The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-01-23
SECRETS OF ORIENTAL HAREMs.
Belief That Many English Women Night
BE Found In Them.

Belief That Many English Women Night
BE Found in Them.
Those who have lived in the East in
cline to think that European women
could be found in most of the great
harems if they were searched. Review
ing the circumstances, it seems too
probable. If girls can be entrapped and
spirited out of sight, never to reappear,
by villains who have little money and
no influence at command, Prince of
vast wealth would find it very simple
matter to secure one or dozen. The
thought is painful, but such POSSIBLE
tiles become more probable every day,
as science makes communication easier.
Rejecting men may see another danger
here for the peace of our Indian Empire.
Some ten years ago two CircaSsian
women escaped from harem and took
refuge in the Embassy at Pera. The in
cldent was squashed and put out of
sight as speedily as possible, the Sultan
himself assisting, but the murnur of
excited Indignation which arose in this
country was warning. If one of these
refugees had been English, or even Eu-
ropean, no man can guess the conse-
quences. That there are such in Con-
stantinople is scarcely to be doubted.
But no sound from the harem of the
renana or the purdah of great Oriental
noble reaches open air. In this nine
teenth century, just as in any other
since women were shut up, they remain
at the mercy of their husbands or of a
Jealous head wife, whom perhaps he
dare not punish. 1t is improbable that
dreadful scenes occur in Turkey nova
days; those who have lived there and
observed how strong is public opinion
within its narrow circuit may well in
cline to doubt whether the horrors told
by poets and romances We're ever perpe-
trated. The secrecy of the harem has
limits among Moslems Turkish wo-
men are at least as much inclined to
CAD about as others, and if any special
event occurs in any household it be-
comes subject of gossip over the
neighborhood in the briefest possible
time. The Turks are tender-hearted,
also, to a degree which seems eXagger-
ated to the most compassionate of
Europeans. But the restraining cir
cult of public opinion is inpenetrable to
the Ghiaour. All are leagued to hide a
scandal or a crime from him. And the
Judgment of neighbors, however strong
to repress evil conduct. has no authority
to punish the decd done.
1t is a most unsatisfactory state of
things at best-hardly tenablc in this
age, when women even in Turkey begin
to claim their rights" when our own
correspondent would flash the news by
telegraph over the whole world if a
scandal came to light and legions of
English people will cry Perish India"
if that stands in the way of vengeance
whcna fellow creature has been abused.
Where is that Englishwoman who
nursed Prince Murad in the early times
of his alienation? Comfortable among
her own folks, perhaps, or rich and con-
tent in his dreary palace. But the ques-
ton used to be asked at Pcra, what has
become of those Europeans who used to
dwell with lsmail Pasha unless society
at Cairo was miSinformed? They, also
we may hope, are comfortable or con-
tent. But it would be more satisfactory
to know.
If we may he tolerably confident that
women are not i!l-treated in Turkey,
there is no such assurance in Persia. or
India. or elsewhere in the realms of
polygamy. Regarding India. indeed. it
is rumored that female slaves. at least.
are shamefully abused by some of the
great chiefs and fcudatories. If conf
dental reports Of the political agents
were published terrible cutlery would
follow. There is no need to mention
names: the two worst Offenders have
been removed-that is, we hope they
were the worst; and, we hope again,
their successors are another sort. But
so long as the purdah system remains
there can be no certainty that women
are not maltreated. They have less to
fear from their husbands perhaps than
from inmates of their own sex in q
higher position. Among the innumera-
BILE benefits to be expected from the adj
mission of native ladies to the medical
schools it is not the least, assuredly,
that intelligent witnesses, trained in
our occidental notions of woman'S
rights. will get an opportunity of spying
the secrets of the purdah.-St. James
Gazette.