Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-09-24
THE TUNIsIAN CONSUL
Fnom the Democratic Press

Some days ago we noticed the arri.
val at New-York of DR.. Heap, from
Tunis. We then contemplated some
further notice Of this gentleman, but
circumstances have prevented it. Feel.
ing as we do that there are. some
things connected with this subject in
which the public, and the mercantile
interests of this country have an inte-
rest, we will, even at this late hour,
say few words in relation to DR..
Heap and his late public services.
We believe, it was sometime in De-
cember last that DR.. Heap arrived at
Tunis, as American Consul; he was
appointed on the death Of Major Slith,
as we have understood by the Consul
General, MIR. Shaler, under express in.
structions from the government of the
United States. At the time of Mr..
Heaps arrival in Tunis, the business
and relationship between the United
States and that Regency, were involy.
ed in some difficulty and no advantage
accrued to either country: The FLAG
OF the United States had not been seen
in Tunis for many months before the
arrival of the new consul This I'm
profitable and unpleasant state of our
relations had rot, it is believed, arisen
from any wan. Of kind feelings on the
part Of the Bashaw Bey, or mis- princi-
pal ministers, but from some degrading
and highly injurious provisions in the
Treaty between the United States and
Iunis, which had been recognized
some where about the year l797. Our
Government from that period, through
Messrs. O'Brien, Eaton, Cathcartsand
others, had labored to have it altered.
so as to open to our merchants the way
to obtain the rich commodities with
which the Regency of Tnnis abounds.
and TO open TO us a valuable market.
which is now almost exclusively in the
hands Of the French.
Soon after the arrival Of Dr.. Heap.
he had the good sense, or the good for.
tune, to adopt course of conduct
which made him particularly accepta-
BILE to the Bashaw Bey, who, not long
after, took occasion to confer with the
new Consul on the subject of the Old
Treaty. These conferences ended in
the making of new treaty, which we
remember, President Monroe in his
Message, at the opening of Congress,
pronounced to be advantageous to the
United States and was promptly rati-
fed by the Senate.
While we thus congratulate the coun-
try on this beneficial change in our
commercial relations and on the door
thus opened to profitable commerce,
we regret TO add that, owing to want
of correct information, or some other
cause, the Consul thus Acceptable 10
Tunis, and thus beneficial to his own
country, has been suddenly ard unex-
pectedly removed. We do 10, Gel
disposed to remark upon the qna!ifica-
tons or the acceptabiiity 10 l'unis Of
the gentleman, who has been appointed
in the place of DR.. Heap, but we may
be allowed 10 say that il they were
much higher than they really are, tia.
this nation would essentially suffer
from the removal Of Dr.. Heap, and We
cannot but hope that that gcnlIemaa
will, on his arrival at the seat OF Co
vernment, make such representations
as shall lead to his restoration 10 ;hat
office in which, the short time he gas
in it, he was fortunate and wise enough
to abrogate treaty which, for nearly
80 years, had been 4 disgrace to the
United States, and in its place to es-
tablish treaty which will be found
both honorable and profitable.