Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-02-18
From the Boston Telegraph.
A Barbarian IN washington.


A Barbarian IN Washington.
Mohammed Habat, gentleman from "iigh
Barbary," and of the Mussulman persuasion, u
now at Washington, seeking-what is not often
found there-justice from our government. 1t
seems strange, at the first flush, that Mussul-
man should have claims OH our government, and
that those claims, too, should be founded on
genuine services rendered to the United States,
in war waged some four thousand miles off,
What, perhaps is stranger still, these claims
grow out OF a violation of our governments doc.
trine of fnonintervention in the political affairs OF
foreign countries. When we were at war with
Tripok more than half century ago, the Bash
aw of TINT nest of pirates was Jussutf CaraInalli,
uslirper, who had obtained possession OF the
government by deposing Hanet. his elder broth.
er. Hamet escaped with his life, and, after
time, took up his residence in Egypt. 1t was
thought he might be made useful to our cause,
and, after much trouble Mr.. Eaton, American
Consul at Algiers, prevailed on Mr.. Jeffersons
administration to give sort Of consent to bis
acting with Hamet. The commander of the A.
merican naval forces in the Mediterranean was
ordered to cooperate with Mr.. Eaton, SO far as
he might deem it proper to do so. Eaton was
soldier, and his life passed in series OF strange
adventures. This enterprise against Jussutf Ca
ramalli possessed great charms for him; and he
actually left Algiers and went to Washington to
intercede personally in behalf of it with our gog-
ernment He reached Alexandria in the 4. ).
brig Argus, Captain Hull, on the 2Gth Of No
vember, 1904. Accompanied by marine OH
Ger and two midshipmen he went to Caro-,
where he was well received by the Pacha OF j.
gypt That officers permission to Hamet's leay-
ing the country without moestation was abso-
lutely necessary, as the Tripolitan prince was
serving with the Ma,nelukes, who were the Pa
cha's enemies Gen. Eaton's request was readi-
ly granted; and Hamet, accompanied by some
forty men, proceeded to the rendezvous fixed
upon, not far from Alexandria. Gen. Eaton
there met him, at the head Of small force that
he had recruited in Egypt, and which was CON-
posed of adventures from many countries
Nothing but his inability to find food for so large
a force prevented the American General from
rallying 10000 men around his standard. At
the head of his little army, Eaton, accompanied
by Hamet, marched upon Derne, by the way OF
the Desert OF Barca, and perhaps along the very
route which was pursued by Alexander the
Great when he visited the Temple of Ammon.
In those sands had perished the army of Cam.
byses, King of Persia The invaders arrived at
Derne in the spring of 1905, and, aided by
small American squadron, commanded By Cap
tain Hull, made an attack on that town. a
number of marines were landed from the ships,
and some stores and piece of cannon. The
Argus, the Hornet, and the Nautilus kept up u
vigorous fire. and the land forces, headed by
Lieut.. OBannon and Midshipman Mann, storm.
ed the principal defence of the town, the fall of
which shortly placed Derne in General Eaton's
hands, The action was very spirited, and the
enemy made some efforts to recover the town,
all of which failed The place was given up to
Hamet. Gen. Eaton then proposed to march
upon Tripoli, and asked Com. Barron for men
and stores Barron refused to do more than to
afford his squadrons cooperation, saying that as
Hamet was in possession Of the second province,
of Tripol, such cooperation would be sufficient,
if he MameD possessed the influence he claimed
to have The result was, that, little LATER
treaty of peace was made with Trpol, and no
more regard was paid to Hamets "caIms" than
if they had been an honest money demand on
our government Tie terms were not halt SO
favorable to our government as might have been
obtained if the circumstances in our favor had
been Turned to proper account. We actually
paid sixty thousand dollars to the intrusive Bash
aw as ransom for the American prisoners he
then held. That money, if properly expended,
would probably have placed uamet on the
throne, and we should have escaped the Disgrace
of paying it, Gen. Eaton felt that our govern
ment had acted shabbily, and that it had forced
him into pecunarily disgraceful position. LII is
out of this transaction that Mohammed Habats
claims on our government proceed. The trans
action itself was strange one, viewed in con-
nection with our general policy. We not only
interfered with the internal affairs of another
country, but We did SO in behalf OF the legiti-
mate prince of that country, though our sympa-
thes have generally been with irregular rulers.
However, we ought not to be severely condemns
ed for our conduct, as there are mitigating cir
cunstances to be plead in our favor. We not
only broke our faith with the other party to the
alliance, and allowed him to 90 to the dogs, but
we paid money TO the usurper TO induce him to
set free Americans, though he was at our mercy.
Could any people do more than that by way of
atonement for lndulging in caprcious fit Of
generosity!