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.