Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-04
An.I-.In non.,nnrinnnln.

A correspondent Of the Philadelphia EVeh-
ins Bulletin writes in a late letter from Com
stantinople falm sIilrUaH 7dioo
Washington's birthday was duly observed
by the Americans In Stamboul, all Of whom
called on our Minister. BY the way he Is
the only Southerner and Shareholder among
strong body of Northerners out herej his
friends must consider him, in these perilous
times, as q "lamb in the midst of wolves" l.i
Mr.. Williams has just returned from tour
in Syria and Egypt, whore his family now
are. 'sU 1'm ...' f'.H
The state of the former country is none Of
the happiest. "A large party of Americans
were plundered, few weeks since, on their
return from the Jordan, and were stripped of
every thing; the entreatiesand remOnstrances
Of their guides, however, finally induced the
robbers to restore part of the property. Some
English travellers, Notwithstanding they were
under the protection of guard, were de-
tanned and insulted by another band, until
they had satisfied their exorbitant demands.
In Stamboul horrible murder was COM
mitted last week, a Turkish Basha having
been stabbed to death by tobacconist, who
was an ex-servant of his. The assassin was
arrested, as also the wife of the Basha, sus-
picious circumstances leading to the belief
that she had been intriguing with the tobac-
conist. The case is being tried in the Turk
ish tribunals. 'h
As regards political news-the Govern
ment, ever since the rebellion, has been la
boring to diminish the number of softds or
theological students, connected with the in
Vulnerable mosques in the city. As they are
not obliged to study either Hebrew or Greek,
time weighs heavily upon their morals, and
from the eagerness with which they mix up
with or start the yearly rebellions in the city,
| it is supposed that Watts had them in mind
when he so justly observed that
| M "satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do" M .t... .r.
The theological professors have been in
formed by his Majesty that their salaries will
| continue the same as ever; but whereas they
| formerly had four hundred students, they can
now have but four, the remaining hundreds
being set to till the ground, tend the sheer
and guard caravans their dangerous power
thus being broken. Inthe reign of Mahmoud
the predecessor of the present Sultan, som'
reforms were attempted among this class o
| men; but the Softas and Imaums getting winC
| of il, determined, if possible, to prevent it
| Accordingly the next time the Sultan visited
| his fathers mausoleum, he was startled by {
| voice, which, issuing from the tomb, shrieket
in tones of the greatest agony: II burn,
burnr The Sultan, alarmed, consulted tn,
Shekhel Islam, or head of the priesthood, ant
was told that it was the spirit of his torturet
father imploring and demonstrating with hin
against SO sacrilegious an innovation as h
was proposing in the holy body of the Sofas
But the Sultan suspecting from this som
trick, took the precaution of doubling hi
guard on his next visit to the mausoleum
On hearing the same voice as before, he or
dered the tomb to be searched. subterra
mean apartment was found underneath it il
which was concealed Sofia. The spirit
was instantly decapitated. s