Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-03-28


errors would swell a folio EQUAL TO tlIat of
celebrated sir Thomas brown. ON the
exemption of lands from debt, lie said the
Jaw OF or virginia was, with some relaNatinns
mar ot England the creates CONNIE rcialc ouutrv
They had no law i,npairing the oblrat;on of
contracts. where, bya fraduient debtor he
come bankrupt to-day, might drive over his
hati-sh"d creditor to morrow in "A splendid o
qn,pag". Once debt. always debt, once a
VIE, always wife. except IN very sevo,e ca
SOS when The Legislature did some times hui
rarely grant divorce. These were the oreat
outwores ct honesty and morals Ard he de
"iaieH mat there was not country or the face
ot the globe, where, in proportion 10 tho v:,Iue
OF the transactions, so iittie none, ,yas lost h,
Dad debts, or where the standard OF female on
rity was higher. -
HesSTS. G.iies & Seton
In looking over the columns of the George.
town " IHesscager, OF The 18th inst observed
z staienient OF an affair which took place at
NesSina. h'tween some OF the officers of our
squadron aud the master ofan English mer-
S""nt schooner, extracted from Gibraltar ma
per, anS evidently fabricated for the purnosn
%! deccivng the public, and :avuis.iny the
character. OF American naval officers This
statement issues from The &C ChroaicIe." A paper
notorious tor IT'S vile msrcpresentations. If
such Darcfaced faisehoods are suffered IN mass
uncontradicted, 1T will be a tacit ackuo,yIedre-
nent OF their truth, and affect ma teraIlv. our
reputation. AS a member OF onr navy T feel
deeply interested, and. as an eve witness to
many OF INC acts which occurred at Messina,
.a9Hot avoid coming forth in behalf of my bro
thcr o'hcers, and contradictinr somuch Of the
statement as Know to be cIlse, and throwing
such other light on the affair as has come with
in NV knnwledee -
=, usst our squadron were in the harbour of
SieSsina III the month of September last. a sal
lot belonging tothe Java went on board the En-
g'iShsch. Ann, Capt Bell fort puroose of
seeing an acquaintance, from whom he rccci-
'i va present; a small piece of leather; he
WAS searched and charged with tbeft nv ,bo
mate, VINO, like other arrogant Rng,ishmen 40
smmei the Office of judge and executioner :
INC american sailor, Notwithstanding his re
pea'en proiestations of innocence, and a cor
rsboratlon by the man who rave hin, tic Ioa
tier. was seized and most inh,,n,a nIy fionsad .
toWhicl punishment capt. Bell gave his svo,v
ed sanction. The American sailor did ~
KNOCK The mate down, (as stated in the Gihr,I
t ."i paper nor ala he commit any act Of vio
renee whist on board the schooner At such
caring and outrageous conduct. every oeicar
OF our squadron became highly and iustIv in
censea, and painted for a suitable opOort,,n;,,,
U, Mlpiig on so foui stain upon our national
Vn"'iCteT, ana bringing to an account the man
VINO was capable ofso base an act Wbathar
the aiiair was mutually referred hy the Amer.
can ana English cOnsuls to fbe Siciiian Gov
shrnneni' cannot positively say; but am of
,ne op'nion II was. This reference nd moi
however, prevent Capt. Bell from boa.t;,o j.,
Inc hoiels and streets Of Messina. of HE ,oio.
ToRS mate ; conduct; he with half do7an of
HIS staggering companions assembled everv
:Nt iS az lotei, To which our officers were
III ene hanit or res0Ttlns where he DubIicIy
revived our government. and rave tbe most;n
siitiilg answers 10 the queries of our ol;corc
"h'lst IN one of MS vaporing moods. surronnd-
ca ny MS trends, three midshipmen belonging
10 the aShington appeared i'm tho roo,, IN
which fhey were, and isdiridvaII,, mot III.
ttreiy, recoiiccD demanded satiSfaction far I,ic
conduct, which he declined giving in ~, 800
a0se way, altedSing, thathe had family. which
by tile bye, have since been in forn,r J - 49,,
y cloak for his cowartlice Homo' vas s on
a great deal OF codTing, he retired VIII, one "a
the ohcerS TO spacious room into Which
none were admitted but the comb,tants " g.
aI'9ongh capt BELL was Of" Bristol metile +"
andhad Obtained degree of A. nj in The
Fedrce and Bechcr school" he coo, f,'n' ~.
necessary to knock under 10 YANKEE nroYsss
ana belched forth enough most niteousIv
mere was not single blow struck bv any o.
'ie, "Inc'T nor ala J. engage ihe saine evening"
WIN any OF them after he had been co f,;ri,.
logged. In the interview which ar.r,,'s '. ~
loon place between capt. Bell and t,yoof o,,r
oihcers on board the schooner @ ioad,J ~:
tol was not snapped" atCaptain Bell on fhe
s" ns! ~ dithough hls conduct deserved i'm
mcnlaie chasusement the gentlemen who
varied on hm displayed an urcommon dorreo
on forbearance, a forbearsncc sc,rceI,, -.
rantable. The partial distnrbgDccS" yyL;c,,
.oDDA pitce on The 10th and Goth" are IN he at
vatIng department. Of the Fnriish c,nta;ns
VINO went armed Themselves and st;,n,,i.,i
their crews to acts of violence Indeed II WIS
not prudent tor an American officer 10 49,
pear on the wharves unarmed and alone A
surgeons mate belonging to the Lava AL ~
ueHcatc Health, whilst peacealdv reti,rnino, a.
ms snip az night, was pursued bv one ~, I,os
,'Otous leIl"ws, overliaHled, and shaner,,Iiv
beaten fetSwere we not acouai,,toJ 49,,
'lese circumstdnces, we urighf be dfsuos,1 -,
pace confidence in the yarri~hed tall. nf . =
gentlemen tTo'a Ucssiaa" On fhc 1otb S.D,.,,'
iDer me Constellation, Java and Eric sailed ~,
.iHpoii, ana NOT for the purpose of iutcrccn
lug 'ne hhn nor were they ordered of In
consequence oi an iiltInation from tho o.o,,,,
nor TO the commodore that If order g. ~,
Kept on hoard, the forts would he dirocto,f ~
NC on mem nut became their services ,eere
Iephircu ciS@ rls tnbr.tt.. 81;
sor, I'D Tue plsnitude ofbis sSoraI and coys,je,
IN IN IieJJt,Hue forgot to state that Cantain
hhch iiauSecreted on board his sTltooner .,,
1919 - seahen. = aeserter from one Of fho
1855 on Our squadron that he had heeu H.
Hiahaed ny Com. Chauncey and after = rc,,',.I
~ ~ give nl,nup- taken by boat from tie WasL
"s 'on, whist the Ann endcavonred IN snc,t
Vut OF the hafoor. No, no; this v,onld savo,
700 hiucu Of truth; it must be dressed IN, j., -
nptHcr yarb, and called F." fuisc prefe,,.ev 81
cieIhi' and a"refaAati0H" Of their &" r;yd y,
S.s,'.' lie influence Of British agency in ma
~ W tue Mediterranean ports lac g;vor
urn 10 numerous reports and publicatjon,
'auye 10 our affairs in that sea, and il is To l.,
nOlcu illat little or no confidence will be ,la
ecu w theln' but that they will be treated =.
Tue offspring ofmortJfed pride. 90
THOMAS CRAPB.
49, Lieutenant If tie Z. s. Narg.
'Pash'rgioa city, March ~, 1915.
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