The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-17 00:00:00

„ZVENING EDITION

linn with it, he should say nothing more than simply move
the resolution.
The Hon. Mr. SPRAGUE, of the Massachussets Legis-
Intare seconded the resolution. It was with no small
thifldenee that he attempted to address an assembly like
the present, especially after the talented gentlemen who
, had spoken from the United States. He felt that they
had an interest in everything that concerned the abolition
of slavery. The abolition of slavery in foreign countries
ra wit have a strong bearing upon every part of the United
States. In America they look to the act of both nations
112 an example of what they should do, and the effect of
that example was unknown except to those who witnessed
In America they were not situated like Great
Britain, or France, or Holland.—( Hear.) Those
countries could buy their slaves and set them free,
but in America that could not be done, as the National
Goverment had no controul in freeing the slaves.
ouch was the situation of the United States. The Con-
gress could pass a law for the liberation of the slaves ex-
cepting Columbia, a small State about ten miles square.
Tbase who were for the abolition of slavery in America,
looked to the whole world to throw such an odiousness
about it as to induce the slave owners to give up their
slaves. Great Britain, he trusted, would exert her moral
Influence among the people of America, by their periodi-
cals and their literary works, and he felt confident if it did
Bp, the time would soon come when slavery would be ex-
tinguished in that country. The worthy gentleman con-
cluded by seconding the resolution, which was carried una-
nimously.

MAHOMEDAN SLAVERY.
Dr. Boweirso then rose to call the attention of the Con-
vention to the state of slavery in Mahomedan countries.
He had been called noon to address the Convention on a
subject of' great interest and great importance. He re-
gretted that it had not been in his power to prepare a for-
real report on the subject, as had been announcei in the
Morning. He was sorry that all he should be at present
able to do would be to address to the Convention those
desultory and unarranged observations which grew out of
the topic he was about to introduce. His first feeling and
desire was to appeal to the candour of all present, and to
ask them to deal indulgently with them while he led them
into lands into which, perhaps, less than any other, atten-
tion to the abolition of slavery had been directed—
into lands where that which existed forty centu-
ries age existed now, and where would be found
those beautiful and faithful stories of Holy Writ, palpable
to the touch, and visible to the sight.—( Cheers.) If
they went into Syria, Arabia, or Egypt, in the desert
they would find many a parxiarch, with his houses, his
camels, his servants, his boatsmen, and bondswomen.
;-(Cheers.) Among those who accepted some of the
highest official situations in the East, there were many
Who had reached them. through the door of slavery, and
Many a Joseph existed there whose history would be well
Worthy of study. It was true that Babylon had been
swept away, and that in Tyre and Sidon the only activity
that existed was in the lizard, and the newt, and the
scorpion; but still there was Jerusalem, and Damascus,
and Antioch, and Nazarus, and Alexandria, and Smyrna.
They were as great and as illustrious as ever.—( Cheers.)
The Mahomedan law recognised the law of Judaism, and
he was bound to say, in reproach of the Christian character
stud conduct, that the Mahomedan oppression was not so
severe upon the slave as that of the professing Christian.
`-( Cheers.) The law of the Koran recommended the
slave to the humanity of the Musselman, and inasmuch
ax it did honour to that people, he trusted that he
Might be allowed to refer to that which was stated by him
Whom they called the Prophet. What did they say?
Why, show kindness to your parents, friends to orphans,
the poor, the stranger, the traveller, and the captive, for
Allah loveth not the pride of vain glory. In another
Passage he opens the door to the manumisssion of Mahe-
Medan slaves. He says, that unto such of your slaves
a desire a written proof that they may redeem them-
selves from it, if you have found them faithful, give
them of your wealth which God has given you. Again,
waarry those whom ye possess, who are true believers.
Ye are of common origin. Marry them with the consent
of their masters, and give them their dower according to
Janice ; and if they sin, let them be only punished with
half the punishment inflicted on the free—this, because the
slave was not supposed to have had the same benefits of
btstruction. He was willing to admit that what was
right and what was elevated in the Mahomedan law was
first taken from Christianity and Judaism ; but he was
also compelled to acknowledge that the Mahomedans
Obtained more influence by their directions than those did
Whose authority was higher and sanction nobler. If they
Would allow him, he would refer to a beautiful tradition
Iklrk °lig the Mahomedans, which. had a great effect upon their
leinper and conduct. There was a verse in the Koran which
" Paradise is prepared for those who bridle their anger,
sad forgive men ; Allah loveth the beneficent."—( Cheers.) The
1417 which every Mahomedan child had heard from his youth,
Was to the following effect :—'• Hassan-ben-Ali had a slave,
11110 threw over him, at table, a dish boiling hot. Fearing his
Master's resentment, he threw himself on his kncss before him,
and said, Paradise is for those who bridle their anger.' Has-
:all answered, lam not angry.' The slave added, And who
I forgive you,' said Hassan. Allah loveth the
beneficent,' continued the slave. ' I give you your liberty,'
lid his master, ' and 400 pieces of silver.' "—( Cheers.) Was
tthere not, he would ask, in that tradition, instruction of the
most eloquent and beautiful description ? There was one cir-
rolatance connected with the East that was peculiarly interest-
'lll and that was--that there they know of no distinction of
Neer, they had no nobility of skin.—(Cheers.) White men
4f the highest rank married black women, and black men fre-
'liently occupied the highest social and official situations. At
the present moment, the Scherif of Mehemet Ali was as black
Se a raven. He had over and over again, on the Nile, seen the
Nubian commanding the white men of northern Egypt, and again
andagain he had seen in the East the black men domineering it
'ler their white dependents, and he recollected on one oeca-
"° a black man in an Egyptian regiment having had his leg
,„
not
by Clot Bey, and when he expressed his surprise at
t hearing any exclamations of pain, his answer was, " Do you
think that a black man can bear pain no better than the white
mancan ?"—( Cheers.) The slavery of the East was not the
,IMVery, of the field, but the household. In the dispensations of
rroildence in those countries where slavery formed part of the
social organization, the Divine Being had tempered the wind
tO the shorn lamb.—( Cheers.) The slaves were cared for with
affection and tenderness in those countries where the people
Were swept away in thousands by pestilence of the most cruel
character.He knew himself the case of a Mahomedan Go-
vernor, who of 70 children had lost 69; and the result of such
°els currence. often was the cause of the affections of the Ma-
oinedans -being placed upon the children they bought, who
l'ecame part of their household.—(Cheers.) The slave there
Was not regarded as a degraded being, inasmuch as slavery was
4°„icipeciiinent to his reaching the highest social elevation.—
( ) He believed that three-fourths of the Divan of
Yenstantinople consisted of men stolen in their youths, and who
Were wholly unacquainted with their early history, the scenes
Zifl their childhood, or even the place of their birth. Such was
e state of things in the last, and very different, indeed, was the
Iceidition of the slave there to those who were dependent upon
Christianii masters; but they must not suppose that from what
had stated, that the state of slavery was not deplorable in
4''e East. It was the great impediment to civilization, it.struc-
dft, and civil liberty, and he believed it might be shown that
the present condition of the Caliphat, whose race was run, and
1.," destinies accomplished, might be traced to the pollution, the
degradation, the misery, and the ruin which the principles of
slavery everywhere introduced. He had spoken of the weak-
aiels of the Caliphat, because, he thought, out of that weakness,
good o rtunit was offered to them of doinr, great good in
the Le.. pp° a
Chr ) The Mahomedan in6fluence, repro.