Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-07-24
The Turkish Suitnn-HEis Family
and his Palaces.

The Turkish Sultan, Abdul Mcjid, is in
his twenty-ninth year, and succeeded his
father in 1889, when but seventeen years
of age. Previous to his accession to the
throne, but little was known Of his life, or
the way in which he was brought up
He has several sisters and one brother, all
by other mothers than his own. The for
mer have since his accession died, with the
exception Of one, who is wife ofthe pres
cnt Minister Of War His brother still
lives, and resides with the Sultan in his
palacc The mother of the Sultan was
Circassian slave. She still lives. She is
large, portly lady, yet in the prime Of
life, and resides with her son, over whom
she exercises great influence. In person
the Sultan is of middle stature, slender,
and Of delicate frame. His address,
when unrestrained by official forms and
ceremony, is gentle and kind in the cx-
treme-more afiabIe and engaging than
that of his Pachas; and no one canapproach
him without being won by the goodness
Of heart which his demcanor indicates -
He has never been known to commit an
act Of severity or injustice; his purse and
his hand have always been open for the
INDECENT and unfortunate, and he takes a
peculiar pride in bestowing his honors up
or men Of science and talent. Among his
own subjects he is very popular and
much beloved; they perceive and acknowl-
edge the benefit Of the rcformcrs which he
has instituted, and he no longer need ap-
prehend any opposition on their part. Ia
some Of the more distant portions of his
empire, such as Albania, where perhaps
foreign influence is excrtcd to thwart bis
plans, his new system Of military rule
has not yet been carried out: but it cvi-
dently soon will be, especially when its
advantage over the old is felt by the lnhab-
itants,
The palaces Of the Sultan, on both
banks of the Bosphorus, though externally
snowy, are very plain and simple in their
interior arrangement. They are surround.
ed by high walls and guarded by soldiery.
The first block ofbuildings which the trav-
eller approaches on visiting them, up the
Bosphorus, are the apartments of the Gu
nuchs, the second his harem, or female a.
partments, and the third, those Of the Sui
tan. Beyond these are the Offices Of his
secretaries, guard, and band Of music, MI
beyond the walls oi the palace. The
number Of eunuchs is some sixt or eightyy;
and the females in the harem are about
three to four hundred. The Sultan never
marries; all the occupants Of his harem are
slaves, and he generally selects from four
to six ladies as lis fayorites, who bear chill
drcn to him, and who succeed to his
throne The remainder ufthc females are
employed as maids Of honor, who attend
upon his mother, his favorites, his brothers
mothers favoriies, if he have one, and up.
on bis children. Many hold Offices in the
palace, and are charged with the main
tenance Of good order and regularity
Many ofthcm are aged females, who have
been servants to his father, his mother; and
sister and brother, and have thus claims
upon his kindness and protection. The
only males who have the night Of entrance
to the imperial harem are the eunuchs, all
of whom are black. The chief Of their
corps is an aged gentleman OF color pos.
sessing the Sultan's confidence in an emf
incnt degree, and in official rank is higher
than any other indivual connected with the
imperial palace. The eunuchs are as
signed to the service Of the different ladies
Of the harcm, do their shopping in the haz-
zars, carry their messages, and accompany
them on their visits. Indeed, their duties
are much like those of wcll-bred gallants
in our country, without any Of the ambi-
tious feelings which animate the latter; and
certainly they neveraspire to the possession
Of their affectians Some of them grow
wealthy, possess much property, and
slaves Of both sexes, but as they can have
no females, the Sultan is their legal heir
Eunnchs are possessed by many Of the
Pachas and other officers Of rank, for the
purpose Of serving their wives, sisters and
daughters they cost four or five tiHrs as
much as an ordinary black slave, and .he
highest officers seldom possess more than
ten of them at once.
The Sultan's palace is peculiarly his
private home, and no officers ofhigh rank
occupy it with him. He has four private
secretaries andas many chamhcrlains.-
He has also two nids-dc-camp, who arc
generally in command Of the body guard,
wlich has Its quarters in the vicinity ~
the palace Ho seldom, however. com
nfands their attcndancc.thctr dunes arc to