The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-14
From the n Y. True Sun
British philanthropy In tho Il ast.

British Philanthropy N East.
Great Britain under the direction OF the ambitious and
mperlops Palmerscn y urging on project Tor the ap bs
movement Is vaunted forth the result OF British PM
snthropy and of the fruits OF the christianity o.
British subjects This poor smpleon of world is 70 De
made to understand this is mere ebuton OF philanthro-
by from the oyer-boiling pot OF British humanity Inc
lew peccadoes of her government at nome ana ABROAD
in Ireland and Indabeng about TO be recled, and the
enormous crimes of American and other republics being
properly watched and combatted against by sum
Sublime Porte and dragon the Sultan into observance
OF the requirements OF the chrslanzed philanthropy OF
Great Brtsinthe leaven of which, it seems, is destined
10 regenerate the whole world. .
Lord Palmerston has called upon the Sultan consider
what measures il may be proper to adopt with view 70
the entire abolition of the slave system as exlss IN
What a disinerested love of the human race But let
consider what is this slavery which is TO be the sub
ss1 9 inc ae
of the West Slaves in turkey are manumitied after
come the chief persons the empire, and may be said TO
constitute the upper ten thousand The mothers and
wives Of the suans are without exception slaves and
also The degraded portion OF the populace IS composed
OF freemen The rich procure slaves from Georgia, Cir
cassa ana other regions educate them ana os ar
The Sultan and the rich grandees purchase slaves Tor
their wives, and thus the female arstocracy OF Turkey
is entirely composed of slaves This is IN good degree
of the male arisocracy, for many who have ruled
supreme at the Porte and several of the most powerful
Pachas Of Turkey have been OF slave origin I've OF the
brothers-n-law of the present Sultan, il is SAID, were
bought in slave market Everywhere IN the ottoman
dominons the slave system is surrounded with every
circumstance of pleasure, luxury, and power, and may
be said that slavery here is the sures path to wealth and
political distinction :.
This is the slavery Lord Palmerston is now attempting
to abolish That any form of slavery however mild, is
evil we admit; and there can be no doubt also, that
this institution in Turkey if it does not degrade, does
corrupt and is bar the civilization and progress of the
'rurk, sh Rutx nv dOesG
effect its destruction! Were it sincere phianthropc
movement she would first attempt to pluck some Of the
and slaughter of the Indians, and the starvation OF her
subjects at home before making extraordinary efforts to
pluck out the mote OF the mild and luxurious slavery OF
Turkey The truth is, the British government is making
an endeavor prevent the Ottoman Empire from falling
into the clutches of the Russian Emperor and to obtain for
herself controlling influence over IT. Turkey IS not not
present institutions of which slavery is the centre and
support, cannot long maintain even her nominal indie
pendence She must either throw Oft her oriental garb,
and adopt the civilization OF the west, or TALL prey to
partition. Great Britain jealous OF the advancing strides
OF Russia would save the Ottoman power from such
catastrophe and prevent accession to the domnons
of the Autocrat But with Turkey she now is, Great
Britain can effect nothing The Mussulman is shut up
within the excusvencss of his religion and his oriental
,node OF life The Turk meets the Frank only in formal
and ceremonous He is shut up in the encase-
ment of his peculiar domestic system The harem is the
centre and soul OF Mahommedan society," and the arem
depends entirely slavery 1t is thus that the subjects
of the Sultan shut themselves out from intercourse with
Europeans and place themselves beyond the influences
of the civilization of the west Progress is thing I'M
known to them and, consequence, while the nations
around them advancing, they themselves are retro
grading and fast sinking their national independence TO
the Ottoman empire from this fate, Britain find
necessary to break up the harem, which be effected
only by the destruction Of the system OF slavery Euro
peans entirely shut OF the society of and
consequently, in reality of all society in the Turkish
empire. Abolish slavery, destroy the harem and t
European viii find his way to the social feelings and the
confidence of the Turkish inhabitants of both sexes.
Then, the British missionary the service OF British
raacity will commence the work OF conversion to British
christianity and British dominion The social and re-
igous institutions invaded, and the Turk becomes
the subject of Great Britain.
This is the work Lord Palmefston is now beginning to
do. He has far succeeded to induce the
Sultan to abolish the slave-marke of Constantinope,
This however, does not diminish the traffic III slaves It
may be carried private brskly than yet
first blow has been struck at the system, which must
eventually yield Tyrannical and imperous as is the
rule Of the British government still can hardly hope
otherwise than that its efforts in this project may sue
ceed The opening of Turkey TO the civilization OF the
west seems more desirable than the humiliation of the
Ottoman power, and the absorption OF its territory into
the dominons OF the despotic Emperor OF Russia.