar to that just de-
scrlbed in the Turks. The differences have arisen
almost wholly if not entirely from the longer pros
perity of the Turks, their more terrific and memora
bic defeats in the last seventy years-and the stern
collision into which their coDtguity to Chrstendom
threw them The identity of their creed results in
general features of identical practice Hence there
the obstacles to the eradication Of slavery
and poygamy with them with the Turks.
The practices of heathenism rest also upon their
creed. After very able review a work disclo-
sing the belief and conduct Of the "Thugs" or Sc
cret murderers Of India, the Edinburgh Reviewer,
thus happily sum up their narrative and critr
cism:
"We should merely weaken the effect of such {
disclosure as that which We have made, were we L
90 through the long catalogue OF Hindoo gods anc
goddesses, and TO mention the vices which under
the special patronage Of each. To what an exteD,
such mythology must operate TO faint the morals o
the people, il hardly necessary 10 say. Aim Jst ev
cry false religion has paid court to of the bac
passions Of mankind But neither in Greece, in
Carthage, nor in Scandinavia, superstition evei
SO diametrically opposed to morality in India, a
the present day. Ii we're TO form a graduated
scale of religions, that Of Chris, and that of kae,
would be the opposite extremes.
at must be perfectly obvious that the application
OF force can only be temporary and partial remedy
for Thuggee, and the other evils which spring from
false belief Some are not cognzsble by the laws
and those which are, can be kept down only willis
he law is vigorously executed which cannot be al
ways depended on Happily more sficaclous re
medy is not wanting Some time ago young Hin
doc, who bad received a liberal EngIish education
was prosecuted by his friends neglectng idol wor
ship. Having been forced to the shrine Of Kaee
he took of his cap, made low bow TO MADAM
kalee, and said he hoped her lsdyship was we'll >
An Indian boy educated we are, can no more be
l'eve IN kaee than we can ourselves
-
Edinburgh Review, Oct. 1856. Art: "Walsh'
Residence ~ Constantlnope."
"a COX OITT EOD THE NEuyC EnnN