JB_024_434.xml

Title: [1823 Jan¼y 24 Trip. H. to Q.A Introduction]

Description: 1823 Jan¼y 24 Trip. H. to Q.A Introduction

A civil war, and at the conclusion of it subjection to a Nero: such at the death

of the present Sovereign is the calamity that threatens us

For remedy, and the only possible one I look to a Constitution, as near as may

be to that of your United States. Established in any one of the four Barbary

States the change would travel on in an assured course, over every other.

Believe me Sir, even with us, the state of feelings and opinions © in a word the

times are ripe for it. We are ready for a Washington: much more so than you

would be apt to imagine. Perhaps you may be able and willing to send us one.

Perhaps I can not be he, but I hope to be able to prepare the way before him: I

will endeavour at it if I have life.

What I have to submitt to your consideration you will find ranged under the

following heads

?.1. Most urgent inducements to and facilities for the proposed enterprize. State

of the reigning family and of mine in connection with it. ?.2. My own plan of

operation, on the supposition of no foreign assistance. ?.3. Weakness of the

government © facilities afforded by it ?.4. Extension of the change to Tunis,

Algiers and Morocco © its use and facility. ?.5. Assistance from the United

States, why and what desired. ?.7. United States © their supposed inducements

for concurrence ?.8. Secrecy why necessary © thence cooperation antecedent to

any communication to Congress. ?.9. Immediate preliminary measures, in case of

concurrence.

JB_024_473.xml

Title: [1823. Feb. 3 Trip. H Introduction]

Description: 1823. Feb. 3 Trip. H Introduction

Out of this universal and constantly existing evil, grows, at this particular

time, a particular and most horrible danger: a danger of a domestic and in that

way of a comparatively private nature: but magnified into a public and universal

danger, by the situation of the family: a danger of ”civil war•: and, at the

conclusion of it, that of the contry's falling into the power of a ”Monster•,

more atrociously cruel and mischievous, than is perhaps to be seen in any page

of history:© a monster to whose already experienced and notorious appetite for

carnage, and delight in the spectacle of human tortures, the rest of the

reigning family, together with my own in connection with it, would be among the

earliest and surest victims.

On each vacancy, a Mahometan throne, I need not inform you, is, among the

brothers of the last Sovereign, the object of a general scramble. Of the Sons of

the reigning Sovereign of Tripoli, this Monster, Mahomet Caramalli, is the

eldest: some traits of him you will see presently.

Now Sir as to the ”remedy•: and, opposite as it is to existing Constitutions, I

look without doubt to your agreeing with me, that it is the only possible one.

It is neither more nor less than a ”Constitution•:© a Constitution as near as

may be to that of your United States. Sir, in looking up to it /this great

edifice of your's/, arduous as it is, neither my imagination, nor yet my

judgement, can stop at Tripoli. Established in any ”one• of the four Barbary

States, the change would travel on, in an assured course, over all the others.

Believe me Sir, even with us, feelings and opinions © in a word the ”times• ©

are ripe for it: much more so than you would naturally imagine. Yes Sir, we are

all of us ready for a Washington. Perhaps you may be able and willing to send us

one. ”I• can not be he: but I hope to be able to prepare the way before him: I

shall endeavour at it, if I have life.

Thus much in generals: now as to details. What I have to submit to your

consideration in this way, you will find ranged under the following heads ©

?.1 Inducements of greatest urgency, together with facilities for the proposed

enterprize © State of the reigning family, and of my own in connection with it.

?.2. Plan of operation, on the supposition of no foreign assistance ?.3.

Weakness of the Government © facilities afforded by it. ?.4. Extension of the

felicitous change to ”Tunis•, ”Algiers• and ”Morocco• © its use, and facility.

?.5. Assistance from the United States, ”why• and ”what• desired. ?.6. United

States their expected ”inducements• for concurrence. ?.7. ”Secrecy• why

necessary © thence ”operation•, prior to all communication to Congress. ?.8.

Immediate preliminary measures proposed in case of concurrence.

JB_024_503.xml

Title: [1823 Feb. 4 Trip. H. to Q.A Introduction]

Description: 1823 Feb. 4 Trip. H. to Q.A Introduction

Hassuna D'Ghies, Ambassador from the Sovereign of Tripoli, at the Court of

London, to The Honorable Quincey Adams Secretary of State to the Anglo©American

United States.

Sir, Warranted by the character, public and private of the person I am

addressing, in writing what you see I am placing my life in your hands. In some

parts, as you will see, it has my correction in my own hand©writing: and in

every other part my approbation. Though, in your language I could not have

worded it exactly as you see it, it contains not a word the import of which is

not understood by me /which has not my mind in company with it/.

Yes Sir, my life is in your hands. For, an acknowledgement I must begin with is

© that, though the personal welfare of my Sovereign and his family is among the

prime objects of my solicitude, and though I do not by any means despair even of

his concurrence in the plan you will see, it will be plain enough to you that it

could not with his knowledge have been written to you. As to the concealment

thus made, you will soon see whether it has not for its justification, a

necessity of the most imperious kind. I say ”justification•, for it wants no

”excuse•.

”Surprise• naturally enough, but in a situation such as yours, whatever be the

ultimate result, a something considerably different from dissatisfaction, will

(I can not but flatter myself) be at least the immediate sensation, produced in

a mind like yours, by an Address from such a quarter, with such an object as you

will see. From acceptance if given to the proposal which it serves to convey,

you will have to judge, whether amongst other benefits one which has been and I

see reason to believe still is amongst the objects of national desire, may not

result from it to your United States.

Now Sir as to the nature of the necessity: of the necessity in both its branches

© private as well as public.