The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-15
Bos
FROM FRANCE.

Arrived, sch'r. Mohawk, Atkins, IS davs from
Liverpool, via Salem.
In the Mohawk, from Liverpool, came passen-
gers capt Folge;', late master of the American
brig Acorn, seized and condcmnct. III France, u,i-
der the Berlin decree capt. Waterman, late oi
the Mcntcr,. Of ~ York, which vessel was burnt
by the Fcnci, r!iians sca, under the barhaoi,s
decrccs OF their master I; and another gentle.
man.
Capt. Folgcr informs us. that he left Paris tho
Gosh of August, and escaped in III open boat from
St. Malocs on the 18Th VI September, after a Sc
we're struggle with the guard boats. While he
was at Paris, large bodies oftroops were march.
ing from Tie camps near tha; city for Spad, and
i was represented that Bonaparte was sending
forward upwards Of 100000 men for the con-
quest OF that h;ngiom.i Tor his brother Joseph
There car. indeed DC no doubt but he will exert
az the force hc can spare from other obi for
this purpose. Capt Z. represents, that the con-
duct OF the French prize courts is most Infamous
that they 10 not even observe the forms that de-
ccncv might require 10 cover their injustice
and that lie has actually the summary pro-
cess of the condemnation OF several vessels, with
so little ceremony or doiibcration, that there
was not even = pen put 10 paper in the business
Capt Waterman, of the Mentor, belonging tu
n York, was from Spanish port iii the Mctiiler.
ranean on his passage, he Uas boarded from al
English man of WAL, but suffered to procect!
without amy endorsement of papers afterwards
he had the misfortune to meet with two French
| frgates, and was boarded from one of them at
ter examination, they were about dism;ssng him,
when one of his sailors, O. foreigner. who LOW
calls himself Frenchman) informed of their ha-
wing been spoken by the English, on which, capt
w. required To alter his declaration, or they
| would burn his vessel, and he and his crew be
made prisoners of war but he refused to make
any alteration, and demonstrated against thc.r
yielding to the testimony OF such fellow, agains;
| all other circumstances--but in vain part OF the
| Mentors Cargo was taken out, the crew carried
or board the irigate, and in the night. Captain
w was invited upon deck to behold his ship in
flames
On board the frigate they were treated worse
than the English prisoners they were afterwards
carried into France-marched to Erest and i'm
Prisoned-from thence through other prisons to
Vertlun, his mate and some of his people hand.
cuiietl on their march. At length, after tedious
correspondence with gen. Armstrong, and assll-
! RANGES from him that he had done every thing in
his power by petitions for their release capt. w
insisted that he should demand it, in the name of
his country; it WAS finally obtained, alter being
! Il prisoner for nearly five months, from Marcn to
July, during which time, he had been the tenant
OF 50 different prisons
Such is the treatment Americans receive at
the hand Of France-our ships Plundered & burnt
| on the ocean--our fellnw;-citzens carried into
captivity, loaded with iron, imprisoned and treat
ed like slaves-wle the arms of our country
are turned only against citizens, and the
doors of secrecy are closed upon the enormities
OF the universal robber, to whom in America we
burn incense as the head OF the enlightened gov
eriment OF France