Extracts From Dr. Franklin's Correspondence

Sir: - Argumenta agninsl meddling wilh r he aflairs of slavery, or attempting to mend i he condiiion of the slaves, put me in mind of i speech made obout one hundred years since, y Sidi Mebemet Ibrahim, a nieinber of he Divan of Algiers, wliich nny be seen in Martin's acconnt of the Coniuïsliip, 1687. Ir tvns ngaiiiót grniing the pttition of tbe sect --nlled Ekirn, or Purista, who praypd for the ibolition of piracy and slavery us bemg üo just. Mr. Jackson does nol quote il; perhaps he had flot seen it. Somc of il reasouings may show that menV intereíts operato,anil are optirnlcd upou, with timilarity in uil couniries and flimnie?, whenever they nre iimier similnr circumstanres. The African speech, as translotcd is as follows:"Havo these Kkira considered the conseqoencps ofgranting thcir petkion! If weceasc our crocos ngnimjl the Chritinns, hov shall we bc furnished witli the commodities their countrics produce, and which ore so necessary to us? If we forbenr to tnake elaves of il.eir peopie, who in this tiot chínate are lo cuHivHte ur iands? Must we not theu be our owii sTavèdf And is there nut more compase-ion and more fuvr due to ns Musseitnen, ihan to tliose Chrislian dogs? We hae now nbout [0,000 sla ves in and uear Algiers. - This tnnnber, if not kept up by regular su{plies. will soon diininiah, and be gradnally an nihilated. If, then, we ceose taking and plundering the infidel ship-, nnd muk.n ïlav s of the seiiin n and pasaengcrs, our Iands wil) become of nu valne. for want ot" cultivation; the Tent of houses in the city will sink one half; and the revenues of {jovernment, arisin lioin the eharc of prizei, must be toiolly destroyed; and for what? lo gratity Ihc wlnni ol a whunsienl sec, wlio would have us n t o ily forbear trwkfng slaves, but even inanumii Ihoie we lune. But who is to indemnify their masiers for the loss. Will the ülale do it? Will the Ekiía do t? Can they ilo it? Or would they, to do wlrnt they think is jusiico 10 ilie dlave, do a grealer lujustice to their owners? 'And if we set our slaves free, what ís lo be done wilh ÜMffl! Few f lliein vv.'l return to their native coun.ne; they knmv too well the greater hardships they musl there be subject too. They will not embrace our hoy religión; tlu-y will ot adopt our manners: our peopie wijl not pollute ihemselves by w;.r ,ying ivith them. Must we m;.intain tbtoi as beggais in uur streets; or suffer our property to be the prey of their pillage? for iwen ucJuslomed lo slavery wil! no'. work fora hvcl.hood whe.i not compelled. And whut is tl.cre so pitiuble in lla-ir preáent cond.tioni- Were they not Wfovea in their own country?- Are mt Spain, PorUigl, France and the ItaN ,an stales governed by despots, who hold theu ubject in siavery without exception? Even. Euglund trials her sailorá gb siamés, foi they are, whcnevur the Goveinmeoi pleases, teized nud'confinwl in ships oí' war, condemncd noti i I V lo Work, bul lo lïlit Cor siiull wted, ur r i mere subsisieoce uot better Uian our slaves j iré ullowed by 119. Já tncir coiuhiion, Uien, t nade uotse by llieir Inlliiig inlo onr hanib] - ST; ilioy Iihvc onlv xcliangd one } lnvery fbr anoilier; und I may say betler: for lere tbey are bronca in:o a !arnl wbere the ;un of IeJamieni gives Art Ii her light, and l hiñes in full splendor, and lliey have ao opxirtunity of making Üjciji-cIvcs actjuuimefl víth tlie truc doctrine, nnd llierfhy boví their i inmortal ft.ouía. Thoe wlio reinain at home t lave not lliat happíneeí. Seiuiing ihe slave.s , lome, then, would be bending ihern oul of ight into darknt'ss. "Irepeatthe question, wliat is to be done vitli them? I have lieard it Miffgesled, ilmi hey may be plawcd in tlip wilderne.s, wliere here is plenty of land for llicm to subsistnpn. and where tlic-y may fltiurish as a (ree State. Bul tlic nre, 1 fear, loo litlle di-íposetl o labor without compnUioiJj as well us lou jrnorant to establish poud governincn!; otid , :he wíld Arnb3 would soun moleat and dejtroy, cr again onsiuve ttiem. WJiile serving ( is we take care to provide them with every hing; aud they are trealed wiili humanity. - Phe laborers, in their owu counirieí, are, as 1 rui infi imed, wor.e fed, lodgd and clothcil. The condition of most of them is thruefore already mended, and requires no farther :m)rovement.- Herc their uves are in snfety. - They are not üable to be impressa for 6oldiers, nnd forced to eút one another's throats ns in tlie waraot tlieir own country. If somn of the religious, mad biyois, who how t?ae is with their silly petitíons, have, in a fit of blind zeal, freed their sluves, it wos not í;enerosity, h was not humnnily that moved them to the nction; it was from the conscious borden of a load of sin?, ancl hopo, fron llie supposed morlts of so good a work, to be excused froin damnation. How grossly are they mistnken, in imagining elnvery to be disavowed oy thp Kor.m. Are not the twó precept6, toqnoie no more, .tiasicrs ireat yuut i with klndne-í- Slavos, eerve your toasters willi cheerfulness and fideliiy."' cloar j.roof t. thecontrary? Nor con the phintlcnncr f infidels be in tbat sscred look forbidden, since t i well known frotn t ttiat Gxi bas given the world and all it contams !o hw füitliful Mu6sulmen, who are to eijcy it of right as far ns they can eonqner t. Let us hear íhen co more of th3 detestable propoai tion - the manumlssion of Clirisiian slaven, the adoplion of which, vvould, by depreciatinor our lands and lionsen, créate universa! discontent and provoke insurrection tolheendangerinp; of goverunient and producing general confusión." 'The re.-ult was, ns Martin fel's us, ihaí the Divan carne lo thid rcsolution - that the doctrine, that the plundering and enslaving the Chriátians, is unjust, is at best problematic.il; but that it is the interest of ihis state to continue the practico, is clear; therefure let the petition he rejected.- And it wns accorciïngïy