The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-30

i
talk politics. The acting commissary is
| Mr.. GeRsack: he was taken BY the British
at the Cape and carried to Jamaica, from
whence he made his escape to the ". States,
where he found safety but in the true cha
racter of his nation he equally hates both
Americans and British. He is suilen, reserv-
ed and intriguing There are no Spaniards
concerned in the business, but few of tho
common soldiers. Major Minor and Mr.
Burnett are Americans. The others, includ-
ling the laborers, are generally French, or
descended from French ancestors, or Roman
| catholic Irish. When look over this strange
Heterogeneous collection, / cannot help ask
ing this question "Can the Spaniards real
ly be serious in carrying the treaty into eff
feet" If they are, it is very extraordinary
that there is not one of that nation EMPLOY
ed above the rank of a common soldier.
| have always been of opinion that it was
happy circumstance for both countries.
that major Minor was appointed the COM
missioner on behalf of the crown of Spain !;
his prudence and sound judgment will, in all
probability, enable us to carry the work
through, which l am confident would not
have been this case, had Mr.. Power been an
pointed to that trust, as was proposed by
| governor Gayoso, and to which pointedlv
objected, as did Mr.. Dunbar also
| 1T our surveyor had been man of pru.
dence and talents, our difficulties would have
oeen much less; but his want of information.
extreme pride, and ungovernable temper,
| constantly furnishes the opposite party with
weapons de has insinuated that the work
is erroneous, and that major Miner and nv
SET have combined to injure both govern
ments, and wantonly lavish away public mo-
ney. He himself has been the ONLY idle per-
son on the side of the United States his
"hoie attendance on the line as surveyor
would not exceed one week. His insinuati-
ons, l am confident, would have but little
weight with the people of the United States :;
out the case is very different with the Spa
niards, naturally jealous, and uniformed in
science, particularly so far as it relates TO
astronomical operations.
On Friday the 10Th of last month, general
wilkinson arrived at our camp, and CONT
Rued with us till Sunday the 18th. We had
much conversation on the state and situation
Iof the Country; his ideas respecting both
| appeared very correct, SO far as I was able
to determine. He informed me that he had
seen some of Mr.. Freeman's correspondence
win captain Guion, which, in his opinion,
came fully within the meaning Of the late Sc
diton law; and recommended, in the most
SERIOUS manner, that he should be immcdi-
ateiy suspended from his employment on the
line. This, added to the opinion of governor
sergeant, (who spent a number of DAYS at
our camp) colonel Bruin, and many other re-
spectacle gentlemen, determined me in TAX
ing that measure. The surveying at present
is done by Mr.. Gillespie, the chain CARRYING
by Ellicott and Walker General Wilkin-
son has removed Mr.. M'Clary from the
command of my escort His conduct was
far less exceptionable than that of Mr.. Free
man. and when he did err it was generally
the effect of bad advice.
MIR, Freeman left our cap,D a., A.. so.l,
september, at the very time we were chang
ing our system of carrying on the work. and
In which the compass only is used, without
giving me any notice of his departure, that
arrangements might be made to meet the
want of a surveyor He was absent till the
evening of the 18th ultimo, and on the MORN
ing OF the 18th he was furnished with note
of suspension. He has constantly conducted
himself in that same independent way.
| The reference, No. 9, which was in cy-
pher, IN my communication Of the 18th of
November last, contained an account of an
extraordinary plan; but that plan, in my o.
lplnion, is now given over, and the knowledge
obtained OF the country, its strength, and the
disposition OF the inhabitants, will be turned
to the advantage of the United States, b.
scme of the principal characters concerned.
1t is the best they now can do. That the
plan is given over may be collected from No.
L, WnlCh Tor particular reasons is in cypher
and ought to be secret. 1t cannot be consi-
Idered as literal translation, which you will
see by the introduction, but it CONVEYS accu-
lrately the ideas contained in the letter from
(which it is extracted.
The plan of baron de Carondelet mention
ed i'll my communication of the 9th June
last year, was correct as there stated; the
particulars have since obtained, and will
be detailed to you by a gentleman in the
course OF a few months, who was in the Sc
cret of the whole business That YOU NAV
not be at a loss when that gentleman calls
upon yen, he will have a letter of introduc
ton from me, with an official communicate
on, and nun.'er of questions in the same
Icypher with reference No. !. His answers
to those questions will convince you that my
atormation has constantly been correct.
shall leave this place (where have only
halted to draw up this communication to-
morrow, and proceed to the Pearl river,
where the guide line will be corrected.
shall then proceed down the river to lake
| Msripaus, from thence into lake Pontchar-
train and to New-Orleans, where expect to
arrive about the first of January next From
New-Oreans shall follow the coast to Mo-
billie, and again correct the guide line as run
by the surveyors. From Mobile shall fol-
low the coast to Pensacola / shall pursue
the coast to the Chatetucka, and ascend the
river to the guide line: as soon as that is
corrected, / shall proceed to the mouth of
1 Eli,,f t.;v nd rnrn thence c.