The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-28

We may cite, for Instance, an astonishing
statute put forth about the middle of the tenth
century 1890 Of the Hegral and which FOR
long time regulated the commerce Of the Sar-
ncenlc ports In Sicily and Africa. 1t will he
observed that this law recognizes the rights Of
vessels engaged in private commerce during
war to nm extent the reformers OF the nine
tcenth century scarcely venture to suggest In
the preamble to the rcscrlpt sent by the Emir
Abou.Alknsem to tho Governor Of Sicily II IL
pointed out that hitherto only tho Pisans and
Neapolitans had been wont to TRADE with
the islands. other merchants apparently
drendinR lest they might be cnsavcd.
Wherefore It Is ordered that hence
forth all ships Of whatsoever nation shall
trade in perfect safety with Sicily. without risk
Of injury to personal liberty or goods. This per-
mission. however. shall not extend to cruisers
or ships OF wnr but to all merchant vessels Of
all nations. including those which may happen
to he at war with the Arabs" 1t was further
provided that merchant vessel belonging to u
State at war with the Emir but which had
shipped cargo in Sicilian port. should be
furnished with a certificate of safe conduct.
to be vigorously respected by all African
and sicilian corsalrs. Another clause re-
quires n corsair. upon overhauling yes
sci at sea which claims TO be bound for
Sicily. but is unable TO subeiantiate tho claim
by proper papers. to accept q pledge from
the master OF the merchant ship and accom-
pany him 10 a Sicilinn port. whore the pledge
must bo surrendered in case the claim IL estab-
lished. Where n merchant vessel purportlng to
be bound for Sicily was cOnfiscatcd on the high
seas upon tho pretcxt Of bad fifth. the captain
and crew OF tho corsar were TO bc beheaded.
not only. so runs the rcscript. by way OF chas-
tisement. but to the end the nations may under
stand this law is not published to deceive them.
Among tho current errors which Senior Saco
has corrected in those chapters OF his work
which deal with Spanish history. is n statement
which has passed into most text books under
the authority OF Herculano. the well-known
Portuguese writer. According to this author
there was no trace In the kingdom OF the Astu-
rias and Leon. formed after the Arab conquest.
Of slavery proper. but only that form Of scrvi-
tudc existed described by the phrase adscr,pts
eebg. The mass OF evidence drawn from law
texts and church archives in rciutatlon OF this
assertion signnlly illustrates Senior Saco's ex-
emplary industry. lie shows that from
the first quarter OF the eighth century.
when the Gothic fugitlvcs had Just begun
TO breathe behind the rampant Of the Pyrenees.
up to tho recovery Of Toledo toward the end OF
the eleventh century. tho institution Of slavery
persisted. and there can be but little doubt that
the superior condition 81 the servile population
under Mohammedan law supplies one Of tho
keys 10 somewhat obscure problem namely,
the cause OF the slow and difficult expulsion OF
the Moslems from Spain. Within Ave years
after Tarek landed. tho vIsigothic monarchy
had vanished. yet Mussuman kingdoms sur
vived In the peninsula four centuries after
Toledo WAS regained. and more than two ccntu-
ries and n half after Cordova was rctaken BY
the Christians.
There Is no doubt. however. that In western
Europe generally the main service rendered by
the ieudal system next to It's cohesive effect
upon a fast disintegrating society. was the
gradual transformation of the rural slave popu-
lation into groups OF scris bound to the soil A.
regards Germany and France this process has
been carefully traced by WALTON. Yanoski and
Blot. whose conclusions in tho main are ac-
ccpted BY Senior Saco. But the latter points
out that yestiges Of slavery proper were cKtant
At much later epochs than is generally sup
posed Thus it is certnin that there wcro do
nestle slaves in Florence during the seven
tcenth century, and some existed in Portugal
as late as l772. since II was only In the follow
ing year that slavery was formally abolished in
the European dominions Of the Braanzas
md In the Islands OF Madeira and the Azores.
That there were veritahle slaves in Spain in
1886 IL established by a Royal Order issued in
that year.
With the present volume Senior Saco com
pletes one branch OF his theme. hut he has yet
TO portray the enslavement of the natives Of the
American continent and the gricvous forms OF
wrctchedness which the institution Of slavery
engendercd in the hands Of the Spaniards.
There is yet n third division Of the wide sub
iect. namely. the " Historin de La Esclnyitud le
Ia raza negra en- Ell Nuevo Mundo." which the au-
thor proposes 10 discuss separately, and to pre-
scnt in distinct work. Thorc should be con-
siderable significance in tho direren, phases
assumed by the bondage Of the black rnrc under
Anglo and Spanish-Amcricnn masters. and we
shall look forward with interest to receiving
from painstaking nndtrustworthy student the
materials for such n comparison. VI. W, Ii.