date

1822 Sept. 26 Tripoli. Securities against
1822 Sept. 26 Tripoli. Securities against Misrule Preliminary Explanations

Means of notification ?.6. [...?...?]

The power of public opinion being the only check that can be applied to the

power of arbitrary government, and the efficiency of that tutelary power

depending as above upon the number of the persons to whom on each occasion the

appropriate information is notified the great misfortune is - that in the

country in question the means of notification are so narrow: in that country

free newspapers - the matchless instruments of notification - even newspapers of

every kind - being as yet altogether wanting. Production of the statement,

multiplication, conveyance - all these operations are necessary: production and

multiplication are ensured by newspapers: conveyance, by the Letter-Post. In the

country in question, of the possible sources of notification for the purpose in

question the two Universities, - the 14 Judicatories and the 3000 Mosques

compose at present the whole catalogue. In this state of penury, every thing

that can be done must therefore be done, to employ to the greatest advantage and

extent possible, those sole existing resources: and by every addition that can

be made to the number of them, benefit will be produced - not in this shape

only, but in an infinite variety of other shapes.

Supposing the here-proposed Securities established, the number of the written

instruments brought into existence - instruments written in the Judicatories and

the Mosques, would, were it from this cause alone, receive very considerable

encrease. There would be the originals, and there would be the copies taken for

transmission. For the originals, no means of multiplication would be of any use.

But, for the copies taken for transmission in the Universities and Judicatories

printing presses would be indispensable: one allotted to this purpose, in each

of the Universities, and in each of the Judicatories.

To the Iman in his Mosque no such expensive apparatus would be necessary: he

having on each occasion but one place to correspond with - namely the Judicatory

within the jurisdiction of which his Mosque is situated: unless by accident a

particular demand should arise for his transmitting copies of the document in

question to Judicatories more than one.
Similar Items
  • Title: [1822 Sept. 22 Tripoli. Securities against]
    Description: 1822 Sept. 22 Tripoli. Securities against Misrule 3. Disappearance

    At the request of any person so applying /On the occasion of any such

    application/ the Judge shall immediately deliver to him or suffer him to take or

    to cause to be taken a copy thereof signed by the said Judge: copies in any

    number being taken of such copy, the Judge shall without delay cause examination

    thereof to be made, and as soon as they have respectively been found or made

    correct shall in like manner authenticate them by his signature, to the end that

    by the applicant transmission thereof be made to all such judicatories and

    Mosques as the applicant shall be desirous of sending them to: whereupon

    immediately upon the receipt of each such copy, the Iman of the Mosque shall

    make publication thereof by reading the contents to the faithful in full

    congregation assembled:

    In every judicatory in the office of which any such copy shall have /has/ been

    received, the presiding Judge shall cause it to be kept in the archives, and

    having first made notification thereof in the promptest and at the same time in

    the most public manner that the circumstances of time and place admitt of.

    Attached to such record of disappearance shall be an invitation to all persons

    having knowledge of any facts, tending to a /the/ discovery of the authors of

    the injury or to the causing it to cease, if the party be alive to the causing

    it to cease, to repair to any judicatory or to any Mosque at their choice, there

    to testify what they know: which done it shall be incumbent upon the President

    of the Judicatory or the Iman of the Mosque shall upon their responsibility use

    such means as their situation admitts of to the forwarding to the proper

    Judicatory the information so obtained.
  • Title: [1822 Sept. 29 Tripoli. Securities against]
    Description: 1822 Sept. 29 Tripoli. Securities against Misrule. Preliminary Explanations

    All this while, copies are of no use, but in proportion as they are conveyed to

    their respective destinations. Between any two places in the dominion in

    question, is there any such establishment as a Post for Letters? - a Messenger

    or chain of Messengers travelling, at stated intervals between the one and the

    other? Between the Capital for example and the two Universities, or one, and

    which of them? The first thing to be done in this way would be to establish a

    system of communication of this kind between the office of the Cadi at the

    Capital, and the several judicatories. Next to that would be the establishing

    the like between each Judicatory and the several Mosques within its territorial

    field of jurisdiction, Messengers, one or more, going the Circuit among the

    Mosques.

    In time, pay for received for letters sent by individuals to individuals might

    lessen the expence to government. As the number of persons who read and write

    receives encrease so will the receipts of every such Post Establishment. But at

    no time should any these receipts be made a source of revenue. A tax on the

    intercourse between man and man being a prohibition on all who can not afford to

    pay the tax, cripples social intercourse, cripples it for all sorts of purposes,

    and nips all improvement in the bud.

    Of this proposed system of communication the direct as being the most important

    object is - personal security: and in particular security against oppression by

    the hands of rulers. But a system of communication if once established for this

    major purpose, will apply itself of itself to all minor purposes. It will

    contribute to the efficiency of the judicial power as applied to its more

    obvious and more ordinary purposes. It will contribute to the security of

    individuals as against injury by individuals.
  • Title: [1822. Oct¼r. 3¼d. Tripoli. Account]
    Description: 1822. Oct¼r. 3¼d.

    Tripoli. Account of

    ?.5. Religious Establishment

    Q. Any gradation of rank among the Imans?

    ?.5. Religious Establishment.

    Of the Chief of the Religious Establishment, the official name is¼+

    The personal name of the functionary now in Office is á³á á³á

    In Tripoli as in every other country in which the established religion is Mahometanism, the Edifices in which religious service is performed are called Mosques /Jami/. Number of Mosques in the whole territory, Fezzan included,about 3,000. The several districts in each of which a Mosque is situated may be considered as so many Sub districts, with reference to the several districts belonging to the respective Judicatories.

    Of the whole territory of the State there is not any part that is not included in the field of authority belonging to some Mosque, and thereby belonging to some Judicatory. In the language of Christian Religion and English Law there are therefore no Extra©parochial places. With as much etymological propriety as in the case of a Christian Church, the field of authority of a Mosque may be stiled a Parish.

    Attached to each Mosque is a Minister of Religious Worship: one and no more. His official name is Iman¼.¼+¼+

    Under the Iman are certain functionaries who are known by several names: viz. 1. Mazeen. 2 Monwakit. 3. Mouathen: 4 Kaim: 5. Mosammen and between twenty and thirty others

    In the absence of the Iman, the eldest of these Assistants takes his place.

    Names by which the field of the authority of the Iman is designated © or as we say the Parish © are 1. Homa. 2. Hara.

    They are chosen by the Parishioners.

    These Electors choose one another: i.e. each vacancy is filled up by those who are already in office.

    The Iman is elected by the Parishioners as above: and must be confirmed by the Cadi he belongs to. But in the case of an alledged improper Election, Appeal goes to the Cadi of the Capital.

    ¼+¼ Quere what?

    ¼+¼+ Q. what substitutes in case of sickness etc. his several functions.