Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-06-13
ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.
AN ARABIAN KNIGHTS TALE.

Mahommcd uabat, nephew of the celebrated
Ex-Bashaw Of Tripoli, llamet Oaramanly, is now
stoppinp Mt tho National Hotel in this city. The
visit of this venerable Arab-tho first, we believe,
of his race, who ever touched our shOros-rccalls
one Of the most romantic episodes OF our national
.history-and ono in which, fifty years ago, he him
self. then n Young man, took an honorable part
We refer to the siege and capture OF Derne IN
1905, by the combined American and Arabian
forces. 1t will be remembered that, under JeHcr
sons administration, General Eaton and Oomnno
doro Barron, with n small naval squadron, were
sent to the Mediterranean to put down the system
Of piracy previously p~racticod by Tripuii on me
commerce of this government, and to procure the
release of three hundred and twenty American
citizens who had been taken from an American
vessel and were held in slavery by the ruling
Bashaw, who had refused to comply with our de
mands, except for n ransom of S2OO.0OO and the
payment of nm annual tribute of S2O,OOO for the
REIMBURSEMENT Of his doprcdations.
On his arrival in tho Mediterranean, General
Eaton at once proceeded to Alexandria, in Egypt,
and formed a treaty in behalf Of tho United States
with the Bashaw's elder brother, Hamot-or, prop
erly speaking, Archmct-who had been uniustly
deposed, and after his banishmcnt had resided in
Upper Egypt. BY this treaty, the Americans
agreed to cooperate in order to rcinstate Hamet
on the throne, provided that on his restoration he
would set free the captured Americans, and refrain
from the plundcring policy of his brother, the rrI,
ing usurpcr. To these terms llamet asscnted, ana
abandoning the lucrative position Of General
which, since his banishment, The had held among
the Mamelukes of Upper Egypt, he contributed
his entire force of Arab followers, camelS ana
horses, to the expedition for the reconquest OF
TripOli. How this military caravan (enrly III
March, 1905, )startcd on their two months journey
of toll and suffering from Demanhour, on the
southern shore of Lake Maetis, across the Ercat
Barcon desert what privations and dangers they
endured flom hunger, thirst and terrible sirocco,
or hot wind, which, with its column OF heated
dust, 'swept everything which had llle to the
ground !" how, on arrival mt Dorne, the chlel city
of Tripoli, tho summons to surrender was answer
cd by the Governor with the laconic response MY
head or yours p ard how, after an obstinate and
bloody resistance of two days, the city surrender
ed with but a loss of fourteen of the one hundred
American marines, who, with two thousand Arabs
constituted the assailing forco-all these things
are well known historical events, in which our ven
cradle visitor is probably the only surviving par
%tici2ant.
Our readers are also aware of the discreditabl
conclusion of this affair. Hamet was deprived
after all, Of the fruits of the victory, in conse
qucnce Of the treaty secretly made by the panic
stricken usurper, who, Just as he was about losln!
his kingdom, agreed with Tobias Lear, the Ameri
can Consul at AlgierF, in consideration OF n ransom
for his American prisoners, to discontinne his pr
racy upon American vessels. The acceptance o
this disgraccful treaty by Commodore Barron, wht
commanded the naval forces against Tripoli, put q
stop to the prosecution of hostilitics by Eaton and
Hamot, and prevented the complete conquest %
Tripoli. The unfortunate monarch, who had thus
lost every thing to sustain the United States, wa
deprived of the fruits Of his victory. BY mcan'
Of the treaty he was compelled to retire, impover
ished and heartbroken, to Egypt, where, in 1910
he d~ied.-From that time till 1912, his family anC
descendants were sustained by the iberal'ty o
M~ohammed Ali, Pasha of Egypt, at whose death
however, they were deprived of their government
pension, and recently became SO reduced, that, las
year, it was resolved to send Mahommed llabat t
solicit from the Justice and gratitude of this govern
ment the payment of its debt to his uncle.
OF course he could obtain no hearing at Wall
ington. He had no money to satisfy the lobby
and his case was in vain urged upon Congress.
!, was undeniable that Congress had admitted til
' validity of the claim in 1906, by passing ON al
!, preparation of about s. 5000 to meet the'immed
! ate and temporary wants" of Hamot Caromanl,
in such terms as necessarily implied an acknow
edgement of tine Governments indebtedness ft
|, the remainder. But there being no agent in h
behalf at Washington to urge the case, tie que
: ton slept for fifty years, when it was received b
y the appearance of this gray-bearded son of til
y desert, who, after six months of fruitless applies
> ton, in despair of any aid from the government
J is indebted to private charity for the means OF n
turning, on the 18th, to his home in Egypt.
l-Nev York Ecening Post.