The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-21
RELIGIOUS ToLERATruN I'M EGYPT.

Coxrespoh"cnce cstween the Consul
GENERAL mt Alexandria, Egypt, and
Secretary Seward-Autogrnph Letter
from President Lincoln 10 the yiceroy
OF Egypt, &C., sc.
DEPARTMENT or SrsTE,l
WASHINGTON, Oct Q, 1851
WILLIAM $. TnAyER Esq, Consul General Of the United
sir-Your despatch Of the goth Of August, No 8, has
boon received Tho account OF tho prosecution Which yon
instituted against the persons guilty Of acts Of ln9ier-
aud persecution towards FAIRS, an agent OF tho
very interesting, and the proceeding itself receives the
emphatic appreciation OF the government
send herewith autographs letter OF the President
addressed 10 his Royal ighness the laea, expressing
due acknow Judgments Of the vigor energy and enlght
ened beraly Of his conduct in this matter which can,
not fail to excite deep interest throughout tho United
States, and even among other Christian nations
' - go WILLIAM II. SEWARD
ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
PRESIDENT on nE UNITED STATES or AMERICA.
To his Hishness MoHAmnEp SAID PAcHA, yiceroy OF
Egypt and its Dependencies, Sc, &c.:
GREAT Coon FnIYNp-I have received from Mr..
Thaycr Consul General Of the United States ut Acxan-
dra full account Of the liberal enlightened and
getic proceedings which. his complaint, you have
adopted in bringing 10 speedy and condgn punishment
the ties, Subjects Of your Hghness Upper Egypt,
who concerned in an net Of cruel persecution against
Fars an agent OF certain Christian missionaries in Upper
Egypt
pray your Hghness to be assured that these proceed
Es, at once 50 prompt ana so just, viii be regarded as
new and unmstakcabe proof equally Of your Hghncss'
friendship for the United States and OF the frmnes in
Highnoss is conducted
Wishing you great prosperity and success. am your
good friend, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WASHINGTON, October Q, 1861.
By tho lrescnWluiAm II. SEWARD, Secretary Of State.
UNITED STATES CONSULATE GENERAL,
ALEXANDRIA, August 81, 1861
SHAn affair Of considerable impo lance, affecting tho
question Of religious liberation in Egypt has inst been
satisfactorily settled by the agency Of this Consulate
On the night Of Saturday, tho Goth Of July received
teiegrarhic despatch dated the 18th Of that month,
from our consular at osint Tor sion the capital Of
Of The American missionaries, Messrs Lansing and Bar
net, had been severely bastinadoed and otherwise III
treated AT the Court Of the Cadi af Osiut and had them
by order OF the Cnd been imprisoned.
On the Monday following TO zuldcar Pacha, the
Minister Of Foreign Anlirs in Egypt demanding the i'm
mediate release OF the imprisoned man and an invcstga
ton OF his and also announcing that should expect
appropriate satisfaction for the babarous outrage
ted by order Of The cad Faris. His Exccency tho
afternoon of the same day replied that he had Just tee
graphcd for full information a. TO the facts to the Moudr
<Governor) Of Osiut, and would communicate it to me at
once. Two days later his Ezcelcncy accordingly inform
ed that the Moudr had reported by telegraph that
neither he the United Consular Agent at osiut
had the least knowledge that Fais American
the facts.
In regard to Fars it is proper to remark here that
learned from the missionaries that he syrian ply ST.
clan Of considerable learning and accomplishments whom
they employed al 0sut for the sale and distribution Of B
bie5 and religious publications. He not technically
nm American pyoge not hav ing been provided with the
necessary certificate from this Consulate General though
IN Syria he had once enjoyed That privilege by the favor
of the proper authorities there. Nevertheless he had
been presented in person the Moudr Osjut and
mended to his protection the agent American
missionaries by Mr.. Lansing some months before
1he outrage on him. The and circumstances Of this
affair were briefly hese:-
AChrstian woman of osiut who bad been compelled
to profess Moammedansm, wished TO return to her orr
Ginai faith IN The absence Of the Coptic Bishop she
ployed Fars (wbose argumenative no less an his med-
cal skill gives him the title OF FL 7hhseb III c1m
abe Arabic for docor to be her attorney, ia complying
with the usual formaes required to enable her IN
IN peace her new religion. Faris without consulting his
employers assumed her and agreed To- appear
her behalf before the Cad His couduct in this matter,
however ~ well as that Of the woman, strictly
Sormabe TO the laws OF Egypt and the well known rnan
of the late sultan which guarantees religious liberation
ahe dominons and dependencies OF tho Porte But, in
place remote from the sovereign authority Osnt
and with population Of at least twenty thousand,
the most part bgo.ed Mussumon tho practical enforce
nent OF such ibefaliy Is exceedingly difficult and even
dangerous, !. 1870. - *as.-#
faris, being summoned to appear IN the court of the
Sadi as the womans attorney, found filled with tho
prominent Muslin citizens Of 0siu, who, with the at
tendant rabbc, numbering about sixty and subsequently
increased To two hundred were evidently disposed to
raise tumult TIL had lately heard Of the accession
or the new Sultan, who was generally believed to be
intoxicating enemy Of religious freedom and under whose
reign they expected unlimited license externnatc the
odious heresy Of Christianity. without being allowed
20 explain his ease, and in evident agreement with the
prearranged plan Of the Cadi, lnrs insungy told
20 cit upon the ground, and then bastinaocd
xured in the INST nhan1an manner until h swooncd
away from his suGarings. After being feviled. beaten
with slaves, Shoes courbahes e aw hdesl. and being
spit upon kicked and frghtfuy manned hewas dragged
by caInoros mob, urged on by the Gait and Muit to
evening when the Tailor reported him 10 b. dying.
On revivng the rext day he was again mprisf ned,
but was liberated by the order of the NaIdr who held
an investigation and strongly condemned The irregular
and brutal proceedings OF the Cadi the popuacc The
doctor who examined Fars reported his wounds be Of
very serious character and ii probable that his
health Is permanently impaired. The inn,n thus ted
40 Osiu, by popular vooace great That tha
European residents there Considered their lives danger
and feared that the assaeres Of Jcdah and damascus
to be renewed. They therefore pcitoned pro
section the Moudr, who issued a proclamation com.
q
houses, and to desist from further disturbances
II is TO he observed that the barbarous torture Of the
bastnado has been abolished the army and navy
Of Egypt, By decree Of the vceroy dated the ninth
Of July Of tn present year Nevertheless in semi ecce
eiasca courts Of the Cabs the rules of which de-
termined by civil authority this cruel abuse ourishes in
full vigor.
minute and deeply interesting recital OF The proceed
sngs at osut written by Faris TO tho missionaries is ap
pended to this despatch marked a. also communicate
herewith translation markoa ~ OF the tadis letter 70
ahe Moudr rstfymg theourage and the Moudir reply
ahereto marked @ ccndemning severely the treatment
pf Faris Il viii be that the Cadi admits and even
gors III his misconduct, which he considers 10 be
Santed beyond question by the approval aud
Of the N, distinguished and wealthy Mussumen OF
OFut and by the precepts Of his religion.
On Saturay, the Sd Of August having received letter
from consular agent at Osiu nqurng TO the title
OF Faris United States protection returned pcremp-
Tory order to give him all the official aid his circumstances
might require.
On Monday, August s. visited The Minister Of Foreign
Affairs, in company with Mr.. Robert wilkinson, the
United States Vice Consul at Caro- aud MIR Lansing the
American missionary and one of the employers Of Fars
The QUIT break at 0sin, requested offhc government
steamer 10 convey myself my agent up the Nile
sure impartial investigation preliminary to the punish
Of the crime He replied that he would present my
request for steamer TO the ticeroy and once
but as for the punishment Of those who had assaulted
faris he could not for it had appeared that Fars
was an american proieg formal and regular
&hat effect having been by the Consul
On the Egyptian government IN reply said IL was quite
Ammaterial 10 my purpose whether iars was not
nm American proe in the usual sense Of the Faris
was the agent and representative OF American c
gems engaged IN lawful missionary enterprise An out
5ago on HIM was an outrage them. aad should de-
Gnand salts action urgently Il they their
pesentatye had been thus Ealtreatct The case Ia nv
opinion, one to be settled not by diplomatic echn
calties but on lis substantial merits and the ous
principles Of Justice and common Ills Fxcelency
assured that IL would be settled aGlicaby. ana |
withdrew, awaiting the result Of my request.
On the following morning verbal message came 10 me
from the Minister OF Foreign Affairs stating that govern
men steamer would 90 10 osut in few days, and that
should have notice in time avail mysc Of that con
veyanCc.
Finding ta, this Foreign 0Gce discussion nor likely
60 expedite business resolved to make direct appeal
% the Vceroy who, With the most readiness
granted me audience for nine O'Clock the morning
Of the sih list Attended before called at the plae
of his Hghness The time mentioned. After answering