Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-12-01
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THE OSMANu, OR TURKS.


A Constantinople correspondent of the Courier
and Enquirer writes of the race now dominant III
the more ancient seats of civilization follows:
We naturally regard the Turks as species oil out
side barbarians, and it is little difficult to survey
them with perfectly appropriated eye; yet an non
est view affords much that can be contemplatedWlth
satisfaction Their gravity of mien, sobeness OF
gait, and rich flowing robes give them an airo gen
tcmanv dignity, in pleasing contrast with the hur-
ried expression, the impairment carriage, and the
stiff angular garments of Franks; and there Is
natural ease and decacy IN their social forms ana
etiquette that is far superior to any thing ordinarily
observed at home Personal cleanliness Is not among
them as among us half neglected semi-virtuc," but
scrupulously fulfilled religious obligation Pro-
prietv and courtesy distinguish their mutual inter
course and hospitality rendered to all without dis
tinction Of country condition IS an nvlolabie duty
Qnarrelng is extremely rare among them, and their
treatment OF the brute creation is far kinder than ours
The Koran prescrlbes the giving Of oae-tenth OF
their income to charitable purposes and oeneVolence
with them is transient impulse, but an abiding
sacred principle. look here i'll vain for the squali-
ditv and bcggarv that used to meet my eyes every
where in Ia belle France and " Merre England.
Intemperance the curse Of 50 many Christian lands
is driven away from the followers of the Prophet by
the divine law which forbids the use OF wine. The
fatalism, for which the Turks are reproachcd, Is
not the stupid folly it is represented. They are as
earnest in avering calami' other men, bat wheh
ready to exclaim " God hath wilcd it" In truth
and honesty they inferior to few other people,
and are certainly far superior to the Jews and Chris
tians that dwell among them. Amours and ntngueS
and coniugal indclty prevail to certain extent IN
their social life but far less than in France, which
calls itself the mistress of modern civilizations and
public prostitution among them has no local hablta-
ton and hardly a name. Polygamy Is tolerated by
the law, but public opinion decidedly condemns it.
1t is the magnates Of the land only who have
plurality Of wives even they seldom have more than
two or three and the Sultan himself never more than
seven The Koran permits husbands to chastlse and
divorce their wives at pleasure; bat these privileges
are not often abused. Children are trained to honor
and submit their parents, and great affection and
kindness usually p,rvldc their family relations he
women instead OF being kept IN that strict restraint
so generally imagined are reality more free than
in any continental country of Western Europe
They repair to the mosq les, range the oIzaarS, ana
ride into the country on pleasure parties III perfect
liberty. Multitudes of them OF all classes 60 every
Friday unattended to the valley of the Sweet Wa
tiers, five miles up to the Golden Horn. have been
among them there, and have seldom behgId more
uurestraned and yet innocent enjoyment. 1t Is true
that Mahomedan females not allowed to appear
in public unveiled; but this is no great hardship,
since the yltShdcc, which Is OF White muslin, Is
usually especially If the face is pretty, thin and
transparent that the features are easily dIscermbe
The Sultana frequently issues edicts, prescribing the
thickness of the wells and the mode OF wearing them,
but woman's will is the same everywhere, and the
compliance is but temporary Beside this infringe
ment Of the natural rights OF the female countenance
in Turkey is in measure compensated by the prvl-
lege of array wing the bosom al ti5tt0n in the fashion
"By Sir Peter Lely,
Whose drapery hints may admire them freely"
1t is true that among Mahomedans women not
ranked so high in the scale OF creation men; but
the prevailing idea that females deemed to have
mist 4l.a IlpN+1 led
as immortal beings and as subject to religious obli
CATIONS and responsibilities. Husbands may or may
not as thew please, admit their wives to share with
the hours their love in the abolcs Of bliss hecatter
but the wives who excluded are neither ann
hated nor damned, bat go u dwell IN separate ap-
propriate places Of enjoyment.
Slavery still exists in Turkey, but with none of
its backer elements Its type is much like that Vi
the Slavery of ancient Scripture times. The Slave,
instead of being soucsss chattel Is really MEM
Der of his masters family He is neither despscd nor
degraded he possesses his rights and his privileges,
and has many facilities for ecyating his social cond.
ton His compulsory term OF service Is only years,
and when he leaves his master, the latter Is bound
to settle upon him p2cu'tum. He IS subjected to
no such task work Is imposed upon the American
Slave since his business is not field labor, but atten-
ton to the personal wants ot his master. Slaves in
Turkey frequently rise the highest places OF trust
and dignity, and become ScrlskcIs and even Nizers.
The son-in-law of the late Sultan was originally a
Georgian Slave. Cr;assian Slaves are now com
paratively rare, not, however, account OF any IN
willingness the part of Circdssdn parents ~ e.
trust their children Turkish contrO but because
the Russians prevent much as possible their e.
portatiun from the Black Sea pJrts.-Ihe few that
IN spite of all obstacles find their way TO CONSTANT
nople, are exposed to public sale, but are to
be purch lscd only at a few private houses in the
suburb Of rophenc. There is no longer mar
ket for black African Slaves, 1t was abolished by
the late Sultan and will never again be tolerated.
The Turks still continue to wash with = Orienta!
scrrIpuostvn and to rerite their five times
day with punciliousncss that cannot be surpassed
The mass of the people yet exhibit fidelity and
devotion to their faith that ought to make Chris
tians blush for shame. But the Mosem religion
has lost much of its fire and energy. 1t has abatcd
its fierce intolerance, and now, though 1t still
threatens apostasy with DEATH 1t seldom insults and
never pcrsecues those who have never been the
followers of the Prophet. The upper class of So
cietv are generally ntidels, and conform externally
to the regulations OF the Koran, only from fear Of
the civil law and Of public opinion. The great
body of the people cling to their religion not from
fanaticism, but because 1t Is interviewer with all
their civil and social relations and IS completely
identified with the history OF their country. They
know their creed only in It's broad features Having
no priesthood they receive but little religious instruc
ton. Ignorant Of Arabic, the Koran is to them a
sealed book; it has been translated into Turk
ish because forsooh its only charm consists in its
Arabic jingle, Whch Is as unrahsldtaole INTO any
foreign tongue as the English melody of Hi-diddle-
diddle There is a general impression among Ma
homedans that their religion will soon begin to de-
cline This impression is derived from two tradi-
tional sayings OF the Prophet Ny religion will
first increase and then decrease" and " My religion
will survive thousand years, but not two thous-
and"
few respectable schools have lately been estab-
lished by Government in Con-tantinope and
Smyrna; but no such thing as system Of public
instruction yet exists in the Sultan's dominions.
1t is not among the wants of the people. There is
no inclination to inGuiry-no disposition to learn.
Intellectual vacancy is as precious to the true Mos
lem as physical repose He is perfectly content to
go on believing that the Earth is fiat, and is sus-
hu fur chains trnrnenlnIs Nnlcann.