JB_024_478.xml

Title: [1823 Feb. Trip. H ?.1. Family etc State]

Description: 1823 Feb. Trip. H ?.1. Family etc State

for my liberation, from those prejudices, by the weight of which, with so few

exceptions, my countrymen are still so unhappily depressed. A want of energy the

result of the state of his eyes (for he is nearly blind) added to age, would

subject his mind to useless anxiety, were I to apply to him for assistance, in

any such enterprize as that in question. Under this excellent father, my

Brothers, notwithstanding so long a separation, have all along been in the habit

of listening to my advice. By the Bashaw himself I have always been kindly

treated: and experience has led me to flatter myself that, on the most trying

occasions, no advice of mine to him would be altogether without influence. You

may judge of it by the ”speech•, which you will see and which I should not have

given myself the trouble of preparing for him, without some hopes of seeing it

adopted: as also by my recommendation to him in a late letter to set up a

periodical work with a ”printing press•. I flatter myself with the like

persuasion, in relation to the only two of his four sons, who, to any purposes

of Government, can be considered on the footing of ”active citizens•: and, to

this effect, their friendship for my Brothers, as well as their love for their

wives my sisters, afford additional grounds for hope.

In the year 1804, I had the pleasure of seeing Captain Bainbridge of the United

States frigate ”Philadelphia•. I mention this, that, in the event of his being

at any time in your neighbourhood, you may make reference to him for any thing

that he happens to know /to remember/ concerning me, I should rather have said

concerning my father: for, at that time, I was no more than thirteen years old.

There dined with him one day (I remember) at my fathers á³á á³á other Gentlemen

from your fleet I mention them for the purpose of multiplying the chances of

your meeting with one or more for the purpose of informing yourself, /persons

capable of conveying to you some conception/ of the sort of treatment your

countrymen, though coming as enemies, experienced at my father's hands.

JB_024_474.xml

Title: [1823 Feb. Trip. H 1 ?.1. Family etc State]

Description: 1823 Feb. Trip. H 1 ?.1. Family etc State

?.2á³á1á³á. State of the reigning family, and of mine which is allied to it.

The name of the reigning Sovereign is Yussuf Pacha Caramanli. Caramanli means

from the province of Caramande. It is the proper name of the family. He is about

50 years of age.

His authority, as you have probably understood, from such of your functionaries

as have been on the spot, is altogether independent of every other. The Turkish

title of ”Bashaw• as you write in English, ”Pacha• in other European languages,

imports indeed subordination to the Porte. But, for about á³á á³á years past no

such subordination has had place: neither ”tribute•, nor any other token of

subjection, having been either paid or claimed.

His power is, as almost every where else, where Mahomedanism, /despotic is the

religion of the State, monarchical/ and without any distinct limits: but, in

practice as well as theory, it is somewhat tempered and softened, by the

influence, exercised by that body, in which, in that as in every Mahometan

country, the judicial and ecclesiastical functions are united.

About á³á á³á years ago, the reigning Sovereign seated and settled himself on

the throne, in the manner so usual in Mahometan States, by what you would call

the ”murder• of his brother. He is however by no means of a sanguinary or harsh

disposition: and his temper has been rather softened than hardened by age. His

greatest imperfection is © profusion in expenditure: and by this weakness he is

kept in a state of perpetual indigence; and his subjects, so at least it appears

to them, in a state of proportionable insecurity, in respect of property, not to

say in respect of life.

He has four legitimate male children 1. Mohammed Bey, aged á³á á³á 2. Achmet

Bey, aged about 30. 3. Ali Bey aged about 27. 4. Mustapha Bey aged about 18.

The title of Bey, which may be rendered ”Prince•, is shared with the reigning

family by four others.

In ours as in other Mahometan Nations, the order of succession is not regarded

as fixt. Hence, on every vacancy of a throne, the incidental confusions,

produced by fratricide and civil war, are liable to be added to the habitual

insecurity and universal indigence perpetuated by despotism.

1. The eldest Son ”Mahomet• is generally regarded as excluded from all

probability of succeeding, by his notorious and matchless cruelty, as well as

rebellion against his father.¼(¼a¼) For á³á á³á years, he has been a fugitive in

Egypt. He is unmarried. 2. The second son ”Achmet• is weak in mind: and that to

such a degree, as to be likewise regarded as debarred from all probability of

succession. 3. The third son ”Ali•, is regarded as competent to receive the

succession. A¼o 1817 he commanded the little irregular army, by the horror of

which, without bloodshed, his eldest brother, deserted by all his followers was

expelled. He has these á³á á³á years been married to one of my two sisters

Khadija D'Ghies. By her he has á³á á³á sons. 4. The fourth son Mustapha, is also

regarded as competent to receive the succession. In the course of the last year,

he was married to my other sister Fatima D'Ghies.

Now as to my own family.

My father, Mohammed D'Ghies has now for these á³á á³á years, namely since the

year 18á³á á³á with some intervals been Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

He is about á³á á³á years of age. He has four sons. 1. His eldest son, myself

Hassuna D'Ghies á³á á³á years of age, born A¼o. á³á á³á 2. His second son

Mohammed D'Ghies á³á á³á years of age, born A¼o. á³á á³á 3. His third son á³á

á³á D'Ghies á³á á³á years of age, born A¼o. á³á á³á 4. HIs fourth son á³á á³á

D'Ghies, between 13 and 14 years of age, born A¼o. á³á Daughters ¼(¼a¼) See a

Note on the next page.

JB_024_424.xml

Title: [1823 Jan 21 Trip. H. to Q.A Advantages to]

Description: 1823 Jan 21 Trip. H. to Q.A Advantages to U.S

Think, Sir, whether any treaty you can make, or any armament /fleet/ you can

think it worth your while to keep up /send out/ can for a permanence as against

Northern Africa present to you any security comparable to that which is here

proposed to you. You have made your treaty with Algiers. You have peace with

that state tomorrow: but you may have war with it tomorrow. The present Dey is a

man of a quiet disposition. I can give you this assurance. But by a death,

natural or violent the Dey of today may cease to be Dey tomorrow. Whatever be

the design, commercial alone or commercial and piratical likewise, the present

/reigning/ Dey is at this moment occupied in the improvement of his port, by the

clearing away of obstructions. I know the man, a subject of his, by whose orders

machinery for this purpose has been executed here in London and sent out.