Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-11-17
Turkish Slavery.

condition of the oppressed classes of the Turk
ish Empire. During his stay at Constantinoplc,
he had good opportunity of Judging of the true
state of things and will scarcely be suspected,
by those acquainted with his character, of at
tempting to make Turkish oppression appear
less odious than it really is.
The Lieutenant seems to lament earnestly
that these barbarous Turks cannot be induced
to embrace Christianity-mcaning, of course,
the religion of the United States a religion
that s~anctifes a system of slavery far more
wicked and terrible than ever was tolerated by
Mahomcdan Turkey, and surprising beyond all
comparison the worst form of oppression now
tolerated in that country.
A Mr.. Davis, n South Carolinian, it seems
from Lieutenant Lynch's account, some years
ago took up his abode at Constantinoplc, VIC
suppose to show these half-civilized Mahomc-
dams the beauties of American religion. lie
took with him, of course, a number of the vic
tins of the "pcculiar institution" of Christian
America! Mr.. Lynch thus speaks of him:
Mr.. Davis has brought some of his own
slaves from the United States, who are best ac-
quaintcd with tho cotton culture. So far from
being a mere transition of slavery from ono
country to another, the very act of removal is a
guarantee of emancipation to the slave. BY a
law of the Ottoman Empire, no man 4riHin its
limits can be held in slavery for n period exceed
ing seven years. Should the culture of the cot
compliant succeed in this country, many, very
many thousands of additional hands will be re-
quircd. In that event, the Ottoman Empire
will present a most eligible field for the amelio-
ration Of the free negro in our own country.
In Turkey every colorcd person employed
by the Government receives monthly wages;
and, if n slave, is enidncipated at the end Of Seren
years, when he becomes eligible to any office be-
meath the Government. Many of the high dig
nitarics Of the Empire were formerly slaves
the present Governor of the Dardanclles is q
black man, and was, a short time since, freed
from servitude. There is here no prejudice found
cd on distinction OF color. The avenues OF pref
erment arc open to all, and he who is most
skillful, accomplished and pcrsevcring, be his
complexion ruddy brown or black, is most GER
tain of success"
Indeed! and even our free colorcd people
would be immensely the gamers by going to
dwell with the "barbarous Turk" rather than
remain in a " Christian land"-one, too, which
has declared before high Heaven that all mon
are brothers, and that Processes to be a model
for the nations, and to furnish an asylum for
the oppressed of other lands No one will
doubt, however, in Wow Of what follows, the
correctness of the Lioutcnant's conclusions:
With us it is manifest that the distinctive
character of the Israclitc docs not so ettcctually
cut him off.lrom a full assimilation with the hui
man family, as docs the prejudice arising from
distinction of color separate the Anglo-SaXon
from the African. No matter whether this
prejudice be implanted for wise and holy pur-
poses, or whether it is the curse OF the age. 1t
- &C. oyo lnoylN- ,,lanta1 an1 hn IL n
shallow observer of man, blind and bigoted,
who will overlook or dcspise this pcrvading and
r~esistlcss feeling, originate where it may"
"No matter whether American prejudice is
implanted for wise and holy purposes, or whcth-
or it is the curse of the age! This is rather
cool. 1t is true, however, that it is of no con-
sequence to the American people whether this
hateful prejudice be a virtue or a crime; as the
Government and the people have always shown
themselves, in their treatment of the black man,
to be indifferent to the dictates of justice OF hon
or, and determined, regardless of right or wrong,
to crush and imbrute the Colored population.
In speaking of the Slave Market of Constan-
tinople, Lieut.. Lynch says:
1t is said, but untruly, that the slave mar
ket of Constantinople has been abolished. An
edict, it is true, was some years since promulga-
ted, which declared the purchase and sale of
slaves to be unlawful. The prohibition, how
ever, is only operative against the Franks, I'M
der which term the Greeks are included. White
male slave arc purchased for adopted sons, and
female ones for wives or adopted daughters
Nubians are bought as slaves to serve the allot-
ted term (seyen years).
1.-THE female slaves, bought for servitude, are
subject to the wife and not to the husband. He
has no property in them, but is bound to pro-
toct and aid them in their settlements The
males rise, in condition, with their masters !:
several pashas have been bondmen, and Seras-
kicr Pasha was once a Georgian slave.
Freedom on our SOIL" says the narrative,
"to them (thc free colorcd pcople,) carries no
healing on its wings and liberty, that blesses
all besides, has no blessings for them"
And why docs American freedom carry no
healing on its wings to this class of our people :
Simply because there is no true freedom in this
country, however its people may boast of their
glorious liberty. That nation alone is free
which holds mans rights sacred, which protects
the rights of all its people, not because of their
lineage, or color, or wealth, but because of their
equal humanity.
Lieut.. Lynch seems to have, like all coloni-
zationists, great sympathy with the free color
cd people of this country. 1t is the free colorcd
man whom he supposcs would be so vastly i'm
proved in his condition by being driven to dwell
in a land where Christianity is not known or
regarded. Why it did not occur to him that
the slave might also be benefited by being pla-
eel beyond the influence of American Christian
ity, docs not appear from his narrative.
Some have limited that the object of the Gov
ernment in sending the expedition to the Dead
Sea must have been, that Sodom and Gomor-
rah should, if possible, be fishcd up from be-
meath its bitter waters, and annexed to the Uni
ted Statcsl The Lieutenant's statement, at the
commencement of the narrative, that he ''propo-