Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-12-11

From TIE Nes YorL paper. Of Fridny.

OF
In pursuance Of public notice, meeting Of
citizens was held yestesday at the Tontin.
COFFEE House, for the purpose Of hearing IN,
r'por' OF the committee appointed at forme,
meeting, to take into consideration the sub.
ject Of plraeies in the West India seas
WM. BAYARD. Esq was appointed
Chairman, and STEPHEN ALLEN. ESQ
Secretary.
The report Of the committee was read nv
the Hon. James Kent, late Chancellor of this
Stale, and a memorial to Congress, prepared
by the committee, was unanimously adopted
and o.drrrd To be forwarded to the Senate,
and Representatives in Congress who reside il
this district. Before reading the memorial
Chancellor Kent addressed the meeting in ,
short but forcible speech on the principle.
which il contained, and The views of the s,,b.
leci which the committee entertained. A r. ~
additional remarks were made by Mr.. VIM.
w. WooIsey, wher the meeting adjourned.
The following is the memorial adopted a,
the meeting:
TO the Ssnate and House Of Representatives o,
= The United States in Congress assembled.
The citizens Of New York solicit the atten
ton of your honorable body to subject oil
1he deepest interest, affecting equally the com.
'nerce and revenue Of the nation, the lives OF
our citizens, and The property of most re-.
spectacle class of merchants
The trade 10 the island of Cuba has for
many years been encrea siog and has now be-
come one Of the most valuable branches of
our foreign commerce in its importance To- the
union. IL is not inferior to our trade with
France and all her colonies II is a most adj
yaoiageous market for our produce and manu-
features, furnishes us y iih many useful articles
of consumption, employs, vast amount of
American tonnage, is u 0ursefy for our yea
men, and yields large revenue to our treasury.
This trade was prosecuted until within few
years past with but little interruption but 10
consequence OF wars between the different
Spanish provinces, Which have had the effect
greatly to weaken the sense Of moral obIisa
iions, and from partial suppression Of the
Spanish slave trade, many ferocinus spirits
have been put ont Of employment, and class
ri men have arisen, and located themselves in
different parts Of that Island, who seem, by
their rOtbefies and their crueities, to emulate
The buccaneers 81 former times.
The piracips Ofthese meB were confined for
n time principally to plundering our vessels
aud maitreating our scanen. BY the exer.
tons Of the ma al force under the command Of
Com. Porter, their atrocities were rendered
less frequent, and hopr was entertained that
they would be entirely discontinued but this
hope has proved deIusive. The necessary
HUnurhFbI OF our SHIPS OIL war curing ihr
sickly season, the snpioeness or coDnivancc Of
the local auihoritiesof Cuba, and the imbeciIi-
~ Of the Spanish government, have coDspired
20 renew the piraucaI system with decreased
activity and horror whole crews have been
fecenily murdered, their vessels burnt and their
ca'goe3 plundered, and in some ipsiancps
openly sold at the MaiaDzss or the Havana,
Without some protection Ia this trade more
efiicaciOus than any that has yet bcen afforded
and better adapted to repei the attacks Of
these abandoned nep, We are apprehensiye
thst this great branch Of our foreign COM
merce, sud ihe revenues arising from il, will
beDsterisIy diminished. Hiss Lawful, com