Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-11-04
The Turkish Sultah h--1 1His Family
and his Palaces.

cles we have perused in a long time
appeared in the last timber Of the
fKnickerbocker MagazileS The sub
ljedt discussed was the Turkish gov
erhment, and very many facts are re-
lated, which, to our reah hers, will be
matters of interest.
i The present Sultan, Abdul-Mejid,
is in his 29th year, and succeeded
his father in 1889, when but seven
tee n 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 had
several sisters and one brother, all by
other mothers than his own. The
former have since his ac cession died,
with the exception Of on He, who is the
wife Of the present minister Of war.
His brother still liTes, and resides
with the Sultan in his palace. The
mother of the SultAn W as Circas-
sia slave. She still liFes. She is
a large portly lady, yet i'm the prime
of life, and resides v it'll her son, over
whom she exercises greht influence.
In person the Sultan is of middle
stature, slender, and Of delicate
frame. His address, when unre-
strained by official forms and ceremo-
my, is gentle and kind to the ex-
treme-more affab he ahd engaging
than that of his Pachas5 and no one
can approach him Eithopt being won
by the goodness Of hed rt, which his
demeanor indie Gates. He has never
been known to commit an act Of Sc
verify or injustice; his purse and his
hand have always been open for the
INDECENT and unfo ortunAte, and he
takes peculiar pride In bestowing
his honors upon men of science and
talent. Among hi ow4 subjects he
is very popular an d m peh beloved;
they perceive and acknowledge the
benefit of the reforms which he has
instituted, and he need no longer ap-
lprehend any opposition pn their part.
In some of the more distant portions
of his empire, such as a Albania, where
perhaps foreign infuene eeis exerted
to thwart his plans, bis new system
! Of military rule has not yet been
carried out. but it evide ntly soon will
be, especially when its advantage over
the old is felt by the inhabitants.
The palaces of the Sultan, on both
banks Of the Bosphorus, though ex-
ternally snowy, an e very plain and
/ simple in their int erior arrangement.
They are surrouna aed by high walls
and guarded by soldiery. The fist
block of buildings which the traveller
approaches on visiting them, up the
Bosphorus, are the apartments OF the
Eeunuchs. the second his harem, or
female apartments, and the third
those of the Sultan. Beyond these
/ are the offices pf his secretaries,
guard and band of music, all beyond
the walls of the palace. The num-
Der ofeunuchs is sol me sixty or eighty,
and the females in the harem are
about three to fol nr hundred, The
Sultan never marries; all the occu-
pants of his haren are slaves, and he
generally selects from four to SIX Ia
dies us his fayorite es Who bear chill
dren to him, and who succeed to bis
throne. The renlainde of the fe'
males are employeh ! asFmaids of hon
or, who attend upon his mother, hi;
) favorites, his brother favcrtes, i
he have one, and upon his children
1 Many hold offices in the palace, anf
are charged with the maintenance
of good order and regularity. Many
Of them are aged females who have
: been Sc eryants to bis father, his moth
er and sister, and brother, and have
thus claims upon his kindness anf
protection. The only males VIII
have the right Of entrance to th'
imperial harem are the eunuchs, al
Of whom are black. The chief 0
| their corps is an al aged gentleman Q
. COLOR possessing the Sultan conn
ldence in an emine mt degree, and il
official rank is igher than any indi
v;dr,al connected with the imperia
& lnalace. The eunuc chs are assigned t
the service of the different ladies 0
the harem, to their shopping IN tn
; bazaars. carry their messages, and ac
company them on their visits. In
deed their duties are much like thos
,iof well-bred gallants in our country