The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-28

Tying other means for cutting them off from
our ihore, Congrefs have completely forgotten
abe cafe of men, like thefe, who were appre.
hendcd on our f1ores. L will venture, howe
yer, to fusgeh another idea; that at any rate,
theie men ought not to be delivered up, until
the fate of the four unfortunate feamen, who
were taken from the Chefapeake, has been po-
htively aicertaned. Three of thefc men are
known to have been impreiIsd American citi-
Zens: OF the fourth, there ftill remains conf
derable doubt; but furely in the ambiguous
fate, OF things which prevails between Us and
q. b. where we are partly at war, and partly
IN rate of peace; we ought, if confident
with the utages of nations, to retain thefe men
as kind of hoitage for the prefcrvation of our
countrymen. One ofthefc Acknowledgment
IS iaid to have declared, that though the OFFER
walton was intended to convey menace, yet he
was confident, if they were not Immediately
surrendered, the fate of the four feamen in the
Leopard would be Immediately desided-For
ausht that know, thefe men have not yet been
demanded. day or two ago, a boat with
nag OF truce was TENT into Lynhaven bay for
the purPote, it was fuPpofed, of demanding the
boat and not the feamen; but as the officer did
not appear in regular form, as he had no
written documents, Int only a. verbal mefage,
to deliver; their milton was immediately re-
Jected.--The deifiny of theie prifoners there.
fore, fill remains in furpenir. Gen. Matthews
has dispatched ExpreiIts to the Prefident of the
u. 5. and to the governor of Virginia, comInu-
nicaling the intelligence OF their capture aad
upon The dcciion of the PrcGdent may depend
their fate.
'tIt is impofTihle TO afcertain the rrefent
fate of the Briti!h iQuadron; reports Of their
force and dfpoIition varying with every hour.
"a 1t is extremely probable that the Bellona, the
Commodore's flip, has returned to Haiifax,
fuch being her Intention before the attack on
the Chefapsake; but that the Leopard has on
" departed, by way of 6nefIe. 1t Teens to be
taet pretty well efablif,ed, that the Cleopa-
ira has Jnft arrived from Halifax, with difpatct-
es. A gentleman who was in Hampton the
night before Ian informed me that Gome diff
patches had been fcnt on fhore, with an open
letter to the irit officer who was authorized to
receive them. One of theie dispatches was ad-
orehrd TO the Britiih conful; another to Mr..
EtiSIne. The name of this gentleman recalls
to fH'ad conversation which have had with
one of the Richmond Troop of Horfe, who
travelled in the fage with Mr. Erikine from
PhIiadetphia TO Warrington. Mr.. Z. was in
cog. My informant had fome Furniture com.
ing round by water into the Chcfapeake Bay
and was expecting sfome fears of its detention
ny the Britifh Commodore, who had virtually
threatened to blockade Norfolk. MIR. E. could
not conceal bis opinion. He declared tina:
Admiral Berkeley had tranfcended his powers;
Snd that Commodore Douglas would not dare
10 execute fuch menace. He firft promifed
10 give my Informant a letter to the Commo.
dore, resueaing him to re!peet his vefleg; bu,
ne afterwards added, that he would rather not
AS even inch an application might be coniider.
ca as an 'niult, hecauie implying bolT5ihf,
that the commodore could be capable of fuci
an aet.-in what way Douglas eUoul4 have re-
ceived iuch letter, bad he beeu really deter.
mined to detain my friends veile, it is uunecef
larry tor me to conjecture. His reception oil
MT Erikine's adpiee through the Lands of Mr.
Lee, turnihes a iufficient anfwcr.
MAJOR Amber received yeterday lette,
rom the governor, by Exprefs, commune atng
inc 'hte'iigence, that the council had thought
proper to aire9 the djfibayge of our detach.
ment. This information was unconditional
and unmodihed. Every preparation wa, max.
ing for our departure.-What was then our al.
toH'fhment, when in the courfe of two hours
we were countermsnded by gen. Matthews, in
ms general orders. No new exprefs had arriv.
ed from Richmond; new dispatches, for
:usht that any of lie knew. 1t is impoffiblc
for MS to determining the caufe of this unexpeGt.
I'd s1eafnre: but it is prefumed that gen. Mat.
thews had diEtrefionary GirsaionJ. mr., if he
has this dilcretion, he fl,ould noqu exercre it
time alone NUT explain. Some fay that he
mas atses upon the iuppofition that the Egecu-
t've Council would tbemfelvcs coun,erman and
cf me hive Brltil! fcaTien. Others afcribc it to
a rumour which is now in circulation. that fe-
vera! OF the Britifh light-armed vefirs from
Bermuda and Halifax are dretted to repair 10
ttIs fation, for the purpofe of attending the
thzsHst!i River, and executing their hottie de-
fgns.
But NUT conclude. The Drum is now
beating 10. our frR review by Matthew'S"
F*traf ofa letter from fb- E,ne officer, dated
HEAD QUARTERS, PortLmoptb, Jaiy 25tb.
Gen. Matthews has at length condefcended
to permit the detachments of Infantry from
Richmond and P:terfburg to return to their
reflective holmes. His initrutlions TO that ef-
tsef were conveyed in his geRera orders Of yef-
te,e'y, in the following terms: "Maior Am
bier with the detachment ~ Ger bis command
VIII prepare TO march tomorrow at fuch
" tine, and in fuch manner as the major fl,alI
direct From the conduit exhibited by ma
lor Amber, during the mort time he has
- been engaged in the prefcnt tour Of duty, the
gen. feeis 1t unAecti ary 10 make any remark
- on the duties which will devove Oh INC ina
" Jor OH the preient location. The general
cannot permit this corps 10 depart, without
xprefhng to the u,sior, his officers and men,
" the high ienie he entertans oftheirpatriotfm,
u" from the promptithde 6, a!acrity With which
=" thcy heW to arms, and marched 10 the aid
o OF their fellow citizens. As folders, they
have fubmtted to the nriyations of a rriI,tarv