Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-12-10
EFAUMARCHAIs, CLAIM

Congress has been already occupied with
consideration Of this claim, and from the earl
commencement there Is reason 10 believe, that
the petitioners mean TO drive il through The
particulars OF ibis claim are briefly as follows
IL appears that IN May, I776 Beauniat chais
called NJ OIL one of our commissioners then in
Lordon. OH his way 10 France and stated, that
he was an authorized "a. ent of the government
and that they wished, gratujiOusy but most
conhdentiaIly, TO aid The American IeOpie bv
furnishing them, III money * munitions of war
" ith one SiiiliOn of Louis d olS; repeating over
and over. that no remuneration would ever lie
expected by the French cOurttor these adVauc-
eS.
Previous to The treaty of alliance with
France IN 1913, Surdry sums, according to the
accounts OF tie French Minister OF Finance
amounting to three millions of francs, were
advanced, as donation, tor the use of the
United States but according to our accounts,
only two millions. which had been paid 10 orr
commissioners, Messrs. Franklin, Lee and
Dean.
Beaumarchais, under the fictitious firm of
Portallis 6, Co. had made various shipments OF
munitions oil war, clothing, &c. both on pEti.ic
and private account, tor the use of tbS Juiied
States. EeaumaIchais was meyS politca ,
agent, and not acOmmercial nIsii therefore,
to prevent The suspicioi- 81 the British court,
assumed the nominal firm of poriaIliS * Co.
YIN HE bnal settlement OF our accounts with
france, after the revolutionary war, this one
million Of francs was still missing An inauiry
~
FRENCH government persisted that The money
had been paid. and that we had received the
benefit OF il, but declined naming the person
10 whom IT had been paid, stating, however
tiat the advance was made June Iath, I776
benjamin Franklin Then expressed an opinion
10 Congress, that Beaumdrcliais mast have re.
ceiVed THIS money, eOAfdeHtidiy, and might
possibly charge II as II lie bad personality fur
niShcd the supplies. When The French evOin-
ion commenced, new inquiry was made,
ana among the papers, lin the archives OF
Franco mark cd United States papers ~" was
the receipt of Beagmarclas, ddled June 10,
l716, tor one million of francs. The United
States having settled their accounts with The
French government ard admitted this SUM to
Their credit, of course charged Beaunlarchais
with the amount. Ii is for this sum, with inte.
teTest. that Tie heiis of Bea,m,ar Ciiais MAX a
demand, amounting TO nearly d million Of dbl
lars. IN York Nat 1Gr
We hear from respectable gentleman re-
Gently frOm Rio JaneiTO, now in Washington
city, that the conduct of the Portusuese an.
thOrlties there. towards American citizens is
arbitrary beyond example ; that the remOn-
sirancgs OF our Minister, Dir. SHmpter, on
these Subjects, are treated with contempt by
TIE court and that nothing less than d irigaie
or s!oop OF war OF this station, will command
justice or respect. The same informant saws
amongst number of eXactiOnS and expressions
daily practised on the Americans in the Brazil,
that Portuguese vessel OF war (uamed, We
'hi"hi the feuIVJ dCtHdily impressed SebtHtCeH
american citizens 10 serve on board sometime
previous TO her sailing from Rio, in September
1917. These facts ought 10 be looked into
without delay, as they teud 10 coTTObOTate
oiher statements Just received from the same
quarter. IJVash. GGz.
After having the satisfaction ii perusing the
interesting reports OF Mr.. Rodney and MIR
Graham, on South American Affairs we believe
lie public anxiety is very naturally loOkin.
tor similar production from their coadiutoT
Judge Bland there is certainly peculiar
pf0pHety IN having IL laid before the peope-as
edIiy as possible, aud thatit should follow other
reports with all possible despatch. we un-
dersiaDd ibai Dir. Bland wrote the whole of
this document on his passage home, aud ma
nagcd 10 have II copied and prepared i'm ter
days after his return and it is now nearly
dcHble that lime since Il was handed Ia TO the
executive we should be the more glad TO see
~ tOtiliC Omiug, 1T this mOmont, whilst such
lively interest exists on the subject. 1t D'akes
$40 pages of manuscript 10.
Reports from Washington mention a very
civil aud elegant letter from the Prince Re
gent OF Great itain to TIE Hon. john .. ~
ans, requesting him at tie christening Of tie
last Guild OF The British minister, Mr. Bagot.
10 become the PROXY of his Royal Isighness,as
Godfather 10 the infant. As Mf.Adams caTnOt,
WIN politeuess, refuse the request, we suppose
monies attending the christening.
Boston Int.
Import duty Of Hayii.
The Philadelphia CeUihel contains
translation Of new order a The GOV tfii
meni Of liayiI, dated al Port az Prince