New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-22
AN ASIATIC ROMANCE AND ITS CONSE-
QUENCES.


B.xGEoE 10 Sisrn.
Shortly sf.er my arrival s, Bangkok, in sam, the
First Krg desired TO me in pnya,e ct his saloon,
rear the syisry. proceeded 10 the evening OF the
,nr.inted cav 70 the Grand Palace az the royal resi-
csi re is called, ard found the King walking up and
down before The saloon, surrounded by SIX OF his
yourees, children FIVE lovely girls of from three 70
eight yesr Of age, the sixth strong BOY seven
months DID, who not quite firm ss yet or his iegs was
carried IN the arms Of servant thought there Was
something quite novel and interesting in seeing sn
Eastern monarch, in heu OF courty attendants sur
rounded by his children. did not notice much differ
euee IN tier attire If compared witn that OF the
Ssnese children Of less exalted rank-out they pos
sessed 50 much loneliness they showed suca nice man
rers that in this regard they were greatly dtngnsneu
frc the children bad previously seen. The oveiest
among them WAS Princess SOmaws'y, shout sr
years old. TIE King Informed me that her name was
q contraction Of SOuGpass WadhsnaWG'v, thS OK the
late Queen who hsd adopted the child although her
mother Chsuchom J.arg, was still alive. nus IL
custom by DO means uncommon IN siam, aud Is FOL
lowed by the higher as well a. the lower classes
Darkness setting in, the King desired me TO follow
him 10 bis private apartments. over the entrance
wss written IN Epgiish Royal Pleasure, under
which words there was line OF Ssnscrit characters
.ign yirg the same, as his Majesty sssared me- Here
refresh m-nts served, the children being present
and before left the saloon Princess Somawaty and
my self we're great friends. During the numerous
visits which have snce paid TO the hing, mutual
pleasure seemed 10 exist on the part OF the young
Prices and my sef TO meet agsin-and the King VINO
much atfsched to her, Is apparently peaseo WIN
nv attention 10 the child. .
The Court Of sam is famed for is festivities its
PROFESSIONS and pageantrie. The king invited Mr.
ard Mrs. NJ and myself TO witness the grand procession
Of the Tecp chng-cha proptia'ory feast f< the sue
cess Of the rice crop. The Queens dancing slrs ana
some of the Youngest and hsndsomes OF the inmates OF
the royal harem, dressed on that occasion IN oiack
ve.ve TUNES orusmented " tn gold lace, accompanied
the procession on rchlycaparlsoued horses on wnlch
thew "a. astIide. Among them was one who, IKE
uaby Others in the group wss young and pretty put
she attracted principally my attention by the de1ery
with which she managed her horse, rather restVe 80
that | could not help making some observations In
prase Of her workmanship 10 my companions thinking
no further about it. Nevertheless, my remarks, wnich
were made in English, had been overheard by one OF
the courters who by order OF the hing was present
the balcony 10 attend TO U.s. who a, lssrned after
ward understood that language and were reported oy
him to the young lady.
Abou. moth since message was brought TO me,
nominally from Princess Somawaty imploring my IN
with the King for the life OF her aunt Chom
Tor Lady Choi, the dsmse, was reminded oy inc
messenger whose hcrsemsnshp had admired on the
occasion Of the procession ust related IL seems she
was TO fall victim 10 court intrigue. Choi was the
Youngest but enc Of six sisters, the daughters OF
high and influential nobeman, who according 10 SIAM
ese CUSTOM had presented these pretty blossoms 10 tue
King. when they we're yet quite young, IN order TO be
brought up in the royal harem. Somawstys mother
was one OF the sisters consequently the Princess was
the niece of Lady Cho. Among the SIamese persons
young uobleman, msrried-moreover, IN possession Oh
= harem His attention and open admiration OF her
charms seem 10 have battered Lady Chol. oIlma'e-
w. presents were passed between her aud her admrer
but curlng the sad trial that followed II wss proven
that no further guilt had been perpetraed The most
astounding fact IT, however that the prIncips vile OF
the nobleman was the go-betwsen, VINO encouraged
her husbands illicit love ard became the carrier Oh
messages and presents 10 Cho. One OF the hing
corcu6nes had long been eslou, of the Influence OF
Choi and her sisters over the king-and, however
strange il seems just the youngest oil them VINO
produced the catastrophe. On the couch oil Lady
Choi she finds slip OF paper IN her SISTER % n,
ing upon which is v ritten g icW go 70, or should
IKE 10 40 to- the aviary" or words TO that effect
without bearing particular address for whom was
intended The girl reads it out aloud the dame, Jeal-
ous of Cho seizes il with eagerness and pronounce,
il 10 be an appointment for Chois admirer, Judges
thereom her ntdelity to the King and makes the aus
covery public. The news runs like wildhrs through
the haren and comes to the Kings The accused
are forthwith impnsoned including the VIE OF the
young noblemaD.
The King is not allowed 10 decide in such matters
bimself lie has TO commit the Investigations TO
proper tribunal consisting Of mobiles and dlgn,anes,
who form a. il we're a court of inquiry or jury. The
result Of these Investigations lie then placed before tue
Supreme Council, which DEGREES the punishment 10 De
inflicted upon the guilty. The King has, however,
the right either to revoke that sentence to substitutes
mider one or to pardon the accused altogether IL
resulted from the Investigations Of the lower tribunal
that the husband and his wife were guilty OF the 10,
trgue but there proof whatever that Choi hai
crmins,.d herself beyond great imprudence Never
theess herse her pretended lover aud ms VIE, were
sentenced to an ignomnious DEATH
This eenteuce having been given, IL was then that,
in the name of Princess Somawaty, was Appealed 10
Tor LteTcessOD 10 save her aunts lie. Addressed the
King must say without hope for success. wrote
10 him that every religion teaches forgiveness tA
was aware the sacred books Of Buddhism contained
this heavenly precept and a. had proofs IN other IN
stances that he mad granted forgiveness and listened 20
my suggestions emplOred him not TO view the trans
erosion committed in this instance IN sn orenta man
rer but with the feelings that the offspring OF re-
lgion and of a noble mind 1 limited at Lady Chols
youth and that far a. / had learnt she could only
he accused Of imprudepce and the VANITY OF 7eehg
herself admired 1 awaited the Kings answer under
suspense be replied the day after ne received my letter
il dated the lth Of June. was delighted TO see that
he had listened TO my in ercesslon. Inc hlnys etter
contains many noble sentiment. lie depioIes tue
custom Of polygamy, and acknowledges ina, ieahs
10 many ey1s Still he says " II was followed BY
the soveregus ard peoples OF Siam ~ far a. history
goes. lie does not deny that 1t esd. 10 breaches
that trust of fidelity which the lord OF the harem e1
poets from it, inmates hence the law has provided Tor
a due punishment Of the transgressof- Bot, u a
crime Of that sscrpton occurs 10 the hserns Of the
Kings il becomes by the Sianese law the grestest
and ysste.t guilt against royalty. FOR there are
" many plOofs written in Sismese history, where ID
stance Of the roy al blood having been mlxea Wild
that Of lower class il generally resulted in rebel
" lion or assassination Of tho nghtul sovereign Inc
Ia;ioI feeling interes ted IL the legitimate Succession
81 II their monarchs the laws decree that any rans-
eres.ion that ght lead 10 the contrary should be
punished in the seyerest manner Judging from
the conteLts II the Kings letter he himself did NOT
seem 10 consider CLom Choi guilty a. her enemies
wished 10 make her; although Inc nalveiy observes
Won cannot cal her yong, e. you do, for she is
nineteen years Of age however che shalt not suffer
% death-she and Ot.er rOlnsR Will DO saved IRON
" criaiua Death bot her imprisonment for long life,
or long time, according 10 my pleasure L yet
" inevitable.
Although there was uo direct assurance That 81 par,
ties coLoerned r the nr que were 70 be pard0nsd di
%. think j. could be other wire. regret 10 say thf
was istaken tie tiibuna charged WITH the ihVsstga
Il. L a. n ~