National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-17
Matiaual &epnblieau.
HAREM LIFE Nv f'URKEY.


Some extraordinary particulars are given n
Madame. Kibrih Mehemet Pscha's book,
''Thirty Years in the Harcn," in regard to tho
private life Of the late Abdul Medjid, Sultan'of
Turkey. She says that the Sultan's harem
gave examples of fhghtful debaucheries. Tho
eaprices and extfavagances Of the Sultanss
ruined the country. In the space of two years
the en.ire seraglio was four times refurnished,
the articles being Of the most expensive quality.
covered with precious stones, and foiloaai by
slaves almost rs magnifcently dressed a. tnea-
mtstresses, these shameless women went sbr.rad
In sumptuous equipages; and, scarcely yeiief.
traversed the city and the bazaars. At night
they called to passers-by from the vindOws in
troduced whom they pleased into the palace.
and sometimes accompanied their fayors with
presents which almost made the fortunes Of
those who received them. It was . case Of per-
petual pillage. The Sultana Valide, the mother
Of the sovereign, surpassed all the others in
prodigality Abdul Medjid would not pay at
tention to any accusation brought against his
women, and he refused them nothing. His fee
BILE character was particularly manifested In
regard to Besme Hanum, who by singular
favor was raised from the position of . slave to
the rank of wife. Tbs Sultan, moreover,
confded to her his eldest boy, whose mother
was dead. Besme In the meantime descended
TO the vilest intrigues with even low servants
OF the palace. She cruelty flltreated the
child, whom she considered an obstacle to her
ambition, since, II she should have any boy Of
her own, he could not reign while the other
lived. Accordingly she did not hesitate to IT.
tempt the poor ehild's life. No one dared to
tell the Sultan Of this outrage, but In the Eask
there exists an indirect method Of telling the
truth to great personages-the method of Ham
let-the comedy of illusions. A devoted ad-
herent of the Sultan had recourse to this
method, and by means Of the shadow drama, 80
common and popular in Turkey, revealed to
Abdul Medjid that he had an adulterous wife,
who was, moreover, purposing the murder Of
his son. The Sultan understood the play,
and discovered all the cruelties which had been
practiced on the little prince. As punish
meut he simply dismissed Besme, and, feeble
even in his vengeance, he let her carry of all
the treasures with which he had formerly
loaded her. As soon as she got out of the
seraglio she continued her infamous conduct,
and finished by marrying Tefk-P acha, one Of
her lovers. This, however, was an outrage
which could not be pardoned; to take the wife
of the representative of Mahomet was nothing
less than sacrilege and treason. At first, how
ever, the Sultan feigned Indifference; he even
offered Besme one of his palaces for q resi-
dence; then, upon futile pretext, he exiled
the pair to Broussa; then, in conformity with
the strange, tortuous, and mysterious policy Of
the Orientals, he pretended to receive Teik
again into favor, and ordered him to come to
Constantinople. There q dose of hemlock
speedily put an end to him. Nobody, however,
suspected the poisoning, and imperial clemency
still spared Besme. When we read this strange
story of manners which in reality put the men
under the domination of degraded creatures,
whom they had expected to make their play
things, we can understand the paradox of Lady
Mary Wortley- Montague, that "the women
only are free in Turkey" But what . liberty!
stolen liberty, so to speak, obtained by end
less articles and incessant lying-whieh, how
ever, are but reprisals for injurious contempt.