The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-14

&c. the writer of the article only is bound to
pay due notice TO the sentlemanIy" expref
lions. THE PEOPLE.
u.
1t WAS yeRcrday rumoured that the French
ihp L'Patriot, of - guns, had got down the
hay, and proceeded TO fea; we have the ben
reaions for laying tina, the report is without
foundation. Ledger.
On "wednesday evening two Of the BritiflI
ihips (the Triumph aud Melampus) left Hamp-
ton Roads, and went down to the Capes tie
Belona and the leopard remain as before.
We have not undeftood tina. the Pyoclama.
ton of the Prefdent has teen officially commu.
nicated to the commander of the Britfh fhips,
although we believe that he is informed of il,
but NOT probably waits An Official notification
before he departs, if he means to depart. This
notification willprobably be given this day. ID.
It i, very evident from fubfrquent events, tina.
commodore Douglas rePents the letter which he ad-
drefed to the Mayor he may have further and more
ferrous caufe Of regret on this fubiei. We were ne
yer more dfapPontedn the refuit of any affair, than
we were in the Preient cafe. The fpirited. and at
the fame time diicreet aniwsr returned by the May
or, placed the Bri,ih commander in filuaion the
mon awkward that can be- fuppofed H. did not
appear be fenGbe firt of the high and refpou-
hble ground which he about TO aiume Tojblock-
ade port Of neutral and friendly pow err aud de-
tain its vefIels going and coming in would be no
les an a Of hotility, than If force had been land
ed, and fort poH retained. Neutrals iubmit
with much reluctance to the excluGon of their COM
meree to bell;gerent ports BY blockade force and
not right too often fetles the queaion. The Brith
| commander from his acknowledgment to Mr.. Taxe-
rvsK, had no orders 20 commit acts of hoffity, but
in defence of his flag; he therefore could not
what he Renaced in his letter of the third, without
doing what he was not authorized; he did not ap.
pear when he wrote recoea that the ata was an
act Of holtilty Sentible of his error he wilhes
give explanation his letter. which il is not fuf
oeptible Of No miisake IFS meaning, and il
was in this way were miltaken, for when we read
his letter. concluded that hunilities were to fol-
low.
The limitation OF hofili,y prefcribed in the letter,
had weight with US, for when hety begins, it is
not for one party to de;ermne its limits.
Il however is evident, from the refult. that COM
modore Douglas has conducted himfelf upon this
location without any credit to hmfelf, or honor to
his country. To threaten with view to utinidate,
does not furnifh the evidence of understanding or
courage. If this affair concerned the future fate and
reputation of captain Douglas only, we fhould not
perhaps have noticed it in this way but there is
fome reparaton TO be made for the nfuls, and for
the. confequenres which have followed. Tie execu-
tive Of the ffate eondered from the letter Of cemme-
dore Douglas, that hoffilities would commence i'm
n,ediately, and accordingly ordered military force
to repair to this place and Hampton. The public
expence, the Inconvenience citizens, many of them
engaged in important and ufeful catons brought
upward, of 100 miles from their places of ref
dence, and the particular injury done this place in
various ways, all demand reparaton.
IL sfene conlolaton 10 reflect, that the conduct
of our magitracy upon this location, has been mark
ed with 10 much prudence and frmaels. IL.
In the narrative which we pubEihed the 24th of
lat month, il might be inferred that the men taken
from the Chefapeake had delerted from the Halifax
the faa is, they had left the Malampus but ad-
mral Berkely's Instructions contained a of sigSt
men, which the commander of the Leopard was or
dersd to fearch for and t.se if found board four
had belonged to the Malampus, the other four to
the Halifax. We fate from good authority, that
capt. Humphries ordered TO offer permifion 10
Commodore Barron to learch the Leopard for Ameri-
can feamen, and that he communicated thefe orders
to commodore Barron. Such an offer might have
the aepsa,0nes OF reciprocity, bat nothing The
commander of the Leopard, knowing that he was
to make this offer, could very ssfy have removed
any Americans that might have been on board any
of the other fhps An offer permit earck of all
the inips, would nave producsd iabtantisl beseHt
but all this is triapg-no national fhip ought to
be fearehed, and although we ever have advocated,
and t do advocate the creation Of navy, we would
rather fee the few fhps that remain delroyed thln
to furrendera principle that would reduce US from
the rank of an independents nation. ~.
The Federal, and ffate Executives, are daily adding
to the iecurity OF our place. We are already in a
nste 20 bid defiance the force within oor wa
tiers. This evening the Richmond and Petersburg
Cavalry expelled at Portfnou,h. The Infantry
may be expelled on Sunday.
Yefterday large quantity of Gunpowder and ffot
arrived for the uie the naval force of the United
States. H.
So. EXECUTIVE MEASURES.
We understand that the following arrange
ments have been decided in the cabinet at