Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-10-15
Abolition of Slavery in TuniS.

made Of the fact, that the Bey of Tunis had
abolished slavery in his dominions. The
September No. of the British and Foreign
~Anti-Slavery Reporter furnishes quite a num-
Der of interesting incidents connected with
the history of emancipation there, which we
should be glad to copy did space permit.
Sir Thomas Reade, the British Consul
General at Tunis, who was greatly instru-
mental in interesting the Bey in the subject
of emancipation, states that the number freed
is from 10000 to $4,000. The following
circulars addressed, the first, 10 the Consul
General, and the other, ''to all the Consuls,'
are such documents as we should rejoice TO
have issued from the slaveholding territories
of this more enlightened, more christian land,
as some falsely call it.
The Bey Of Tunis to Sir Thomas Reade.
TRANSLATION.
25 Moharrem Elkram, 1863,
(22 January, 1860
> From the servant of God, the Mushir All
med Basha Bey, Prince of the Tunisian Do
minions.
To our ally Sir Thomas Reade, Consul
General for the British Government at I'u-
mis-.
WHEREAS our aversion to the thraldom inn
posed on the human kind, which debases it
to the condition of the brute creation, is well
known to you, having conversed together on
this matter.
Our attention has been directed TO the re-
preston of this traffic, as well as 10 its total
abolition, with a due regard, however, to the
interests Of our subjects, SO as not to cause
them a loss of property.
We commenced first by prohibiting their
embarkaiion for foreign countries as objects
of commerce, as We wrote TO you on the 9th
Rabbi LIST, 1857.
Subsequent to which we sent orders to the
places situated on the road of the caravans
coming from Ghadames, not to permit any
person to enter our territory with any slave
as an article of sale; and should any refuse
to do so, and not return, the slave should be
liberated to his loss, conformably to what w
informed you on the 18th Rabbi, 1858.
We afterwards abolished the market estab-
lished for their sale in our capital (thus Civ.
ing up the revenue which our Government
reaped from it,) declared all slaves thai
should enter our kingdom by land or by sea
should be free; and further ordered that ev
cry one born a slave on our dominions SHOULD
be considered free from the very instant of III
birth, and that he could neither be sold Of
bought, as we informed you thereof on tn,
9th Dyelkaada, 1858.
Our resolutions were likewise strengthen
ed, and we felt a real satisfaction at the &C
cord which existed between our sentiments
and those expressed by the Anti Slavery So
ciety, which ennobles itself by unfolding tn,
dignity of mankind, in the letter We receives
on its part, and which we answered on Ra
bin LIST, 1858.
This affair neve. ceased TO be the object o
our attention, as well as the central point o
our consideration: and we have thought pro
per to publish, that we nave abolished slave
ry in all our domihions =; for we consider al
slaves existing in our territory as being free
and do not recognise the legality Of their be
ing kept as a property.
We have sent some notaries TO the sanctu
airy of Sidy MahTez in town, and to the sane
} tuary of Ezzawya Elboucria, in the suburb
of Bah Essuika, as well as in that of Sid,
Mousour, in the suburb of Bah Elgezirat
with the object of writing in favor of sue
] slaves as should present themselves to ther
! a document constituting them free on on
part, and which (document) shall be present
ed to us for the opposition of our seal +; an
: no right of property on their persons shall b
alleged by their masters.
We have likewise sent the necessary oil
l ders to all the governors in our Tunisian king
= dom (; and, having determined on writing
circular 10 all the ~consuis Of friendly govern
ments in our capital, you shall equally witt
them receive a copy Of such a circular. w
FASTENED to forward to you this letter, for 20
know our sentiments and what we spoke tc
5 gether on the subject
We thank Providence for the aid it has a
forded US 10 putting an end to this business
5 which we know is also an object of %attentio
to the great and illusirious British Cover
ment; and We pray the Lost High that oil