Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-12-24
.,fr. Chcu. Co',ectOr at .nSrU- Orleans.
TO .Hr. Crawford.
Collectors Office. Ncw-nr!rans.
August 5Oth. 1877.


I had the honor 10 make To ynu. un-
der date of tho ist instant. | gave such
information respecting the establish
ment at Galveston as had collected:
sinre then, the depositioEs Of Messrs.
J. Ducoirg and V. Garros Eek Judges
Of admiralty at that place, and now
hrre) have been taken. and ] here
with transmit you copies. which g" to
subtantiate the material TACT stated by
me, AID | make no doubt that you
will be satisfied OF the correctness OF
the assertion, that the establishment
of Gal, eston is nothing more or less
than one of p;'iyatccrsmen, without
ven the shadow of connection with
a Mexican republic, If such republic
exists, and as such will not presrmc
be couptenanccd by the government
of the United States. 1t has been
reported to me, and from a source
deserving credit, that the principal
part Of the force from MatagOrda and
Soto de la Marina, had returned TO
Galveston. and that two prizes have
recently arrived. oEe a schooner with
a full cargo. said to be 500, (proba-
bly, exaggerated); that a contagious
fever having made its appearance a.
mong the slaves. the pri,atecrsmen,
apprehensive of its communicating to
the other prize, cut the CABLES, and
sent the schooner adrift with the IN
fortunate beings on board The o.
ther pr ize, a ship with 400 slaves,
was lying there. and they have altoge-
Their about six hundred and fifty slaves
on hand, all of whom are intended to
be introduced into this state.
The United States brig Boxer has
sent in two small schooncrs with thir-
ty slaves on board, captured in our
waters, aid the deputy collcctorof the
district of 1'echc writes me he has sci.
zed Is. and was in pursuit Of lar
ger number. At this moment ] have
sent two confidential inspectors to
examine three plantations on this ri
YER near Batan Rouge. information
having been given me that 100 had
been purchased for the three at Gal
vezton. This activity has nCcasioned
some alarm, ard | am informed, land
place complete confidence in it) that
the privatecrsmen and others interest
ed have resolved TO remove the slaves
to Sabine, build barracks, and keep
them there during the winter, or till
Tie purchasers appear, and leave the
risk of introducing slaves TO the plan
ters, hose eagcrness to procure them
will induce them to run every hazard.
They imagine. that fixing themselves
to the west of the Sabine, they VIII
ue without the jurisdiction Of the u
nitcd States but l trust they will
fiud their mistake only whe' the |
whole party will be seized. |
In addition 10 the foregoing, beg |!
leave TO refer you to the documents |
lately forwarded by Comm ,iore Pat
tersen, to the honorable Secretary of
the Navy, with the memorial Of some
of the most respectable merchants of
this place, praying him tofurnisl con-
voy to protect their vessels trading
with the Spanish ports, from the pira-
tical cruisers, who respect 70 flag
when specie is in question.
have lately sent an inspector OF
confidence, to examine La Fourche
from the Mississippi to the sea
ard he reports IT as thickly settled
for 80 miles from the river, has CT
10 feet water, and six feet on The bar
at the mouth or entrance in the sea,
there is no obstacle whatsoever TO
craft entering it from the sea, and as
cending to the Mississippi, and ira
ding freely as high up as they please.
| mentioned in my last the necessity |
Of appointing an inspector for that
place, if you decide not to have rcve-
nue. cutters on this station. ! cannot
but repeat that | am firmly persuaded
the measure is more necessary for
this, than any other district in the L.
nited States. Bartholomew Lafon, of
this place (who acted as secretary
to the meeting of 18th April, copy Of
dcEberation fnrw arded in my last il
mentioned as tue governor Of the new
establishment near the Sabine. La
fate is now purchasing a large guam
tity Of provisions, and the first cargo |