Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-09-11

power oil ms oV,uUV troops. Why then u
there any DOUBT on this subjectf 1t is the
nacLhtatio,, not the ability of the English,
which is mistrusted. 1t is the canning and
crooked policy, which regulates their
Court. Jn Algiers they see pirate but
they see also an lilly; who can be turned
to tn, ir baSest purposes. The same system
which has taught the English TO employ
the Indian tomahawk on our borders, has
seduced her to turn the Crescent against
our commerce. Both of them are easily
allured to rapine and blood 10 yield their
assistance IN war against ourselves
blood hounds, whom she has trained TO fol-
low the scent of her own steps. Will the
British Court fut DOM these useful auxi-,
liaries Will she dismantle their towns
and strip them Of all powers of annoyance
Ii this were their plan, why has not the GAL
liant Sir S. Smith been called into tue SER
vice? Why is he, who is styled the Pre-
sident Of the reunion of the Knights, Iiber~
aters of the White Slaves in Africa" and
has made greater efforts than any one liv-
ing to rouse Europe to arms against the
Pirates, why is he reposing at Paris, whnc
Lord Exmouth is sailing from Portsmouth
These circumstances, 1t must be confessed,
give some color of doubt as to the designs of
the English though tits to be hohcd, that
for their own honor, they will SO all lengths
to bring the pirates to their feet, aud strip
them of all their power.
Bnt have they right 70 do it To do
sphat : This j. the question. Lord Exmnntn
may do one oil four things: either force
them to absnion by treaty, the practice of
making "7vhife sMUes - or. take from
them the means by which they do it 4; or
change Their ferm of government or seatter
the horde.
The first would be to do nothing efficient,
because when did the Pirates respect any
treaty which they have made When did
they adhere to an engagement as soon as
they found it their interest to break it! 1t
WAS but the other day that they entered
into a treaty with Decatur. Which they
have since disputed.
If there were gang of robbers near US,
who made 1t a TT ade to plumber every one
they could attack, without reg nd to any
professions they had made, it would be ri
diculous to confide i'll their promises, and
leave them in possession of their weapons.
Are the Pirates of Barbary better than
robbersl Do they not make war to make
| s.avess
For3 centuries past they have trodden
every principle under foot. They have made
| war upon the christians to convert their
| captyes into slaves. All their principal
| works have been erected by the hands of
white men. The mole, which connects
| the Island before Algiers to the m ain
| land, and forms so commodious harbor
| for the pirates, was formed in three years
| by $4,000 Christian Slaves. Their history
I is filled with piracies and crimes--the
| most solemn engagements have been set at
naught nothing but terror could restrain
| Their ravages. The most serious Impression
| that was ever made upon them. was in 1852,
\ h.sr, oh A vel
| barded the town of Aleiers, destroyed all
its Notifications & shipping, & rendered it
| almost heap of ruins. But this impression
wore off with the increase of their strength,
| & they are at this moment lawless pirates !;
! the enemies ofthe human race.
No treaty will be binding. until the '2nd
step has been taken. They will continue to
steal 50 long as they have ships, and the
means TO protect themselves. The least
that eau be done, therefore. is to sSrip
them of all their ships, blow up their for
tificatons, reduce their military ed!fices to
| ashes, and take all their guns and ammu-
milton. AS soon AS their pirAcies are renew
ed, the same chast,semeEt must be inflicted
upon then.
1t is much to be desired, if their form of
government could be changed Permanently
for the better; or, if the whole horde
could be scattered. Ii is the most extreme
| cases only, that would justify tAe mea-
snre---but, when a barbarous nation makes
a practice OF piracy, when it has been their
profession for hundreds Of years, and their
government avows that they cannota6znGon
it, have not civilized states some right to
interfere-to say that form of govern
ment which breeds such villains may be
changed. or the Robbers themselves may
be dispersed ?" Ii there be any that makes
an open profession of trampiing justice VA
der foot, of despising and violating the right
of others; whenever it finds an opportu-
nifty. the interest of human society VIII au-
thorize all others to unite, in order TO hum
BILE and chastise it, Vattel, B. 9, Oh. S.
But it is only in the strong case pointed
out by VatteI, where by % constant max
inns, and by continued Conduct, a ma
ton shows that it has evidently this PERM
cious dispos tion," that others may Judge
for it--Otherwise, as in the case Of the Al
lies debating King to the French, it is
tyranny, and not right.
But grant the right in the case Of Tunis,
Algiers and Tripoli, would it be expedient
to exercise it .-Ii a new form Of govern
ment were instituted, would it last Or,
with such inhabitants, would their manners
be reformed And if they were disper-
sed, wpud they not mere wander about
their mountains and forests, and return as
| soon as their adversares departed The
| idea of establishing an English fort, for the
sake OF repression, might contribute to