Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-10-16

VIEW OF inc actual state OF the enter
prize, of its expectancy aud It's probable
issuc.
Upon the first question the duty and
! exp dency Of this expeGitioa, we should
have thought that douot couli not lsavs
| existed an! thai, rs oar settlements in the
Mediterranean have rendered that sea in
| great part Brush channel, 50 it was
incumbent equally npan our commercial
! interests as upon OR national dignity. to
clear that sea of its pirates. To com
nercial nation ike England, the oceans,
seas and naviysble rivers, arr the high
ways OF the world, and it would appear,
therefore, our manifest interest to clear
them OF robbers and murderers. In all
trading nations the security Of the roads
has been regarded as their first interest.
But the sea, as we have said, is not the
high road of a mere nation, but the high
way of the world, the means of intercourse
or nation w!;d nation, and man with man.
1t will be acknowledged we presume, that
this representation makes out strong
case, and that to counterweigh it strong
er must be made out on the opposite de.
ltut the only contrary argument which
we have metw'th, is the alledged diff cu!ty
of vietual' ng Gibraltar and Malta, unless
by the b rbary states. But this argument
Us grounded upon superstition that the
object Of the expedition is to destroy not
only the Pirates, but the States them
selves; not only their City and forts, but
their cultivated fe!s. But this we pre-
| sume is not the object of the expedition.
We should hope that the purpose is to
| root out the Pirates, anil replace them by
Christian garrisons. We retain G brai-
ter in the very teeth of Spaia why not
Alg'ers in despite of Morocco? If the
expedition proposes less than this, the arr
gument in objection to it is not without
some GROUNDS. If proposes this, it will es-
taoish IN permanency the security which
| 1t proposes t. restore.
Another argument has been used a
glinst not only its expediency. hut oar
! right. 1t is urged, that the late massacre
was that OF a mob, who raising in rebellion
against their own government, and acting
in despite and defiance Of tn "a, should
not BE- contounded with the government
itself; that all we can requ re as satsfac
ton for such an outrage is, that the go
yernlnent should disavow, and in so far as
| It's powers so, should punish them. But
that is already done be it so But has
not the existing Algerine government &C
tuaily taken up arms to defend the re-
solution of the new Dey End Divau to
annu the former treaty. Does not the
spirit in which the late massacre arose,
prove the folly of all such treaties with
such powerss And is not their system one
Of Piracy and robbery; and with respect
to the aledged passes, English crews. &c.
is it not notorious, I've are now speaking
from the actual knowledge of 2 friend of
our OWN is 1t not, we Say notori us, that
the A'gerine pirates, in order Il get rid of
any English crew. compel them to wslk
overheard Immediately. then they take the
vessel, and then carry the vessel INTO port,
as III ship of another nation! This Gus
tom is so much a mater of course, that the
pirat S execute it with as much coolns 50
as cruelty. They lay an Inclined plank
from the vessels side, aud compel the crew,
one by one(as many Of them oaiy as are En-
ism ITO walk into the sea.
AS to the probable issue of this expe
diGon, we should hope that there can be
no d ,ubt CT a termination suited to tn.
present glory of the English arms. 1t is
perfectly true that Algiers is not in so de.
piorable state of weakness as has been
represented in some of orr papers, and
that two sill of the line will certainly not
be suni cient to humble and destroy it. But
as so macy powers have proceeded against
it at one time, we will almost take upon
ourselves to say, that at least thirty sail
Of the line will be lad abreast of il /; aid
as We have right to reckon upon the
characteristic gallantry Of English sea-
men. We are perfectly tranquil as to the
event. The battle will certainly be for
milabie. The Algerines are stated to
have nearly three hundred pieces of can
non commanding their harbor: and a
mougst the renegadoes they will doubtless
find some wretches who will serve and
manage them. But fleet which succee-
ded at Copenhagen, can have. nothing to
fear at Agiers.
in the event Of the success of the ex-
ped'-ion in expelling the Algeriurs, OF
which we cannot allow ourselves to enter
tain any doubt, one Of two measures is pro-
posed--the first is that of delivering these
towns and cities into the hands of the graRd
Seignnr. as members Of his domnions,
and the second, that of establishing in
them Christian srrisors. We will not
allow ourselves n momentary Considerati-
on of the former, as it must be as repug-
nant to the feelings of our readers, as we
feel it to be to our own minds. We must
express our hopes that the latter will be
adopted, and we must confess that we see
no little difficulty in accomplishing it, but
they are neither insuperaLle,nor too much,
for the importance of the object. We
certa My see no reason why we should
not meat the ignorance and fanaticism Of
Mahometans by the civilization and tenn
pered zeal of Christian nations, and why
we should not attempt (uncer such a ma
nifest openng)the establishment of a Chris
tian Empire on the coasts ofthe Meditsr-
ranean. One of the evils of the pr sent