arbitrary power hitherto possessed
and frequently exercised by his predecessors; at the same time he granted
all his subjects a "Charter of Rights," called the _Hatti Sherif of
Gulkhaneh_, or imperial sacred rescript of _Gulkhaneh_, named after a
summerhouse or _Kiosckk_ within the precincts of the Seraglio, where it
was read before him by the present Grand Vezir, Rechid Pacha, in the
presence of the whole diplomatic corps, and all the ministers and other
high officers of the Ottoman government. In this charter the Sultan
conceded all the rights and privileges which could be expected from a
sovereign prince not reigning with a constitutional form of government. He
has never withdrawn any of these privileges, or resumed the power which he
then renounced. Moreover, this charter limited the power of all his
officers. The only punishments which they can now exercise are fines and
imprisonments of limited extent. None can any longer inflict the
"bastinado," nor capital punishment for crimes of a graver nature; these
are reserved for the Councils or Boards at the capital and the chief towns
of each province. The sentences of the latter are, in all cases, subject
to the confirmation of the former, and the decrees of the Council of
State, held at the Sublime Porte, are laid before the Sultan previous to
their adoption as laws.

The present Sultan, Abd-ul-Mejid, which name is Arabic, and signifies
"Servant of the Glorious" (God), is now in his twenty-ninth year: he
succeeded his late illustrious father, Mahmoud II., in 1839, when he was
but seventeen years of age. His father had inspired him with the desire to
improve his empire and promote the welfare of his people by salutary
reforms, and frequently carried him with him to observe the result of the
new system which he had introduced into the different branches of the
public service. Previous to his accession to the throne, but little is
known of his life, or the way in which he was brought up. It may be
supposed to have been much like that of all Oriental princes. Except when
he attended his parent, he seldom left the palace. He had several sisters
and one brother, all by other mothers than his own. The former have, since
his accession, died, with the exception of one, the wife of the present
Minister of War. His brother still lives, and resides with the Sultan in
his palace. The mother of the Sultan, who was a Circassian slave of his
father, is said to be a woman of a strong