New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-05

came TO be known through his energetic efforts 10
rouse Christendom TO a realizing sense Of the nor
of the African slave trade. This enterprise
was really the elimination of long career oil
selfsacriacing labor. and tho accounts OF mat
career given by Mr.. Clarke will so far 10 con-
vince the reader that Victor Hugo did not cAas-
geratc when he drew his famous Bishop Myrlel'
Cardinal Lavigeric was one Of those altrusuc
souls OF whom it is said, in Catholic countries,
that they have a manifest vocation for the
Church. lie never leaned toward any other
career, and when he entered upon that one he eX-
hibitcd aptitudes and capacities which quickly
carried him forward. Several years were passed
as a professor at the Sorbonnc Then he was
induced TO undertake the organization OF Catholic
schools in the East and thus his Oriental Iela-
tions may be said to have begun. The massacre
of Christians in tho Lebanon in 1860 led to NJ
Lavigerie's personal assumption OF Negotiations
with the aggressive tribes, and visit TO the
scene OF action, resulting III satisfactory arrange
mcnts. For his services at this time the Govern
ment Of Napoleon the Third conferred the cross
OF the Legion OF Honor upon him lie was neNt
appointed Domestic Prelate 10 the Pope, bus re-
tanned direction of the Society for Promoting
Education in the East Two years later the See
o: Nancy was offered him, and he accepted it. ln
1865 Marshal MacMahon then GoverroT-HencraI
OF Algeria, wrote TO the Bishop, Offering nm the
See of Algiers, made vacant by the death Of tho
incumbent. TIE proposal was strange one, Tor
it was in eject the offer Of an inferior 1or
superior office. But precisely because the case
involved self-sacriice the Bishop accepted the
OFFER and in so doing, so far as 1T was then pos
sibe 70 perceive, cut himself of from the high
preferment which lie had q right TO look forward
10.
aH fho Coz IF IL
eiers 10 an archbishopric, with two suragan sees,
and the new Archbishop took possession of his
Office in 1867 From the first he found himself
hampcred and fettcred by the colonial Govern
ment The system adopted by France in govern
ing Algeria was a short-sighted one, and by no
means conducive TO the development of friendly
feelings on the part of the conquered people.
rigid line of dcmarcatiOn was drawn between the
colousts and the Arabs. The former not
allowed TO have any dealings with the latter,
who had relations with the military only and
VINO were treated with extreme harshness and
severity Naturally the hatred of the Arabs
toward the French thrOve upon such treatment,
and it should have been perceived that its CON
tinuance must require the constant maintenance
of the military rule, and expose the colony TO re-
volt whenever that rule was weakened OF with
drawn. The Archbishop wished to found
schools and hospitals for the Arabs. Marshal
MacMahon prohibited such measures Nothing
daunted, tie Archbishop appealed to the Emperor,
ard so efectually that the Govcrnor-G General of
Algicrs was instructed not to interfere with the
ecclesia stical policy The Archbishop had his
way. though there was always a strong colonial
party bitterly opposed to him, and when the dis
astrous year of 1870 arrived and Algeria had
to be stripped of troops, the colony realized
for the first time how much it owed
to the quiet prelate who had for
years been building up new and friendly feeling
among the Arabs, and who had convinced them
that Christian marabout' might be as worthy
of honor descendant of the Prophet.
1t was during mis- Algerian residence that the
Cardinal obtained his knowledge of the
African slave trade. His first ideas
on the subject were naturally crude
He thought Africa was great field for
missionary work, and advocated that form Of
labor. After many years Of investigation, and
when martyrdom after martyrdOm had occurred
10 purpose, the slave trade all the time de-
veloping steadily, and even seeming TO flourish
in proportion 70 the resistance il encountered lie
changed his mind, and, as everybody knows, is
at present preaching a crusade against what Liv-
iugstone- denominated the open sore Of Africa.
The second part Of this work is occupied with
of the problem are stated 50 frankly and fully
that the reader may be pardoned if he concludes
that there really is practical solution at
tainable One of the embarrassments Of the sub
jcct is the disagreement of experts upon funda-
mental question, namely, the relation Of Islamism
TO the destinieS Of Africa II Is TIE theory Of
certain authorities that the introduction Of Mo-
hammedanism is distinct benefit and a means
Of civilization. The facts alleged in support oil
this position are the elevation Of the natives
by the substitution OF a monotheistc religion for
the lowest fetichism and superstition, the intro
1ucuion of higher system Of ethics, and cs-
pecially the development Of the native intellect
easy lines. II il said that Islam appeals to
the negro mind Christianity cannot; that IL
paves the way for Christianity; that it will gradu-
illy and naturally elevate and educate the natives.
On the other hand it is maintained that Islam
has always been, and still is, the iicrcest foe Of
Christianity; that the people conquered by it
never attain 30 civilization, but simply reach
terrain stage of barbarism, and then stagnatt;
that the slave trade has lourishcd through its
connection with Islam Both sides. however, adj
nit that all talk Of abo!shing slavery in Africa
Ind other Oriental countries must, for the pres
INT at least, be abandoned. The institution can
not be eXtrpated suddenly after ages Of
stence and after the whole social fabric has be-
ZONE modified and moulded by IL Moreover, it
IS acknowledged that the MOhammcdans as
rule, treat their slaves with kindness and HUI
nanity; in fact, with much greater kindness than
Christians exhibited when they held slaves. This
mainly due to the reality Of tic sense of equality
ander Islam. The slave who is Molammcddn
8 in distinct sense the equal Of his master. Nor
locs slavery imply degradation in the East ct
Ill necessarily, many slave having risen u tho
highest dignitlcs in Moslcm countries All these
considerations, however,. have but an indirect be
ng upoa The great problem Of the African slave
trade That trade IS carried on mainly by Arabs,
thoash negro chiefs are, as rule only too willing
10 join these strangers IN raiding their ne!ghhOrs,
md u may be said that there could he no slave
L..