The examiner., 1882-03-25
THE SULTAN.
Turkeys Ruler as Seen by ConeresSmau
 Sunset Cox.


 The following letter of s. S Cox to the New York Sum con tains the writer's impressions of the Oriental monarch who rules in the Oc cident:
 They are truly mgthetic, and crusted with diamonds. We long to carry one home-not for the gems, oh, moi but for the artistic beauty. No sooner does the surreptitious thought enter the mind than the servants gather them up, We form in line behind the minister and under escort proceed up the stair case to the audience chamber. We pass up bttWeen soldiers, fine large Circassians, in their native array, who look at us impassively. Atrlcon eunuchs, in strange contrast with the Circassians, in rich attire, stand like statues upon the steps. Officers with side arms and soldiers with r'fles are in waiting. We halt a moment at the head of the stairs, and looking with in through large chamber, perceive in the grand salon before us we'll made man of medium size and serene almost melancholy aspect. He stands alone. He wears blue uniform, or frcck coat with the inevitable fez. He holds a sword-hardly a cimeter, though it curves-ot golden sheath and jeweled hilt. It rests upon his patent leather shoes. Arice sash is over his shoulder. It is green, for green is the Moham- medan color. It is the symbol, I SUD- pose. of the growing, fadeless Celi- phete. We approach in due order, gal lanted by the ministers, and make a formal bow. Our suite form crescent around the sultan. with Major General WalIae with his two stars in the con- cave. Next to him on the left is Assim Pasha, and on the right the inter- preter, his hat still secure. After sev- eral rather elaborate bows from the sul ans officers we await events. The sultan raises his dreamy, languid, thoughtful eyes, and his sallow face lights up 8 little. Then the confab- ulation begins.
 There is an austerity of dread, Q painful hush, as the foreign affairs min ister, in low, husky tones, announces the function and purpose of the visit. General Wallace catches the solemn spirit of the scene, and subdued to the Oriental quality makes in low tones proper reference to his predecessor, and in the name of the people of the United States, with an emphasis prepense on "the people" which made me grasp my hat, expressed their desire for the good relations that had always existed between the two nations, and which he would endeavor to strengthen. The sultan drops his impressive eye, with now and then sidelong glance at us in turn. I take this opportunity, without discourteous curiosity, to look about the large chamber. A dim light enters it from the east. The sultan has his back toward Asia. The group is interesting. The atmosphere is one of funereal quietude The gods are shod with wool; so are sultanic ser vitors Neither the dresses nor the movements and speeches are loud; quite and painfully otherwise. It IS pomp, but pomp' in unassuming dis play. The scene is not ornate nor Oli- entaI. There are no trellis nor lattice easements, DO tapestry nor ottoma1s, and no exuberant nor vulgar signs of luxury. No crystal jets shake their "lessening silver in the sum-" nor fantastic imagery. The surround 1ngs are as simple as the audience is de- corous. No groveling obeisance is
 
 the walls. They represent Bedouin chiefs in the desert, pictures of local color, all but one,, which rivets my eye. Unless an-in error, this picture on my left is that of the midnight sun, with it's languishing light, han ging over the hazv horizon at Nord Capl Then I thought of the verse of the American moralist:
 The bark of tempest, vaiuly tossed,
 May founder in the calm;
 And he who braves the polar frost
 Paints by the isles of palm.
 I am recalled from my reverie by re- hecting upon the power of the sultan. Fl is a man of calm dignity and supe- rior intelligence. Mohammed IT., the grand progenitor of this line, who took the city from the effete Greeks, may have had more elan, as he had larger army, but he had no more reserve corps in his eye than his descendant before us. Was he not administering amid troubles for which he is not responsible, a great empire of various nationalities and religions, and under manifold em- barassm ents. By his illustrious de- scent and inborn dignity, by his posi- tion as the heir of the Othmans, AmoTeth and Suleimans, he receives, as the Oriental chief should, that Occi- dent which has never encroached upon his preroRative or domain, and has no true inclination or object in doing so.
 I confess to an enthusiasm for this monarch. He is king, every inch, and without any dramatic ostentation; for learn from our consul that he deserves great regard for his rare ability. He is his own adviser. Amid the troubles and care growing out of the equivocal death of his predecessor, and with the populations of diverse religions and races which he must reconcile tc rule, he is not unworthy Of the fame of Abdul Mejid, whose memory is to me part ofmy earliest association in this city, whose praises then were on every tongue.
 After the translation into the yernacu- lar of the minister's speech, aud when 1t was expected this ceremony was done, General Wallace broke through the formal etiquette, and stating that it was custom of his country and sign of cordiality, rendered his hand. The sultan tinidly, but blandly, breaks his reserve, and cordially replies. I am denominated, in French phrase, statesman" and my face assumes the color of the sultan's fez. We had no elaborate, theatrical lowing. The only one who seemed to be specially Oriental his salaam was Murid Bey. He bows quite low, and with singular grace, his hand to his head, breast and lip, sig