American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-01
DEPOSING A SULTAN.
How Prince Murad ". was Proclaimed
Sultan--A Dramatic Scene In the Pal
ace--Change of Rulers without Blood

How Prince Murad v. was Proclaimed
| Sultan--A Dramatic Scene In the Pal
ace--Change of Rulers without Blood
| shed.
| From the London Telegraph
| CONsTANTINoPLE, June lon Tues.
day morning the inhabitants of this
city and its environs awoke at the un-
| expected sound of cannon, and soon
heard with astonishment the public
criers announcing:
"Prince Murad v. is proclaimed Sui
tan of the Ottomans, and Sultan Abdul
Aziz is deposed. May the Almighty
load with benefits the former and for
give the faults of the latter. Amen -
After the late demonstration of the
Turkish clergy on May IL, and the over
throw of Mahmoud Pasha and his Min
istry, it was rumored that second
more serious demonstration was to take
place against Sultan Abdul Aziz. AS
on the day appointed nothing took
place, but it was announced that the
clergy had signed a memorandum
thanking the Sultan upon his comply
ing with their wishes in removing the
obnoxious Ministry, as well as for the
care he took in improving the arma-
ments of the country, every thing
seemed to relapse into the old routine.
However, it was not to be so. Mehmet
Rushdi Pasha, Grand Vizier, aided by
Mithad Pasha, Minister without Port
folio; Hussein Avni Pasha, Minister of
War; and Hairoullah Effendi, Sheik-ul-
Islam, planned and carried out the most
daring and vigorous scheme ever un-
dertaken by a Turkish Ministry.
On Monday evening the Sultan, per-
ceiving a transport steaming down the
Bosphorus loaded with troops, immedi-
ately sent for the Minister of War, and
inquired if these soldiers were destined
for Bulgaria OR Herzegovina. Hussein
Avni, hearing this, suspected that the
palace was informed of their plot, and
went Immediately to the residence of
the Grand Vizier, where, about midnight,
they resolved to put their project
which was to have taken place the next
day at noon-into execution at once.
They went to the Ministry of War,
where, after short elaboration, it was
decided that the Palace of the Dolma
Bagtche should be surrounded both by
land and sea, the Minister of Marine re-
ceiving the necessary orders to be on
board the flagship of the fleet, drawn up
before the palace, and to have all the
boats manned and armed, while Gen.
Redif Pasha, at the head of three bat
talions of infantry and few batteries,
formed military Gordon, with strict
not to let any body pass
either way, be it the Sultan himself;
and, as further precaution, pickets of
soldiers were placed at all the outlets
and at all the telegraphic stations in
and around Constantinople, commune
cations being entirely suspended for
twelve hours.
ASTONISHING THE PRINCE.
These arrangements being made,
Hussein Avni Pasha undertook to bring
Murad Effendi from the palace, where
he occupied apartments adjoining those
of the Sultan. Hussein Avni Pasha, in
plain clothes, then penetrated into the
apartments of the Prince, conducted by
a young and devoted Circassian SER
want. He awoke his master, who was
very much astonished that he should be
wanted at such a time, and rather
not knowing what fate might
be awaiting him. His fears were soon
dispelled when Hussein Avni told him
that he was elected monarch by the ma
ton. The Prince dressed in a hurry,
and left the palace with the Pasha. A
five-oared caique was waiting for them.
Crossing the Golden Horn, they disem-
barked and drove off to the Seraskerat,
where the Prince was received by the
Grand Vizier, Mithad Pasha, the Cherif
Abdul Matleb Hairoullah Effendi, the
clergy, the officers of the army and 9TH
er functionaries. Here took place the
solemn recognition of Sultan Murad ",
proclaimed Emperor of the Ottoman
Empire, the Sheik-ul-Islam and the
Cherif Abdul Matleb pronouncing the
usual prayers.
While these things were going on at
the Seraskerat, the following took place
at Dolma Bagtche: As soon as the
solemn proclamation was over, Sultan
V. issued his first order, which
was communicated to Hussein Avni,
who forwarded it to Redif Pasha, COM
of the troops outside the Palace,
with directions to inform Sultan Abdul
Aziz that, according to a clause in the
Koran, he was unanimously and legally
deposed for not fulfilling his duties to
his country and to his subjects in gen.
eral; to hand him the decree duly sign
ed by all the high functionaries and to
tell him, at the same time, that the
Palace of Top Capon was fixed as his
residence for the present, to which he
was to repair at once.
Gen. Redif Pasha Immediately intro
duced himself into the Palace. 1t was
about daybreak; every body was asleep,
and quite unconscious of what was go
ing on outside, it being only a few hours
since the Sultan had retired, having, as
usual, sat up late to see Turkish
acted in the Palace. The GEN
eral ordered two negro servants to in
form his Majesty of his mission. They
received this mandate with derision, but
their laughter soon ceased when Redif
showed them that the Palace was sur
rounded both by land and water. They
told the Sultan that some one wished to
see him on important business, when he