which an Englishman would
willingly risk the fame and honor of his nation, it would be this attack
on Algiers, which, undertaken solely at her own risk, and earned solely
by the expenditure of her own blood and her own resources, rescued not a
single subject of her own from the tyrant's grasp, while it freed more
than a thousand belonging to other European powers.

In August, 1816, the strength of Algiers seemed annihilated; her walls
were in ruins, her haughty flag was humbled to the dust; her gates lay
open to a hostile power, and terms were dictated in the palace of her
princes. A year passed, the hostile squadron had left her ports, the
clang of the workman's hammer, the hum of busy men resounded through her
streets, fresh walls had risen, new and more formidable batteries had
been added; again she resumed her attitude as of yore, bid defiance to
her foes, and declared war on civilization:--again her blood-stained
corsairs swept the seas, eager for plunder, ready for combat;--Christian
commerce once more became shackled by her enterprise, and Christian
captives once more sent up their cry for deliverance. In 1819, her
piracies had become so numerous that the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle
caused it to be notified to the Dey, that their cessation was required,
and would be enforced, by a combined French and English squadron. His
reply was brief and arrogant, and the admirals were obliged to leave
without obtaining the least satisfaction. By menaces, however,
accompanied by the presence of some cruisers, England, France, and the
United States caused their flags to be respected.

Ali, the successor of Amar, had died in 1818, and was succeeded by
Hassein Pasha, who, from the commencement of his reign, evinced the
strongest antipathy to the French power. In 1824, he imposed an
arbitrary tax through all his provinces on French goods and
manufactures; the consul's house was frequently entered and searched in
a vexatious manner, contrary to the express stipulations of treaties;
and, finally, April, 1827, the consul himself, having gone at the feast
of Bayram to pay his respects, was, upon a slight difference of opinion
arising during their conversation, struck across the mouth with a
fly-flap which the Dey held in his hand, and in consequence soon after
left Algiers, while the Dey ordered the destruction of all the French
establishments along the coast towards Bona, and oppressed in every
manner the French residents within hi