XVII-THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FOR THE LIBERATION

OF FUGITIVE SLAVES.

By Prof. WILBUR H. SIEBERT,

OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.

XVIII-SOME BOLD DIPLOMACY IN THE UNITED

STATES IN 1861.

By GEN. MARCUS J. WRIGHT,

OF THE WAR RECORDS OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

SOME BOLD DIPLOMACY IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1861.

By GEN. MARCUS J. WRIght.

The interesting incident here related happened in July, 1861, during the great excitement of our civil war, and the papers connected with it were relegated to the pigeonholes of the State Department. I have lately examined the papers, and offer this article as an account of one of the most remarkable achievements of American diplomacy on record. In July, 1861, two American missionaries, Messrs. Lansing and Barnet, were stationed or were dwelling at Osiut (or Osiout), the capital of Upper Egypt. These missionaries had in their employment, for the distribution of Bibles, a Syrian physician named Faris-el-Hakim. Faris was a man of considerable learning, and while not technically an American protégé, having no certificate from the consul-general, he had previously had certificates and necessary authorizations from a former American consul. A Christian woman of Osiut, whose husband was a Mohammedan, had been forced to abandon her religion and make profession of Mohammedanism. She was very unhappy in consequence, and endeavored to procure the aid and advice of the Coptic bishop. The bishop being absent, she was advised by some Christian friends to lay her case before Faris, who was known and recognized as being connected with the American missionaries. Faris was well known in and about Osiut, not only as a learned man and agent of the missionaries, but his skill as a physician had given him. the title of El Hakim, which is the Arabic title for doctor.

The woman accordingly called on Faris, and stated that she was of Coptic origin; that she had been forced some four years previous to become a Muslimeh; that she had returned to her native religion, and had fled from her husband to avoid his anger and to seek protection. She desired Faris to act as her