Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-12-05
Turkey and Utah.

The French Countess, who, under the nom
de ruerre of Madame Audouard, is ecturing
in New York, last week gave her views of
Utah and Turkey. She is evidently enamored
n the Turks. They are no longer the fanatic
and intolcrant wretches they once were. Po-
6ically, they approach nearer than any other
Religious liberty is greater there than any
where elso tho taxes are the fghtest in the
world Judges are elective and serve without
nav the whole population, without regard to
caste or origin, has access to public employ
ments, and absolute equality exists before the
law This is certainly in many respects ahead
Of the Radicals. But the fair lecture rsdmits
there are in practice some slight drawbacks
TheG0vernment was founded on the Patriarchal
principle, and great deal of discretion is ne
cessarily left to men In executing the laws
When there is good ruler, the laws are ad-
ministered for the good of the people, but, when
the ruler is a bad man, the people may be ter
riby oppressed This is neither more nor
less than the Old tale, that good autocrat
makes the best of governments, and bad one
very uncomfortable people. Since the failure
of self government In this country, we, like all
the rest of the world, are dependent on chance
for good or bad Government We see eviden-
ees Of this daily in the universal anxiety with
which our military commander is watched. Will
he do this or that? is now the question-not
whether good or bad laws will be enacted. We
could not even elect an officer of railroad In
the distant province Of Virginia without hav-
ing reference to his supposed wishes, and ehoos-
ing cOnnexion on the alleged ground that he
might exert some influence on the Commander
of the Legions. We make no complaint-it is
in the natural course of things, and may be all
for the best. We merely note the fact to mark
the progress otour translation in political space.
As to Turkish polygamy, we have been under
as great misapprehenslon respecting that as IN
regard to Turkish despotiSm. A Turk does
not really possess more than one wife at q time,
who has legal right to coDjugal immunities.
He may be the husband or owner OF a whole
harem of women , but they are not his wives
ina legal sense. she may marry second
wife when he ceases to love, the first but
this one tfyeh becomes widow. and she is
entitled to receive back her dover" This
repayment Of dover operates practically as q
great barrier to divorces HE may have
great wish to change his wife but when he
looks close and counts the cost he is apt to
pause"
But among the Mormons the case is differ
eut. A man may have many wives at the same
time, and be the father of many cotemporane-
Gus families. But, in fact, most of them have
only three, having a great partiality for that
number (the trinity, and their iavors are dis
tributed with scrupulous impartiality. Brigham
Young alone has seventeen wives. His son
has three-two young and jolly, and the third
ar s retOur. The two young ones were aston
shed and scandalized when Madame Audouard
asked them if their elder associate was not ne
elected somewhat. "She (they said) was his
wife as much as they were, and entitled to
exactly the same attentions. Very philoso-
phic, no doubt, thinks Madame Audouard, out
not to be conceived of, except in an abnormal
state OF humanity.
Madame Audouard prefers the Turkish to
the Mormon system. She Turks have warm
hearts (she says) they know love, and can live
omit; they know jealousy, and can die Oft.
There is nothing OF this sort with the Mormons.
They are cold and impossible, whom no beauty
can move, no grace charm, no enjoyment lntoxl-
cate love in triangle is for them the spirit
aal ideal of the communion of souls. They may
happy, but it is the happiness of wolves or
seals Of the Polar seas.
Madame Audouard thinks polygamy is pas
sing away-that of Turkey is almost gone
and that Of Utah is only maintained by It's
geographic isolation. But she does not seem
70 think that matrimony Of any sort will last
very long, even it it exists now in anything,
out conventional form-''a relic OF Christi
aalty, as polygamy is relic of Mahomedanism
-R'ch. Wing.