The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-24
NETWORK, May u.
Es'rs sfS itferross genir1Gn Of hi, city roro i.
ME Havanra 70 tie editor, IF ne Ns;o loyk C;$efe
dated d6,l So

dffed 6orN 80
On Friday morning the Goth inn. at the hour of
nine, Mr.. Vincent Gray, the acting American Coniul
was arrelted in his houfe upon all order E,ned by the
intendat general of the Iand his papers both pub
lie and private eized and placed under feais hi, Of
flee coled and ieaed; and his perion to the
common prion O! the city
This meaIure was executed by Fix or raven Of the
officers OF the intendency, accompanied By a lawyer
and public notary The whole ohiec, of their Wifi
was not at once explained. The lawyer ltated tina,
he came on the part of the ntendan. to OK mime Mr.
Gray refPeaing veIel which had gone from this to
another par, of the idand and the captain oil which,
had departed without paying the duties. The cap
tain had alto left oue OF his papers behind OH one of
which "a bill of ia.e1 certificate of Mr.. Cray's
in his Official capacity relating merely its execu-
tion-bat which the wife councillor Of the intendant
general (caed aeIor) confirmed into connivance az
the captains delinquency
AS ioon therefore as the foregoing examination
was cloed, which related foley to Mr. Grays acknow-
Judgement OF the ituaton he held here, the officers
ouneed their order feize his papers; and which
notwithstanding the remonltrances of Mr.. Gray, they
accordingly did. On iinifhing that, and not before
they announced their further orders to convey hin; TO
priion, which alto done.
In the foregoing proceeding, which occupied two
or three hours, the officers prevented any peron from
entering or leaving the houfe of the Conful and
placed Mr.. Morton the former conul, now here OIL
private buiinets, and reldipg with MIR. GRAY ALTO un-
der arrelt or conhnement and took his depotion as
to his appointment of Mr.. Gray when he (NGr. M
formerly lief, the land return to America They
would not permit MIR. Morton to have any con,mu-
nicaticn with the governor, intendant or any other
perion until they were conveying Mr.. Gray to prfon
when they gave Mr. M. his liberty.
Mr.. M Immediately returned to the officer with
whom the affair originated and tated to him the fe-
rious consequences which might enlue, no, only TO
th u.st..---
promitting the future peace of the two countries :;
following this by appeal to the governor and cap
tain general of the iAand.
Thofe remonftrances, aided by the exertons of fe-
veral private individuals of the place. among whom,
MIR {. Frazier, and MIR. Chefter were conipicuous
Mr. Gray was in the evening, about o'clock, rehor-
ed to his Perional liberty having previouly given e-
curity to await the 1ue of the fuit upon which he
had been arreRed. The governor declared that the
affair had been without his knowledge, and that he
condered it as violent and improper procedure on
the part OF the ntendant general who ALTO declared
that he had gned the order as he does many papers)
Preiented TO him by his aefior or councillor without
having examined or known its contents; and after
wards declared to Mr. c.. that he would have the au
thor OF it punlhed. Notwithstanding all thoie de-
clarations, however, the feals remained on Mr. G's
office and papers until this of writing cau
ing thereby total fufpeniion Of public huiiuefs and
imPofng abfolu,e embargo upon many vcnels
whole papers depofted in the coniulate How
long this will continue it is mpoible to fay--rhe 90
vernon fearful of acknowledging his having recev-
ed and fill admitting public reiident and the o.
theirs deirous of fixing it upon his excellencv al
though aof them have communicated with
Mr. Gray III his official capacity. The governor lait
evening declared to him and Mr. M that he would this
day bring he affair tofome deciiicn Mr. c. having pre-
vlouiy aiured his excelency that he would o,herwife
be obliged to abandon the affairs and papers OF the u
MT III CEusae a.Il Il
thereof TO our government.
A public dinner this day to be given Mr. Gray by
the Americans, as testimony of their repea for his
character, and their fenfc of his puhlit iervices
"A few days more will give and very differ
ent afpetf to our affairs in this quarter.
MAY 3.-A public dinner was given to Mr. GRAY
as above hated, attended by ixty American merchants
and matters OF veiies al of which will be
TENT you. The embargo the public papers fill
continues excepting the regiiers of venfels which
have been surrendered and of courfe all protection
OF property reipects the confular Office is for the
Preient at an end. What the final relut will be God
only knows
What an might does this tranfation give us, into
the defective policy of the Spani!h government A
public refdent is received by the governor of Ha-
vannah who at the very time is fearful of acknow-
Lodging him. He is led away to Prifon by an order
OF the ntendaut general whom the governor accues of
violent & improper procedure" This order is ifTu-
ed by he intendant without the fghteH examination
or knowledge ofits contents he fply complies with
the ioictatinn of his accehor and ever he determines
without evidence and acts upon fufpicion. What o.
p'non then mus we form of government, under
which the iacred privileges of public reiident are
thus expo.d to violation from the mere ufpicons of
avery subordinate officer; of government, where
there isiuch an endlels claiming and competition be-
tween the different departments, that the mnifter of
finance may exereife power which the executive
nagittrate does not helitate pronounce violent
and nnproPer?" This is the fame fcens which we faw
acted over at New-Oreans when the American ira
ders were denied the right of depoft. We faw on
that occalon that neither the governor nor the nten
dant general were efficiently acquainted with the ex
tent OF their peculiar functions. Their common To-
veregnthe court of SPan had not defnitivey marked
out their respective fpheres of action for we Iaw
the intendan affirming power and iunfying it too
by the orders OF his court, which to the governor of
New-Orleans appeared better than an ufurpator.
Sometimes tbs the colonial officers Of Spain in
ltead OF Poiielhng affirming too much are endowed
with too little authority aa even in the moi firm
pie concerns An American captain told the editor
lar fummer that he had lately vifited the Bav of Hon
duas with cargo Of Flour, that having arrived at his
defined port the collector had refufed him perni
ON 10 dpoie OF his cargo; his vene however having
iuitaned fone injury, he had olicited and even de-
manded the rgh: under the 10th article of the treaty.
OF telling as much Flour as would pay for the ezper