The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-09-14
sxI41ss SMUGGLING IN 4xs xoRrzi

denmark, by means Of spurious papers, and
which MIR Forbes, the American Consul. tho't
it his duty to check and expose, is very mi
nutely described in the following letter from
him to his correspondent in Philadelphia.
Phil Gag.
ToENixoEN, 18th June, 1870.
Mr. DEAR FRIESD,
/ have Just received your valued let.
ter of lst May, & am mortified to find that some
of my official acts have been generally censured
inthe United States. You state several queries
which are generally raised, and which most evi.
IDENTITY shew, that the facts of the case were not
understood. II should affect indifference to
the public opinion, should wish to be disbele-
ved, because solicitude and respect for the ap-
probation of my fellow citizens, particularly in
the discharge ofdutes touching their most inn
portsnt interests form my best title to their nGul-
Rence In the most embarrassing circumstances
In which our commerce was ever placed, it has
been my misfortune to be called upon to act
q very responsible part in relation to that COM
mcrce.
Those measures which were formally and una
,,imo.siy approved by all of my co0ntrymen, who
witne ssed the circumstances under which &C
ted, have been grossly ,nisrepresented by TO-
reirrners whose interests WAS forced to attack
IN order efIectually to defend those of my fellow
cit;zens placed under my immediate guardian
shin: am sorry to be obliged 10 admit that
some of my own countrymen, listening rather to
the insinuations IF these interested foreigners,
than to their own convictions, have seconded
these misre presentations In the cause OF honor
however, truth is the most triumphant arm.
shall therefore state briefly possible the
leading facts connected with my denunciations
here. in December last. In the month of Sep
TENDER last, the ship Arno arrived here, with a
load of gum. I was informed ten days previous
10 her arrival that she had laden her cargo in Lon
don When this vessel arrived, was in Ham
4 ,,,aSt hree ttPrs AYne
Of Responsibility who had large amounts of pro-
,,ertv here denouncing that case and demanding
sno.t urgently that l should Immediately come
forward and expose it. resisted their iHpor.
funate & reiterated demands on the ground
of inexpediepcy, there beng then here consi-,
derab,e number of valuable shipments, which
Although really made in the U. S. for American
account, had been compelled by capture, or other
inevitable necessity, to touch in England it APP
peared further by capt Rempton's statement &
his proofs, that his cargo had been originally
shipped in another vessel from the u ). and had
never ceased to be American property. Imade
faithful report OF this case to the Secretary OF
State, and for my justification transmitted to him
the forged sea letter and letter of instructions
from very respectable house, owners of the
cargo II the choice made in painful alter
native, or if the publication OF the case (not my
act) has excited the displeasure OF that house
ard their powerful friends whose good will
seek consolation in the consciousness ofmy own
rectitude, and must obs rye that respect for the
property of my fellow citizens strong mo-
live to The decision took in that case. On this
occasion also manifested my opinions on the
inexpediency, of such exposures, which is the
prominent objection made to those was forced
10 make after wards
must here observe, that one of the agents in
that business pledged his word of honor, that he
would use his influence IN England that no fur
tier attempts of that nature should be made -
this man however presuming that the same mo-
lives would always prevent my coming forward,
did eve ry thing in his power TO encourage these
adventures, and three out OF four OF the ships
exposed came to his consignment. On the last
of November the King of Denmark ordered
general arrest on all foreign property IN his pro
yjnces The motive to this measure WAS de-
nunciaton the part OF another government,
that great proportion of the property imported
in American ships had been laden IN England &
for English account
While the royal commissioners appointed
10 investigate the proofs and circumstances re-
Iatine TO this property sitting lii this place,
four Ships pubiickly known to have been laden in
England and for English account arrived here,
and one of the captains received orders IN the
mouth ofthe river, TO consgn his cargo to me !;
fl.is perGdious attempt to implicate me, was
made under the false idea, that was capable OF
sacrificing my lost sacred duty to personal in
xerest; the Inaa who attempted it, knew nothing
of me- and only read my motives through the
dark medium of his own base heart; it is well
known to thousands, that If / wond have sacri-
feed honor 70 interest, in the times in which
have lived, might long since have been far re-
moved from an uncertain dependence com
nercial fayors. did not hesitate to declare my
suspicious 10 the captain, and assured him, that
IF they turned out to be correct, should not
iy reject his business, but should act most deci
dedIy against him
He made no confession of bis situation, but the
next morning captain Isaacs Of the ship SIX Sis
ters, wrecked in the Eyder, came TO my Office
with his crew, claiming my protection and as
distance told him that l hoped that there
would be enough saved Cfthe property 10 pay
the balances due to the crew, on which captain
1saacs confessed, that there were 10 balances
due and told me that he came from Lond n; ne
soon afterwards mentioned tie names OF four o
Tiers who landed at the same time and place,
three of which were then here On the day
following received letter from an American at
Hamburg stating that one Of the ships, the Ma
tive, capt Hill, must have loaded in England -
after, ards received Letter signed by ten of
the principal Supercsrgoss, one Of whom repre-
scented by far, the largest property oil any single
concern in this country, demanding, under
menace of responsibility, that should xpose the
ships arrived from England. In one cay re-
csiyed three expresses from Hamburg on this
trying subject / resisted the opportunities Ut
the sccuscrs by all the arguments which the cir
teal situation of our affairs suggested and pro
posed to the accused to leave the port and go to
sea again. lave reYson to believe, that two of
them would have adopted this proposal, although
zheV gave me no assurances ON tie subject, but