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.