Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary
Authored by American diplomat Joel Barlow in 1796, the following treaty was sent to the floor of the Senate, June 7, 1797, where it was read aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved. John Adams, having seen the treaty, signed it and proudly proclaimed it to the Nation.
Article 11 of the treaty states:
As the Government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the law, religion or tranquility of Musselmen; and as the states never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mohometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinion shall ever produce an interruption of harmony existing between the two countries.
A mere 8 years after the founding of the Republic and 6 years after the "Bill of Rights" was adopted, we find these words. Shocking!
I fear that certain citizens of the US will be greatly disturbed if they ever find out that the US is "not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion". To have it spelled out explicitly and in connection with a treaty with "Musselmen" will surely be more than they can bear.
You thought that Lapinbizarre was a rabbit, didn't you? Well, he's not. He's a ferret in disguise. I know, because he ferrets out these obscure bits of fascinating information and sends them to me.
Here's the link to the entire text of the treaty.
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This Treaty (and remember, ratified treaties join the Constitution in being the highest law of the land) should be much better taught in all the schools. Glad Lapin pointed it out for you and you shared it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely (I agree with Paul). We have a treaty of Waitangi here which is very well taught in schools so as to understand the relationship between Maori and the colonisers. Any potential immigrants must also learn the treaty before being allowed citizenship. Americans should know their own treaty, yet while they claim to be powerfully patriotic, hardly any seem to.
ReplyDeleteThis one drives the nutters crazy, Mimi. They have developed elaborate lists of talking points attempting to rationalize it away.
ReplyDeleteMike, I read a few of the arguments about why the words don't mean what they say before I posted. They were not persuasive.
ReplyDeleteHa! ... to say the least.
ReplyDeleteJust hiding a huge grin.
ReplyDeleteI m so disgusted with the religious interference on Prop8 I can't wait to see someone sue the dam' Mormons.
ReplyDeleteIT
I'm smiling, too, DP.
ReplyDeleteIT, at least one Mormon is disgusted by what the church is doing.
What a delicious find, M. Lapin; you are clever to think of looking at an obscure historical document.
ReplyDeleteThe Historian of U S Foreign Relations with the egg on his face.
"To the documents!" L. von Ranke.
Johnieb, this is a choice find. I don't know how Lapin does it. When it comes to Google or whatever he searches, he's a true Renaissance man.
ReplyDelete