The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-19


place no faith in the stability T government
based upon slavery as principle, and North
ern men would continue, as hithevto, to act as
the factors of Southern products, growing rich
on the profits ola trade which neither force nor
the schemes of Southern financicrs can divert
from them.
The COMMENCEMENT OF A New ERA IN TURK
ISL HIsToRY.-With the death Of Abd-ul-Medjid
a new era in Turkish history has been inaugu-
rated. His successor has already instituted re-
forms of the most potent character, and under
his government the prospect Of restoring the
fortunes of bankrupt empire at last becomes
visible. The Sultan, we are informed, has dis
missed his seraglio, and retains only one wife,
and, rs further measure Of economy, has Or
dered the late Sultan's jewels and ornaments to
be sold to pay his liabilities, which it is expect
ed they will fully liquidate To those who know
how much the doctrine of the plurality of
wives was incorporated in the religion Of
Mahomet, this Reputation of all but one wife is
an event Of unprecedented Importance, and as
gratifying to the sense of Western nations as il
promises to be beneficial to Turkey.
That polygamy is barbarous is evident from its
being common to all savage nations, and every
where degrading, The Hebrews, in adopting it
as an element of their religion, embarked upona
false principle, and one repuynant to the high
est form Of civilization. In this, therefore,
they contrast dsadvantageously with the
Greeks and Romans, who discountenanced the
practice. The Hebrews, from the time of Azor
or Eber, the reputed father of Ell Khalil-Allah,
or Abraham, to the birth Of Christ, period of
nearly two centuries and half, were polyga-
mists. But from that time for six hundred
years, when the establishment of Mahometan-
ism tsSk place, Christianity, improving upon
the past allowed to one man only one wife,
After that, however, the age degenerated and
fnonogamy was abolished, although law limit
ing the number of wives allowed to one man
pGsvehted polygamy from being carried to ex-
cess. BY the Koran no man was allowed more than
four wives, but no check was imposed upon the
keeping Of concubines. This custom has there
fore, lasted for more than twelve hundred years
without interrupt n, previous to the present
time: ~ssA ,.ss g. j. ~ 49,
Religion in the East has always been lie
| chief element of government. The nationality
of the people lay in their dogmas, and even In
| their wars they fought with book in one hand
and a sword in the other, determined, if posi-
BILE, at once to conquer and to proselytize.
Such, therefore, being the vital character of
their faith, any change in the component ele-
ments of that faith is significant. From the time
| of Mahomet polygamy has been one of the chief
and most firmly engrafted features of Is
lamism, and the late Sultan was one of
] its most devoted slaves. But his successor,
Aziz Medjd, is evidently man of very
| different calibre. He has likely studied
| long in the obscurity to which he has been
hitherto consigned, and been preparing himself
for his accession to power. His late brother
| was gentle to fault but devoid of ener-
gy of character, and extravagant and SEN
sual to degree that reduced the empire to in
solvency and consigned himself to an early
death. He was not the man to hold the reins of
empire in the midst Of difficulties that were
daily growing worse and more complicated
But alarmingly portentous as was the aspect
of Turkish affairs prior to the decease Of
Abd-ul-Meaiid, they are now rapidly assuming
a more promising character. 1t is not alone in
the harem and the household that the reforms
of the new Sultan are visible. They extend to
the departments where the hand Of retrench-
ment has been busy on all sides. Among others
we hear of the dismissal of Hassib Pacha, minis
ter of the civil list, and more than once impli-
Gated in jobbery. These sweeping measures
cannot fail to so for increase the income and de-
crease the expenditure of the Ottoman govern
ment as to enable it with careful management
to recuperate its strength sufficiently to keep
its own affairs in order, and thereby prevent
the encroachments of France and Russia whose
designs on Turkey have long been obvious to
the world. Above all, these reforms will give
to the Sublime Porte a moral influence to which
it was before stranger; and, though sultanas
may deplore the change, Christianity and civili-
cation have cause to rejoice over such salutary
innovations.
SOUTHERN GULLTBILITY.-The extraordinary
statements which are/put forth in Southern pa
pers in regard to our troops would lead to the
conclusion that their conductors have become
so crazed with the excitement of the war that all
their faculties have become obscured by it.
Take the following from the Savannah Republi-
can as the latest and funniest example,
HoRRIBLE HoRRImE HoRRBIE!-We learn upon good
authority that gentleman from Petersburg, now in this
city, and who, previous to the present difficulties was
resident Of Alexandria, received letter from highly
esteemed lady of the last named city, in which the state
men given that she applied to for food by Off
Ger OF the federal army, shortly after the skrmsh
Vienna who represented that he neither rest nor
food for number Of days and nights past having been
very busy engaged during that time In reply TO in
quiry from the lady as to what could have engaged him
earnestly, he stated that he had been burying the
dead, Eand )" he added ~ distressed to state
dam that have been burying the living, Also What
picture here presented to isl Only think Of the gather
ing the unfortunate wounded and their consignment
to the grave with their consciousness stl remaining!
Horrible ate They were In the way and must be dis