Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-01-09
THE ALGERINE TREATY.
DoCU-hENT'S accompanying the Message Of
he President. frdnsr;itting to the Senate Me
Treaty Of Peace zpifh Meters.
II


me President, Transmitting to the Senate he
ITe"ty Of Peace Nth .Agiers.
u 5. Guerrero, Bayof Algiers,
July f'h, lal5.
Mr-We have the honor 20 refer you TO- the Of
neal reports OF & IN. Decatur to the navy dcn9rt-
rnen, for an account Of the operations of this sapa
dron previous TO arrival off Alsicrs on the 2sh
ultimo.
Having received information that the Algerine
squadron had been at sea for considerable time
longer thau that "a which their cruisers usually ex-
tend, & that dispatch boat HAD been sent from Glib
ratar TO gers 60 inform them ofour arrival in the
Mediterranean, We thought that they might have
made harbor, where they would be in safety
we, therefore, whilst they were in this state Of IT.
Certainty, beiiryed it proper moment 10 deliver
the Presidents letter. asreeably to oar Instructions
Aeeor!mgiyon the 29,h ut iag OF truce was hos-
ted on bosrd the GuerTiere, with the Swedish Ra,
az the main. A boat came off about noon, with NJ.
Noricrlng, consul of Sweden, nrd the CAPTAIN OF
the port, who confirmed the intelligence we had be-
lore reeen ed ard to whom we communicated in
trmation OF the capture Of their frigate and brig
The impression made by these events was visible 81
deep. We were requested b. the captain Of the
port, hrr Wondering declaring that he was not au-
thorised 10 act state the conditions on which We
would make peace, to which replied, b. giving
the letter OF the President to the Dev, aud BY
no,e irofn Us him, a copy Of which (No ~ we
nave the honor 10 transmit herewith. The cap
tam OF the port then requested that hosti!ties soGld
ana 1.lst
tnnt1sel 10 treat should 60 shore he arH Mr..
Norierline, both affirming that the minister OF
fna'snc had pledged imss .oT Ou security and re-
turn to cur ships when pleased. Both those 1o-
positions were rejected, wnd they were explicitly
inorneu that the negotiation must be carried on on
hoard The hest, and that hosttiea, as tar a. hey
respected vessels, could not aac---They returned
on sacre. On the following day the sans persono
returned, and In0T'nsd nc that Shey we've e0mms
stoned tne Deyto treat With ca The proposed
oa''s and tNeir anxiety appeared extreme 20 con-
Guide re peace Immediately. We thea brolch III
lor"ard the motel oil treaty, which we declared
would not he departed from in substance at tn
same time clarirg that although .he United States
"onidnrver supuate for paying tribute in any form
"haeVeij YET that they were magma inlous d
generous nation, who wonid, upon the resen alton
Oh conau's' do w-st was customary with other great
patrons, IN tn IL friendly Intercourse with alsiers
J ne treaty was then examined, 81 theT were OF min
ION that It would not be agreed tn in its present 10 IN
ana particularly requested that tire article L, qu;rr
the - siirntCn Of the property thee lad eaptured \
which had been distributed n,iait-be oypunoei al
'edsms that srch demand hal never been before
made upon hleiers. 70 this Il WAC answered that
the claim wasjust and would be adhered to- They
then asked, whether, If the treaty shouA be signed
oy ue D'J' we would engage to restore the
captured vessels; which we refused They
then n presented that IL was not tie present ney
who had dc eiared the war, which they acknovl,d IL
ed 10 be uTJgst, eJnc,dig that they we're wholly in
The Wr9'y, and had excuse, and rogue 5iel that
we would tske the fthc De into consideration
and upon his agreeing 20 with us more favor.
able than had ever been made 'y;th any other ra-
ton, to restore the Ships, which they stated would
be OF little or M Value TO US but you'll he Of Great
Importance 10 iIn, they wcnli satisfy the people
WIN the conditions q the peace we were going 10
conclude with hin.
We consuIted upon this question, and deternin.
Cd that, co s!,ring the state Of tn sc vessels the
sums that would be required to fii them for ms
sage 10 the Ciiied States, and The little probability
OF selling uIer0 IN 4 IS pa oithe world, We won't,
make compliment o. them u his highne-s IL ihe
state they then were, the commodore engaging 10
turnish them With an escort 10 this port 1Ii-,
however, would depend nppn their SIGNING the treaty
as presented to them, and could not appeai rs an
article OF It, bni mast le eotsfiered favor con-
terred on the Dey by the United Stqts.
They then requested truce to deliberate upon
the terms of the proposed treaty, which was refrs-
ed they even pleaded for three hours. There
ply was mot q minute ; ig ynur squadron appears
IN sight before tie treaty is actually sgned by the
Dey, and The prisoners sent of, ours you'd
capture them. Ut was finally agreed tiat
hostlits5 shond cease when We perceived
their boat coming of with a white Gao
hoisted, the Swedish eo"ssl pledgiug his word Of
honor not to hoist It unless the treaty was signed
and the prise ersn the bost. They returned on
shore and although the distance was fall five miles
they came back within three hours, with the treaty
n8ned az We bad concluded Il, and tiie prisoners.
During the interval Of their absence, covette
appeared IN sight, which would have been captured
they had been detained one hour longer. The
treaty has snee been drawn out anew, ira slated by
them, and duly executed " the Dey which We have
the honor to transmit herewith.
Mr. Shsler has since been or shore, and IL. cot.
ton and money mentioned IN The eth Article hsyc
been given up to him. I'h.y nov shoe every dir
position TO maintain sincere pcace with us, which
Is doubtless owing TO The dread Of our arms: And
we take ih7 occasion t. remark that IN our opinion
the only secure guarantee can have for the ,iu-
tcnance the peace just concluded with these ueo-
pie, the presence in the Mediterranean, Of res
pectable naval force.
As this treaty appears to he to secrre every in
ierest within the contemplation 0f the government,
'nd 90 It really places the T. States higher ground
Than any other nation, Ff have m hestet0n on oar
part in fulfilling spch Gifts provisions as are within
powerin the firm belief, tba' !, viii receive the
ratification of the presiienl and Senate.
We have the honor to be, with resp e. sir, your
obdt servants,
STEPHEN DECATUR.
WILLIAM sUALGE