New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-04
LETTERS OF AN EXILE. -. No. VI.

LETTERS OF AN EXILE. :. No. vi.
The Spirit Of Observation-Disclosures Of Turkey.
CoNsTANTINoPLE. Friday, Oct. 25
To the Editor Of The Tribune:
After having rapidly sketched the condition of
the different European States, it remains to as to
consider the circumstances wherein the ever
mysterious and wonder-creating East lies at the
present time, and the consequences likely to
arise therefrom in future years AS far as l am
aware neither Mohammedan populations nor
Mabomedan laws have ever been innpn-+i"hy- aud
sagaciously examined Both have served as the
objects of bgoted wrath Of childish philosophy.
cal enthusiasm. Christians have stigmatized the
Eastern Prophet as mailman, sort Of ultra
Episcurean, who founded religion on no other
ground than the full satisfaction of beastly and
excited instincts; an impostor, an ATHEIST, the
embodied spirit of immortality. While sundry
enemies of the Christian faith and of all its con-
sequences, have endeavored to establish shame
full and ridiculous comparison between the Divine
founder Of our religion and the Prophet of the
Ottomans, pretending also to discover in many
points an excellence of the second over the first.
But nobody, / think, ever considered Mohammed
and his precepts in their true light-that is to say
from such stand point as this: What end did
Mohammed propose to himself while connecting
his law and how far did that law answer his
purposes?
If we reflect that Mohammed lived in time
when Chrstendom, having already recoveredfrom
the shock of barbarous inv aston was entering
the slow but uninterrupted period OF its dissou-
ton, through the unfailing influence of the weak
ening and efeminate spirit of the modern age,
and the ever-kindred fire Of discord which set up
Christian Princes and Christian against each
other, we can easily suppose that Mohammed
sought to create warlike nation who should be
strong enough to crush the Christian world, and
to establish upon its ruins an everlasting and
powerful empire. This empire he meant should
be different enough from its Christian foes, never
to mix with them nor to become member Of the
Christian body. All his precepts, his rules, his
laws were therefore directed to one purpose--not
to allow any feelings to take hold Of the hearts of
his believers, but those which should suit the
warrior. He said to them: "Be soldiers or be
nothing. Fathers, husbands, friends, proprietors,
artists, agriculurists merchants, any Of the many
varieties Of the civil man, you must not be- but
fight you must and conquer from the first to the
last day OF your existence. Take no care but for
success in this struggle"
Toward this end Mohammed proceeded d.
rectly, wisely and unfeelingly. To prevent the
formation Of family ties, he lowered women to
the passive and beastly instrument Of mans lust
and shutting them in the precincts Of the harem, he
excluded them from all social intercourse, rs well
as from taking any part in active life. Polygamy
too, he adopted, as destroying the family senti
ment, each brother looking at his brother not only
as stranger, but as a rival and foe Wine he
forbade as inconsistent with the energy Of mind
and body required in warrior, but he allowed
and even recommended the use of other stmu-
lants whose influence less violent but more intense
acted rather upon the mind than upon the body,
and was Of solitary nature. Intoxication by wine
makes man social, while opium and tobacco makes
him Indifferent 10 all around, and teaches him b
be satisfied with the enjoyment Of his own exist
ence. When you behold Turk sitting whole day
upon the bare ground, exposed to the inclcmcncy
OF weather and seasons by the door Of his wretched
abode, hardly covered with rags, uncertain as b
his daily living, in sight Of bis starving wife and
children, and still know that he Is happy in his
cup Of coffee, and his everlasting cbibDuqus. you
feel that such men were reared on purpose In To-
tai Indifference 70 all tho comforts Of material and
the reGnsments Of intellectual lils Tor Rn over.
whelruing spd oil engrossiug purpose and this
purpose in tbs mind of Msbommed. was war and
politicsl say emacy
And vel did bs succeed foi neither the spoisnt
Greeks mr. tbs overriding Romans achieved
half n the wsfliks tfiapybs which rsissd the
M0ssainsos b the high station which for time
they occupied Tbs sucoessms n Mahsmrasd bod
n contend sssihst Pstsis Tsftsfy snd ssl,sr Asis
tit estions Esyptisns Gfssks Sst9isas Balgs,i
sns. Wslsobishs and Msd6yisns, A,msnisns.
Besnisfs Iisegssisbs. Gsnovese sae,iaps. the
Naisbt ef Rhodes, Naples. Spain. France ias
Tmd s9sinst III Ciris.snd,nu without mention.
ing hs snereensfy armies constantly raised
sgsias' them by the Pope They e. tte better ~
tbtse soyefssries The great putP,se ~ Ash.,n.
msd VssrsAihed
The ersssea n the 6sashi s,fefeisns hsa
hofifife n tlre soeis' snd iva MN IN ',4n. NE
bess n 'hen hose wAs hsye scRses9 sbs INST
desirable s>ts ~ persons b-s9e-y M mfrrr
nitnisy - 9eH ~ sAeas n .rs.ice sai wise
f,niN. t.,egAs.~s - "a. g..s..es