his life the calamity o f bondage in Barbary), which now amounts, at simple interest, to 55,900/., had been appropriated, agreeab ly to the spirit o f his w ill,* to the alleviation o f the dreadful sufferings; to shortening the duration o f c a p tiv ity ; to establishing (with the Emperor o f Marocco’s consent) a respectable resident agent, who, to a knowledge o f the country, people, and language, added such a philanthropic disposition, as would in duce him to exert his utmost energies towards the emancipation o f these poor unfortunate men, and direct his time and attention exclu siv ely to this charitable and laudable object, how many an unfortunate Englishman would have been delivered from bondage ? how many o f our valuable countrymen would ha ve returned to their families and connections? how many valuable sailors would be navigating on the ocean, who, dreadful to relate, are now bereft o f all hope o f ever again seeing their native land, and are dragging out a miserable existence in the interior o f the wild , uncouth African DeserL? It is true, that a competent agent would, with difficulty, be found ; the inducements o f A frican commerce have not led many o f our countrymen to exile themselves from c iv iliz ed society, to pass their days in regions like these; but where remuneration is offered adequate to the sacrifice, an efficient agent might probably be procured, w hose philanthropic soul, glowing with the anticipation o f relieving so many useful members o f society ; o f being instrumental in alleviating the hard sufferings o f so many * Mr. Thomas Belton, of Hoxton-square, a Turkey merchant, byhis will, dated in 1724, devised to the Ironmongers Company in trust about 26,0001. one moiety of the interest and profit thereof to be perpetually employed in the redemption of British captives from Moorish slavery. See Maitland’s History of London. See also Mr. Betton’s will proved at Doctor’s Commons 15th June 1725, by his executors, viz by John Cox, and four others of the Ironmongers Company. fellow creatures, would e xu lt in seli-satisfaction, and would experience, in the accomplishment o f this great and national object, pleasures .. ----------- “ compared with which “ The laurels that a Caesar reaps are weeds.” C o w p b r . I knew an instance where a merchant o f M ogodor (Mr. James Renshaw) hi d advanced the money for one o f these captives, who, had his ransom not been paid b y him to the A rab, would have been obliged to return to the south, where he would have been sold, or compelled to embrace the Mohammedan re ligion ; for the British Vice-Consul had not the purchase money, nor any orders to redeem him, having previously sent to the Consul- General an account o f the purchase o f the rest o f the crew. This man was delivered up b y the merchant who had redeemed him, to the British Vice-Consul, to whom he looked for p a y ment; various applications were made to the Consul-General, but the money was not paid two years afterwards, all applications to government h a vin g fa ile d ; a representation o f the case was next made to the Ironmongers company in London,* which agreed to pay the merchant the money he had advanced. The purchase-money in this case was paid to me as agent for Mr. Renshaw. and including the cost o f clothes (for the man was naked when purchased) did not amount altogether to forty pounds ; there was, however, so much trouble attending the accomplishment o f the business, that no individual merchant has since ventured to make an advance on a similar s e cu r ity ; for, not to mention the difficulty o f recovering the principal at the exp ira tion o f a long period, the value o f money is such at Mogodor, that merchants are unwilling to advance it at a low interest, six per cent, per month being often paid for it. It is in this manner
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