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tssassBeemsBmmmf'v^^ms'Ksvtrsm1 mm "i rrBLUiian wkeklt 11Y THOMAS W. I<OURAIN, TWO POOH* BKLOW Tl? A*t? J??*T AIIOVK CMKfUMV, um mciunimo* ?thw, TYrmt ?/ $i>bicrifHUn.~ llirce DoUara per annum, pn> ul.lo in iulvnncc...,Nfi paper to be <l.?c<>nt |jtie<l, tut at t)ic option of'tlie Mi tor, until m? paid. * Idverti m-mrnti not MC'.d>n^ firtiriccu lute*, m?erted tltc llr*t time for aeventy4We cent*, un?l firty rent* f ir eacli aiibiiequent insertion ? and in the aantc proportion for a larger number of \[ntn. NAVAL HISTORY. . II4K0 OLIW NCIDUm:. Jl'k AUIT. ACCOi'NT . ^ " Of (he Operation* if th* SijHtut'ihundrr CWs*. foe afwr,0 faint t . I [t; tart, Tripoli <u*d Tmnlt. In tlio year 1795, it ^jeatv wa? concluded be tween the United Static or Americf , anil the Dey of Algiers, in which the foitncr were jmt upon n footing with other nation*, on condition of paying to the dev. a yearly tribute of twelve thousand Algerine sequins, to be invested in na val stores. This treaty was without infringe inent on thtoart of the Algerines until twine* time in the month of July, 181)2, when the (ley, ?timulatcd probably by the near prospect of a war between the (United States and iKngland, which he was encouraged in the belief would an* nihilnte the naval force id the former, and diaa blc them from taking xntixfnrtion.tookaii oppor tunity to violate itn most important articles.? Ho was probably further stimulated to this mea sure by navlng little employment at that time for his cruisers, in consequence of just conclud ing n peace with Portugal, while at the camel time lie was prevented from committing depre dations upon his old enemies, the Sicilians, of J whom the English had declared thcuselves pro tectors. The pretence of his highness for this 1 breach of his engagements, was that the cargo | of the ship Allegany, then just arrived with na val stores for the payment of the tribute stipula ted in the treaty of ' 171)5, did not contain such an assortment of articles as lie had a right to expect. In consequence of this disappointment the dey who was subject to violent paroxysms of passion, became exceedingly outrageous, and tohl his minister of marine that the cargo should not lie received ; that the ship should imme diately quit Algiers, and that colonel I<ear, the American consul, should go with her, as he could not have a consul in his regency who did not cause every article to be bought as he order ed. Kvery attempt to explain on the partofthe consul was without effect on the dey, who 'either was, or a fleeted to be extremely Angry. A few days afterwards he made a demandof certain arrearages of tribute to the amount of twenty* seven thousand dollars, tho claim to which was founded nit the difference between the solAr ana lunar years, the one consisting of three hundred aml/fmyfour dfy?,' fftlfWlfk fflfflMwiMnStr ? year in the lapse of seventeen years, which ha<l**pire<l since tlte conclusion or the treaty. This was the first time the distinction between the Christian and Mahometan vear had ever been brought forward bv his highness, and it is cbtiain that It was insisted upon in this instance rhcrely as Airnlshing a pretext for exacting mo ney from the government of the United States, or, in case of a refusal as furnishing additional ground for a declaration of hostilities. The reasoning*, remonstrances and explanations of the consul were without effect, and ho was at last given to understand that if the money was hot paid immediately, he would be sent to the marine in chains? the Allegany and her cargo Confiscated? every citizen of the IT. States In Algiers condemned to perpetual slavery, and War forthwith declared; [After various ineffectual attempts to negotiate 4 mitigation of these demands, colonel Eear fi nally received this definitive answer, to his re peated applications, by Ids highness'* drogman, "'That ho should to-morrow morning pay into /he treasury, twenty -set en thousand Spanish dollars, which he. the day, claimed as the ba lance of annuities due kom the United States, and then depart tho regency of Algiers with h{s family and alt the eitr/.ens of the U. States." 6n failuro of payment tho consequences which find been at first threatened, would most assur edly he inflicted. This message having been Considered as conclusive, the consul, desirous of averting these calamities from himself and fami ly' m? well as a number of his countrymen then )n Algiers, made e? ery effort to raise the money demanded. A merchant of Algiers, at length ad* unced it on receiving bills on Joseph Oaviuo, American consul at Gibraltar, and was paid in to the treasury before the time specified in the dey '* message. Having committed the care of his property, which he was not permitted to at tend to himself, to the agcnt-general of his Swe dish midr*ty nt Algiers, colonel Lear embarked onboard tlie Allegany with his family and about twenty other* for the Tinted States. The dev immediately on his departure commenced hos tilities upon our commeice. and these outrages remained unreversed by the government of die Ignited ?taten, which could n?'t send a force to the Mediterranean, hi consequence of tho war with (Sreat-Hritoin, declaied in June following these transactions. Immediately however, on lite ratification of| pence with OrcnMtritain, the attention of con gress was called to a consideration of the con duct of Algiers, and the. fTtrcgoing facts lieing sufficiently Hih*tautiatcd, war wa-. declared to exist between jthe l 'uited States of America & - --- - ,MIV Wl /HIM | Itll W. the regency of Algiers, ('reparations were im mediately made to follow up this declaration, and a squadron was fitted out under tho Sand of commodore Decatur, consisting ol ocrt iere, Constellation and Macedonmr gates, the Ontairo and Kpervier sloop of and the schooners Spark, Spitfire, Torch flambeau. Another squadron under commo dore Hainbridge, was to follow thlf armament, on the arrival of which, it was undoratood coin. Decatur would return to the United StateSMn a single veasci leaving the command of the whole combined forco'to commodore Hainbridge. > The force under comtnwlore Decatur rendez voused at New-York, from which place they sailed on thodOihdayof April, 1815, and ar rived in the bay* or Gibraltar in twenty-live days, after having previously communicated with Cadift and Tanuter. In the hassagc, the Suit fire, Torch, Firefly and Ontario separated at dillbrent times ftom'the squadron in gules, hut alf joined again ^.Gibraltar, with the exception of the ~ I Kick to VT.y r; ivdffiviu uv Gibraltar that the Algerino squadt-on, which had been out in the Atlantic, han 'undoubtedly pas ?*". untlic hti'aits, and tnat information of tlie arrival of the American force had bceu sent to Algiers by persons in Gibraltar, commodore Decatur determined to proceed without dcluy, up the Mediterranean, in the hope of intercept ing the enemy before ho could return to Algiers or gain a neutral port. The 17thu of June, oft' vapo de Oatt, be fell in with and captured tire Algerino frigate Maxouda, in a running fight of twenty-five minutes. After two broadside* tbe Algermes ran below. Tlie Guerriere had four men wounded by musketry*? the ? Algcrines a bout thirty killed, according to the s^tement of the prisoners, who amounted to four hundred and Mix. In this n flair the fuinouH Alger.iue ad miral, or rais, Ifammida, who had long been the terror of this sea, was cut in two by acannoti shot. 2 ii ? ' , , ^urie? 0'1> cape I'alos, tlie squad ron fell in with and captured an Algerittn brig of twenty-two guus. Tlie brig was chased close to the shore where she was followed by the Kj?ervier, Spark, Torch and Spitfire, to whom she surrendered after losing twenty -throe men. ?,,? Americans were eithor killed or wounded. 1 he captured brig with most of the prisoners on board, was sent into Carthageua, where she has since been claimed by tho Spanish government under the plea of a breach of neutrality. As this aflair will probably become a subject of ne gotiation between the United States and Spain, we decline entering into further particulars. From capo Vftlos, the American squadron pro ceeded to Algiers, where it arrived the 26th of June. Aware that ^despatch boat had been sent to Gibraltar, to inform the regency of his arrival, and havinr also learned that several Tartans had gone in seaith of the Algerines to communicate the news, commodore Decatur con eluded that their fleet was Jm tills time safe in aome neutral pprt * * id unwelcome arrp^'lijd a letter from tho president led States to the dey, in order tot of* ' WP^ftuoHy to open a negotiation, JFof the port was immediately des patched to tho Guerriere, on the receipt of this Jftter, accompanied by Mr. Norderling, the Swedish consul j and commodore Decatur, who, with Mr. Shaler, had been empowered to i)6gb* tiato a treaty, proposed the basis, on which alone he could consent to enter on the affair of ?n adU justment. This was the absolute and unquali fied relinquishment of any demand of tribute on the part of the regency, on any pretence what ?\6? , ,? ''cn^.rred. Ife was then ask ed if he knew what had become of the Algerino squadron, and replied " by this time it is safe in some neutral port." " Not the whole of it," \vas the. reply, lie was then told of the capture of the frigate, of the brig, and of the death of llammida. He shook his head, and smiloil with a look of incredulity, supposing it a mere at tempt to operate on his fearit and thus induce an acceptance of the proposed basis. Hut when tlie lieutenant of Ilamnudn was called in, and tho minister learned the truth of these particu lars,, he became completely unnerved and a greed toiiegotiate on tho proposed basis, lie promised, however, that he was not authorised to conclude a treaty, but requested tho Ameri can commissioners to state the conditions they had to propose. This was done, and tlie captain of tlie port then requested a cessation of hostil ities, and that the negotiation should be conduct . 1on ,r,nro\ i"? minister of marine having pledged himself for their security while there, nnd their safe return to the ships* whenever thoy pleased. Neither of these propositions were accepted, and tho captain was expressly given to understand that not only must the negotiation be carried on in the Guerriere, but that ho*tili ties would still be prosecuted against all vessels tw Algiers, until tho treaty was signed e?v tncdey. The captain of the port and Mr. Norderling then went on shore, but the next day a?ain came on board, with the information that they were commissioned by the dey to treat on the ba^is fur which tho commissioners of the United States had stipulated. A treaty was produced, which tho commissioners declared could not be varied in any material article, and that consequently, discussion was not only use less, but dungerous on their part j for if in the interim the Alirerine squadron were to appear, it would most assuredly be attacked. On ex amining the treaty proposed, tho enpt. of the port was extremely anxious to get the article stipu lating for the restoration of the property taken by the Algerine* during the war dispensed with, earnestly representing that it had been distri buted into many hahds, and that as it was not the present dey who declared war, it was unjust that bo should answer for all its consequences. The article was, however, adhored to by the American commissioners, and after various at tempts to gain a truce, as well aa to gain time, it was at length settled that all hostilities should instantly cease, when a boat was seen coming ofi with a white flag, the Swedish consul pledg ing at the samo time his honor, that it should not be hoisted until the day had signed the treaty* end the prisoner* were safe in the boat, 'lite ct.pt. and Mr; Norderling then- wenton shore, and re turned within three hours, with the treaty eign* ed, together' with all the prisobers/alUwugU the distance was tnore than five miles* The prin cipal articles in this treaty were, that no tribute under any pretext or hi any form whatever, should ever be required by Aigierft from the U. States of Americftt-thatoll America lis in slave* ry should bo Riven up without ransom? -tliat compensation should bo made for American ves sels captured, or property seised or detaiiied at Algiers? that the persons and property of Ame rican citizen* found oq board an enemy's vessel should ho 6acred ? tlmt vessels of cither party putting into port should bo supplied with provi sions ut market price, mid, if uece**ary to In; re paired, should land their cargoes without paying any duty?- that if a vessel belonging to cither party he cant on shore, hIio should not bo given up to plunder? or if attacked by an enemy with in cannon shot of a fort, should be protected, and uo oueiny lie permitted to follow her when she wont to soa within twenty-four hours. In general, the right* of Americans on tho occuu and the laud were fully provided for in every in stance, and it wa* particularly stipulated that all citizen* of the United State* takon in war, should be treated as prisoner* of war are treat ed by otlior nations, and not as slaves, but held subject to su exchange without ransom. After concluding thin treaty, so honorable aud advan tageous to this country, tho commissioners gave up the captured frigate and brig to their former owner*. To this they were iniiuouced by a consideration of tho great expense it would re* uuiro to put them in a condition to bo sent to tho United States? the impossibility of dupos I ing of them in tho Mediterranean, aud by tlie pressing instances of the dey. himself, who earn estly represented that this would tAs the boot method of satisfying bis people with the treaty just concluded, and consequently tho surest guarantee fur its observance on hi* |>art. The policy of the measure we think sufficiently ob vious, when it is considered tlmt the dey would most likely, in case of their refusal, have lalleu a victim to the indignation of the people, and that, in all probability, his succchsoi' would have found his safety only in disowning the peace which hail been inude by his predecessor. There being, as wc before stated, some dispute with tiio Spanish authorities with regard to tho legal ity o! the capture of the biig, it was *tipuluted on the part of the Am?ric<\ti commissioner*, in order to induce theSpaniurd* to give her up, that tile Spanish consul and a Spanish merchant, then prisoners in Algiers should be released and per mitted to return to bnain if they pleased. Ac< the last auvice* tho brig was still de ... ii.. c/-? jjgJi government, aud the ulti is vessel will probably beset le negotiation. ..... ? despatched captain Lewi* ir the Kpervier, bearing tlie treaty to the U . states and (laving Mr. Sht r at Algiers, as coimul-ge Ueral to the JJarbary state*, proceeded with tin rest of the squadron to Tunis, with the excep tion of two schooner* under captain Gamble sent jto convoy the Algerine vessel* home from jLiartbagOES. He wo* prompted to thi* visit, bj having been informed that a misunderstanding existed between our consul and the bashaw oi Tunis, into the nature pf which he considered hi . self bound in diilr to inquire. Here he wat officially informed by the consul of a violation of the treaty subsisting between tlie (J. States and tlie bashaw, in permitting two prize* of an American privateer to be taken out of tlie harbor by a British cruiser, and secondly, in permitting a company of merchants subjects ol 1 1'unis, to take tlie property of anAmertcan ci tizen at their own price, and much bclo* its real value. me trutn or these allegations being thus offi cially verified, commodore Decatur addressed a letter to tho prime minister of Tunis, demand ing satisfaction for theso outrages exercised or permitted by the bashaw, and a full restoration of the property thus given or sacrificed. The bashaw, through the medium of his prime minis ter. acknowledged the truth or the facts, as well aa the justico of the demands | but begged twelve months to pay the money.. This was re* fused, and on receiving assurances that it would bopaid forthwith, the commodore went on shore, where he received the visits of the different con* huIs. The brothe: of the prime minister of Tu nis chanced to arrive with the money at' ihii time, anil seeing the British consul in conversa tion with commodore Decatur, threw down the bags which contained it with great Indignation, at the same time addressing the consul in Hog lish, which he spoke fluently* " You see, sir, wliat Tunis is ooliged to pay for your itpolence. You must feel ashamed of the disgrace you have brought upon us. You are very good fi ieods now, but 1 ask you whether you think It | lust first to violate Our neutrality, and then to leave us to be destroyed, or pay for your ag* Sessions.'* As soon as the mouey was paid, e bashaw prepared: to despatch a minister to Kngland, todemaiiuthe amount which he had boon obliged to pay in consequence of this re quisition of the American commodore. After adjusting these differences, the squa dron proceeded to Tripoli, whero commodore Decatur made a similar demand for a similar vi- i olntion of the treaty subsisting between tho (J- i nited States and the bashaw, who had permit- i ted two American vessels to be taken from un- i der the guns of his castle by a British sloop of i war, and refused protection to an American I cruiser lying within his jurisdiction. Hestitu* | tion of the full value of these vessels wis de- < mantled, and the money, amounting to twenty- I five thousand dollars, paid by the bashaw into | the hands of the American consul. After the i conclusion of this affair, the American consular i flag, which Mr. Jones? tlie consul, had stnW li consequence of the violation of neutrality* ? P )10V? mentioned* was hoisted in the presence ot J tho foreign agents, and saluted from the castle with thirty-one guns. In addition to the satu- s. ruction thus obtained for unprovoked ainn-essi- \ ons, the commodore had the pleasure of obtah- ^ 'ng^reieAHe often captives, two Danes, and \ eigH Neapolitans, the latter of whom he lauded I lit Messina* 7 1 After touching at Messina and Naples, the, squadron sailed Tor Carthagena on the 31st o.l August, where commodore Decatur was in ex-* pectntion of meeting tlie relief squadron under commodore Bainbrfdge. On Joining that officer , Q .r'l'T |icr?',,'<|ttiihedliis command, and sailed in tlie Guerriere for the United States where he arrived on the 12th of November, I K 1 5. hvery thing being done previous to the arrival or the second division of the squadron, under commodore Uainbridge, that gallant officer had no opportunity of distinguishing himself, as we mo batirtficd he fllwAp will \vht?rc occasion iic* ?^rg# iJ\ur#uan* to his instruction* he exhibited this additional force before Algiers, Tunis and I upon, where they were somewhat surprised at tho appearance of tlie Independence seventy* four, having always been persuaded that the U mted States were restricted by their trcntios with Kiigland from building ships of that class. When colonel Lear was consul at Algiers he endeavored to convince the ministers of the Dey that such was not the case ; but they always re plied,4' If you arc permitted to build seventy, lours, let us see one of them and we shall ho sa tisfied." Commodore Uainbridge sailed from Gibraltar thirty-six hours holme the Guerriere, and arrived at Boston the 15th of November. l'hus was concludcd an expedition in which, though few, perhaps no opportunities occurred lor a display of the ha?-dy prowess of our sailors, the nation acquired singular honor, in humbling and chastising a race of lawless pirates, who have long been the inveterate scourges of the Christian world. Independently of the glory thus accruing to the republican name, the pro liable advantages arising from this sudden and unlooked-for appearance of an American squa dron immediately after a war with Great Britain, we think will be manifold. This circumstancc ' will give them an idea of the power and resour ces of the United States altogether different from that which they before entertained ; and serve to convince them of the danger of provo king their resentment under any expectation of the destruction of their nnvy by any power whatever. That the assurance of in immcdiato war with England was what principally encou raged the Dey of Algiers to commence hostili ties against the United States, under a convicti on that our little navy would speedily be anni hunted, is evident from the following fact. One of the Dey'g officers oue morning insinuated, ? .cr *rue. or W*? cannot say, to tho Britishconsu at Algiers, that it was his fault that they declared war. ?* You told us," said he, " that the American navy would be destroy, cd in six months by you, and now they make war upon us with two of your own vesseft thru have taken from you I" vJ? t^t the states of Barbary pay little attention to the faith of treaties, and that thev profess a perfect contempt for that coda which is called the law of nations, which they say was established without their consent* and consequently is not binding on them. Wc know that the pUatical habits of these peoplo are almost unconqucrable, and their antipathy tll i S1" "iSI lnve^rtt?. But weahio knowthat those whom no obligations can bind, m^nUkS.l[I? ** ?"*? ?W,rehenH>0'l? of olfen *ear * potent W*JUJggJti the attainment ofju?tice,a8 wcll as t?i?2!r0n ??d the recollection a cnaattsement, when it does not stimulate to vehge, ^generally efftctual in preventing a petition of those outrages which brought down the punishment. Without culculati.*, there* fore, on th e good faith or tho good will of tho Harbary states, we cannot but permit ourselves to hope and believe that the late display of our naval force in the Mediterranean, and the' promnt energy of the distinguished officer who directed it, will have secureu to the United States a last ing peace, unshackled by any degrading com pliances on our ' |?rt, and gained by an honora ble exertion of force in a just cause. '^Whatever may be the actual advantages re "L i!* i'T one.ations of the American squadron in the Med iter. mean, and whether the treaty made by commodore Decatur will be permanent or not, still is there one thing grow ing out of it which can never be forjrot l?y the people of the United States. It is the recoller - tioii of having humbled these proud barbarian*, that have so long been the terror of tho Medi* terraiiean, and the scourge of tho Christ inn name, the prowess of these renowned free booters, has long been connected with the ro inantic exploit* of chivalry, and is a?sociated with our earliest recollections. The Christian knight had always Ids fiercest encounters, his most desperato struggles with some " pnunhn Afoot. and though the reputation of the kniirlit, as well as a due regard to poctic justice, render ed it indisMnsabla that the Christian should Bt4" hltl triumph was always oained with infiiiitediflicultv. A proof of tlie opinion long entertained of their prowess is, that thev arc every where represented in the old legend*, M of a gigantic stature. It is oho of tho iy.om ?f ignorance to make the body, rather thun tho Wind* the criterion for heroism, and there U hardly a distinguished champion of the earlv a M? that was not remnrkable for the diutenxioiM ot his fame, because it was hy this that the wri ters of romance endeavored (ogive to their Aiin plo readers a more otriking image of strength ind ferocity. Independently of the repu&ti.m the Moorish rare su?Uins in the -vorlw of imagi