The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-18
M0urs OF THE nAREM.


Nclntious of the chief Eunuch and Ills
Charges In the Palace
ltmust not be supposed that eunuchs are
q particularly Turkish or Mohommednu in
stitution. They were known In the east
and formed portion Of the household OF
oriental monarchs long before the Arabian
prophecies 81 tho Turks Nere ever heard of.
Such guardians were to be found even at
tho court Of the Byzantine omperors aud
the founders of the Ottoman empire adopt.
od thom with ether attributes Of sovereign
state in throwing oil all sembuncc of sub
lection to the Seliuckian sUlpns ApinS
the example OF their sOyeroigus, the great
pachas went in for the same custom placing
the care of their females under one or
more such qualified guardians. on late
years the employment OF ounuchs has
gone greatly out of fashion, ordinary male
attendants being sent ia charge OF tho
ladies when taking their walks abroad
This " due in u measure, fancy, to the
more humane and enlightened IDEAS with
regard TO their family life that set in with
the advent OF the throne Ct Abdul Agiz. He
abr0gntod the cruel law by which none of
the male children born of sultans were al
lowed to survive their birth, and no prin.
cess to have sons that might become posi-
BILE protenders TO tho throne The birth of
his first son, Yusuf lgzedin, was kept care
fully concealed, and when this became no
longer necessary ho rejoiced tho hearts of
his sistors by allowing them the same priv.
ilesos ns all MCslem women, whose greatest
pesire is TO become the mother OF q male
child.
The time, however, Is within tho
recollection of many persons ut Constan-
tlnople when no carriage with Turkish Ia.
dies WAS to be seen unaccompanicd by
mounted eunuchs, armed with keen cut
ting sclmitars, which they were apt 20 use
on the slightest provooation. There is "A
gentleman still 10 be met with out here
who obtained q handsome indemnity from
the porte Tor the severe punishment he re.
ceivod at tho hands Of ounuch for what
the latter considered impertinent chances
thrown by u "Ghiaourh in the direction of
the fair True Believers" promenadng tho
sweet waters under his care. To return,
however, to the subject of the "Darussea.
Diet Ogssso.n This high office was only in.
stttutod In the reign OF Sultan Murad Ill.,,
and the hrst person appointed was u negro
called Mehmet Agha. Ills successor was
white eanuch, for II was the fashion to have
them guardians OF both Colors
Several OF the keepers OF the "Gato OF Re
liclty" have been men of marked ability,
and some of them OF considerable attain
ments, so that II is not surprising TO find
that they should occasionally have been
transferred from the domestic to the public
service, Such advancement, however has
never fallen to tho lot of other than white
eunuchs. Two OF these latter even became
grand viaiers--the one certain khadum
Messih Pacha In the reign OF Selim l., aud
the other Kurdjis Mchemct pacha in that
OF the first Sultan Achmet. Others again,
have had tho title OF Sadr. Asane grand
vizlcr) bestowed upon them without the
office, and were styled highness, Just M
lieiram Agha Is in tho present day. While
the Gate OF Felicity has thus led TO great
honors In the past to souie of its guardians,
II has in the case OF others, but proved the
portal of death by the bowstring and yata.
CHAN, for Ottoman monarchs were mighty
jealous OF their honor, and the slightest
suspicion OF anything being wrong in tho
harem was wont to send many nm inmate
to the bottom of the Bosphorus, together
with those who were supposed TO have
shown n lack of vigilance. The chief
ounuch ENJOYS great power In the hnrem,
and although the days OF the sack and
"howstring' are past, 1t is decidedly bad
for tho lady who falls out with the guardian
of the gate tor he can make her close
prisoner and deprive her of all comfort -
tConstantinoplo Coz n. y, Herald.