New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-05
Consul Vidal.

The recent insult to the representative OF
American interests at Tripoli, in the Bar
barry States, and the ordering Of vessels of
war to obtain satisfactory explanations has
caused much comment. The rational mind
of the country is content to wait the arrival
of fuller statements from Mr. Vidal and the
action of the naval commanders before
getting excited. A few expected TO see
Commodore Guests plan OF ending a war
with England adopted, aud company of
sappers and miners place 60 tons of blast
ing powder in the centre of the place
and blow it to -, the future
home of its inhabitants. The Demo
cratic press has different idea. 1t
has discovered that Mr.. Vidal. being d Re
publican, has been appointed to respon-
sible position by Republican administra-
tion. Worse than that he is Louisianan
who has been highly esteemed by the Re
publican party of the State and elected to
Congress. With no more facts at command
than these, it concludes Mr. Vidal and
the flag Of the United States are to be in
sulted by Tripoli mob and the mob to be
applauded. As they are assailants of Mr.,
Vidal, as he is a Republican. ergo they are
right. This assimilation Of Democratic ideas
and the motives of NOS OF half naked
sailor Arabs may be correct.
In April, 1871, Mr.. Vidal wrote to the De
| partment of State detailing visit of the
| United States frigate Guerrero, He showed
| in this the agreeable relations existing be
| tween him and the Facha, and the present
| of that potentate to the United States Of the
| expense of 5000 piastres in raising the main
anchor of the Philadelphia, buried by
| Lieutenant Decatur in 1901. In May he
| gave more detailed account and entered
minutely in the discus sion OF peculiar dip
lomatic dispute. His correspondence from
this time is principally devoted to details of
Tripolitan history of great Importance to
the State department and accounts of the
slave trade. All of the letters show Mr.
Vidal to be a ripe scholar, diplomat of
unusual discretion, and exhibit an amicable
! intercourse with Halet Pachs, which seems
| to have never been interrupted. Though it
| is plain his adherence of the slave trade
| never led him into indiscreticns, and gave
him no cause OF embarrassment down to
July, 1873, it probably is the occasion Of the
| trouble.
This trade has been carried on for years
in direct violation of TIE Tripolitan and
Ottoman law. The Constantinople police
are powerless to prevent it. The inspection
Of passengers is such farce that Mr.. Vidal
| is able to give an instance of thirty female
slaves out of lOe other people passed as free.
Naturally Consul Vidal has protested, but
the tenor of his letters, his relations with
the Pashalic, the Porte, and other consuls
as shown by his letters prevent any con.
clusion that the authorities disapproved OF
any act OF his
He was insulted, and the United States
was insulted by an irresponsible, ignorant
prejudieed mob, for whose actions the
Pacha is responsible. They committed the
act because they thought he interfered with
their profits on the traffic in and freight on
slaves. 1t is condemned by enlightened
Orientals, prohibited by their laws, and its
prevention guaranteed by Treaties. But
this mob knew no law, and it's unreasoning 9
fury made him victim. The same lack OF
reason condemns him to abuse without
knowledge of facts, The perpetrators Of
both will find the effect of their attacks re
sulting in recoil only affecting themselves