The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-05-03

BRITISH administration, was taken on their
case. We have deemed it proper TO
communicate this, as not unimportant to
orr own government and our own cti-
zens. On the morning of the 18th an an
swer to our note was received. covering
list OF seventy seven negroes, few bales Of
cotton, and 4 few horses and cattle, which
were to be restored as having been originally
taken at Cumberland Island, and having
remained there TO the ratification of the trea-
ty.
Head Quarters, Cumberland Island, }
The 11th March, 1915.
GENTLEMEN,
I have the honor 10 acknowledge
the receipt ofyour note, of the lola current the fest
part oi which, obees me TO beg your reconsideration
ol my letter otthe 9TH, as believe so lr from .leel,-
ming therein all discussion of nv construction of the
LIST article of the treaty of peace lately concluded be-
tween ourgovcrnments," Ihave there quoted yerba-
tim the mayor part Si ii, and nave explicitly stated to
YOU, the line oi conduct which my construction Of
the SAID article called upon to adopt, in giving
up the territory possessed by the forces under my or
ders.
declined only entering into discussion rcspec,ine
captures made e}sesshere, and which had been re.
moved from the places seere cobtl,d bIiof' to the
exchange oil the raticsons ofthe peace such not ap-
peaing to come within the specified intention of the a.
s;u ~ article OF the treaty, AMI YOU will perceive
IRON his signature added To letter. the comm snder
In ciet OF his Brnrrc Niacsty's forces on the N a.
mercan station co onrs with me in this opinion
i RAJ e herewith the honor to transmit in commit.
ance with your request list Of property and slaves o.
riginsiy captured on Cumberland Island, and which
appear TO have remained on i, at II p NJ of the I7tb
sitmo, the period which the notifications were ex
changed.
have the honor 70 be- gentlemen yeur ,nost obe
dent humble servant,
L. 'COCEBURN, rea. admiral
TO c'!pfa'n .N'-1,eH s. ThonGs Sbaifng ESQ.,
.3Senfs fer receiring restored territory
andproperty, sc.
In order to place the matter in proper
light, We the same day transmitted the follow
ing answer, which closed our Joint correspon
dence with the admiral:
SIR.
We have to acknowledge the receipt of your
note OF the nth instant, containing list slaves and
property which hal been originally found on Cumber
land Island and which were remaining on the Island
at the ratification othe treaty of peace by the Pres
n'ht Against t;; construction OF the first article of
the treaty OF peace, must still protest aud we must
still contend SIR that all the property and all the
slave, that were CumberIan Island or in the ri
ves or waters adjacent to the same at the ratification
OF the treaty. in the spirit of amity in which that arH
Gle was concluded should have been restored : and
tins construction OF the first article of the treaty was
The more important to the people of the United States
asa great proportion Of the property taken and great
proportion OF the slaves received were sent from the
waters OF the United States, from the island of Cum
Deisnd, aslae rs between the period of the second
and NTH oil March, and no rco0siderabie number of
saves, have been sent on board your shipping in the
oing, and since had the honor of adrssnp tn Won
our hrst note OF the 9TH instant. But SIR to have pres.
s2d our construction of the treaty. after yo1 letter
had been approved of by the commander in chief sir
Alexander cc!s;ic, and mi retired from the sta
Ton, would have been something more than useless
We have them sir, alternative, but to refer this af
TAR to our government.
We cannot, however, conclude this correspondence
without acknowledging the pleasure we feel at the e..
el hfeh Ha,.
slaves to obtain their voluntary return .i,c;,ics hch
weare sensible would have been productive of more
effect, had there more time been allowed to opcrate
and we are sir, very respectfully, your very obeent
servants, &c.
Although admiral Cockburn evinced to the com
missioners this willingness; vet we have it from The We
ry best authority he had previously given orders 10 his
officers to lay IN the way of claimants every obstacle
that would tend to defeat the return Of any neotoes
this fact Is proved by the conduct of the in rso,
to claimants 1t ia absdrd in the highest degree TO saw
that, he could not restrain his oicersany one at ali
acquainted with discipline must know better
Editor Rehu5Acqn.
And here it is necessary for understanding
the last clause of our letter, to state. what
lend to it Mr.. Spalding had suggested to adj
miral Cockburn, after every other means had
failed, his giving permission to claimants to
go on board his ships in the ofing to obtain
the voluntary returR of their slaves, this he
assented to with great willingness-he sent
an officer with them, and in the presence of
ourselves gave the most positive instructions
to the officer to have every facility afforded
them. This step produced a return of thir
teen slaves--siX of capt. WHY'S, FIVE of Mr..
Couper's, one of Major Buffers and one of
major Johnson's and would have produced a
return OF hundreds if it had not have been
for the means employed by the inferior OFF,
GERS to prevent their return. On the morn
ing of the 18th instant the British fac wa,
struck at Dunginess, and having consulted
with the many respectable gentlemen, who
were with us, as to the necessity of the occa-
sion, we called upon captain MaEsas for an
officer and twenty FIVE men, to be sent
to Dunginess, to prevent as far as posi-
bic fugitive slaves, still joining the British
ships, that were just in the offing, and were
to remain so tor two Or three DAYS. Mr.
Spalding then addressed the following letter
to admiral Cockburn, and followed can
tain Newell, who had already taken Ills de
parture.
SIR,
IL IS with much regret have to state. that Of
the slaves which you have ordered to be restored as
having jOned the British forces under your cor,ard
after the ratification ofthc treaty Of peace bv the Pr,
dent Of the U. States, several OF them now ON oad
the Regulus, captain Ramsey, have notsbeen Delivered
These sIavesme two NJ Mr.. Armstrong; January
Stubs and Mary Stubs, Of the slaves of Mr. Nil
ler and the four Of Mr. Copp, which were Yesterday