"Votre beaute, grande princesse,
Porte les traits dont elle blesse
Jusques aux plus sauvages lieux:
L'Afrique avec vous capitule,
Et les conquetes de vos yeux
Vont plus loin que celles d'Hercule."
The Maroquine ambassador, who was also grand admiral of the Moorish
navy, witnessing all the wonders of Paris at the epoch of the Great
Monarch, was dazzled with its beauty and magnificence; nevertheless, he
remained a good Mussulman. He was besides a grateful man, for he saw our
James II. in exile, who had given the admiral liberty without ransom
when he had been captured by English cruisers, and heartily thanked the
fallen prince for his own freedom whilst he condoled with him in his
misfortunes. But the Moorish envoy, in spite of his great influence, was
unable to conclude the treaty of peace, which was desired by France. On
his return to Morocco, the ambassador had so advanced in European ideas
of convenience, or civilization, that he attempted to introduce a taste
for Parisian luxury among his own countrymen.
As in many other parts of the Mediterranean, France and England have
incessantly contended for influence at the Court of Morocco. Various
irregular missions to this Court have been undertaken by European
powers, from the first establishment of the Moorish empire of the West.
The French entered regularly into relations with the western Moors
shortly after us; their flag, indeed, began to appear at their ports in
1555, under Francis I. They succeeded in gaining the favour of the Moors
whilst we occupied Tangier, and Louis XIV. encouraged them in their
efforts to attack or harass our garrison. The nature of our struggles
with the Moors of Morocco can be at once conjectured from the titles of
the pamphlets published in those times, viz.
"_Great_ and _bloody_ news of Tangier," (London 1680), and "The Moors
_blasted_, being a discourse concerning Tangier, especially when it was
under the Earl of Teviot," (London, 1681). But, after the peace of
Utrecht, conceding Gibraltar to England, and which more than compensated
us for the loss of Tangier, the influence of France in Morocco began to
wane, and the trade of this empire was absorbed by the British during
the 18th century. Then, in the beginning of our own age, the battle of
Trafalgar, and the fall of Napoleon, established the supremacy of
British influence over the minds of the Shereefs, which has not been yet
entirely effaced.
Our diplomatic intercouse has been more frequent and interesting with
the Western Moors since the French occupation of Algeria, and we have
exerted our utmost to neutralize the spirit of the war party in Fez,
seconding the naturally pacific mind of Muley Abd Errahman, in order to
remove every pretext of the French for invading this country. How we
succeeded in a critical period will be mentioned at the close of the
present work. [7] But this port, and our influence receiving thereby a
great shock, I am happy to state that the latest account from this most
interesting Moorish country, represents Muley Abd Errahman as steadily
pursuing, by the assistance of his new vizier, Bouseilam, the most
pacific policy. This minister, being very rich, is enabled to
consolidate his power by frequent presents to his royal master, thus
gratifying the most darling passion of Muley Abd Errahman, and Vizier
and Sultan amuse themselves by undertaking plundering expeditions
against insurrectionary tribes, whose sedition they first stimulate, and
then quell, that is to say, by receiving from the unlucky rebels a
handsome gratification.
The late Mr. Hay entered into a correspondence with the Shereefian Court
for the purpose of drawing its attention to the subject of the
slave-trade, and I shall make an extract or two from the letters,
bearing as they do on my present mission.
From three letters addressed by the Sultan to Mr. Hay, I extract the
following passages. "Be it known to you, that the traffic in slaves is a
matter on which all sects and nations have agreed from the time of the
sons of Adam, (on whom be the peace of God up to this day). And we are
not yet aware of its being prohibited by the laws of any sect, and no
one need ask this question, the same being manifest to both high and
low, and requires no more demonstration than the light of the day."
The Apostle of God is quoted as enforcing upon the master to give his
slave the same clothing as himself, and not to exact more labour from
him than he can perform.
Another letter. "It has been prohibited to sell a Muslem, the sacred
_misshaf_, and a young person to an unbeliever," that is to any one who
does not profess the faith of Islam, whether Christian, Jew, or Majousy.
To make a present, or to give as in alms is held in the same light as a
sale. The said Sheikh Khalil also says, "a slave is emancipated by the
law if ill-treated, that is, whether he intends or does actually
ill-treat him. But whether a slave can take with him what he possesses
of property or no, is a matter yet undecided by the doctors of the law."
Another. "Be it known to you, that the religion of Islam - may God exalt
it! has a solid foundation, of which the corner stones are well secured,
and the perfection whereof has been made known to us by God, to whom
belongs all praise in his book, the Forkam (or Koran,) which admits
neither of addition nor diminution. As regards the making of slaves and
trading therewith, it is confirmed by our book, as also of the _Sunnat_
(or traditions) of our Prophet. There is no controversy among the
_Oulamma_ (doctors) on the subject. No one can allow what is prohibited
or prohibit that which is lawful."
These extracts shew the _animus_ of the Shereefian correspondence. To
attack the Shereefs on this point of slavery, is to besiege the citadel
of their religion, or that is the interpretation which they are pleased
to put upon the matter; but all forms of bigotry and false principles
will ultimately succumb to the force of truth.
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