Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-06-02

ssety STATE in Europe; by which Treaties all pre-
hibiory Systems should be done away with at once.
l Ii is now profitable only to the smuggler.
We are aware that we ere suggesting remedies
which can only be productive Of partial benefit
But until general remedies can be discovered, do
not let US refuse to adopt partial ones.
As it was only this morning thatthe Quarterly
review for April was published, it cannot be sup
posed that we have had time to do more than take
| q rapid view OF its contents. But there are two
articles IN IT to which we beg to direct the atten-
zion OF our readers-Ine Currency. and The
State and Prospects Of the Country.
The mention Of the first subject need not alarm
our readers. We are not going to enter into any
discussion o. II; but merely to make the following
textract:
" In order that a country should be as free as
possible from the i'll effects Of an alteration in the
value OF money, Il appears indispensable that it
should possess an adequate supply Of the precious
metals, to perform the functions Of circulating
/ medium; and |. is manifest that a due proportion
OF the precious metals cannot be retained in crcu-
iation contemporaneously with the unrestricted
issue OF one pound notes. Ii is, indeed, to the
functions performed by the one pound note that
one OF the precious metals is mostly limited.
1 upon the whole we are inclined to think that
when the act for the suppression of the pound
note circulation has come into full operation-and
when period Of sufficient length has elapsed to
allow the public to perceive its practical effect
u
ry beneficial supplement to the act enforcing the
resumption OF cash payments. The act of 1929
J creates demand for specie, but the small note
suspension act will have the effect of retaining in
| tho country an uniform and failing supply
OF the precious metals, in order to meet that de-
mand.'
The second article enters into ! very wide field
ndeed-ltbegins its view with the moral & political
changes which have taken place in Europe, from
The close Of the 18th century TO the present day.
| II enumerates and descants upon the arrival Of
llcarning-the discovery Of print;ug-the passage
to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope-the
| Reiormation-the civil war in England-the age
OF Louis the l4th-the dagitous partitions OF Po
iand-the revolt ofour American coIonies-the
French Revolution, aud its consequent wars-the
| inpolicy OF having permitted the aggrandisement
| oil Russia-the insecurity of Belgium our inter-
nal improvements-the progress Of educaton-the
tendency to approximate the lower classes to the
higher-the insecurity Of our present greatness,
from various cause.-the public debt-the poor
rates-the redundancy ofour population-the ne
cessity OF struggle to preserve the lead we have
ttaken-the difficulties we NAV expect to contend
with.
Such are the subjects treated Of in this article.
Part OF the picture is drawn in colours which some
will complain of as too gloomy, butwe fear they
cannot deny that they are true, and we have more
than once expressed it as opinion in which
we have the good fortune to have the Review a.
gree with US, that it is not only the duty of
age but OF wisdom 10 'iook our situation always in
.the face
THE AFFAIR OF PORT MAHON.
! 4 friend has favored us with the following copy
I oil communication from Capt. Downes, Of the
Java, to MIR. Brown, our Minister at Paris. rela-
tive TO the occurrences at PORT Mahon in the Is
land OF aiinorca. Mass. Journ0l.
U. STATE. FRIGATE JAvA,2
/ Toulon, March 18th, 1929
| Sir,-Having seen in the Toulon newspaper
what purports to be an account of the affray that
occurred at Mahon. between the French and :
merican sailors, on the evening of the 18th OF
February, in which Lieut. Mesnard, Of the French
brig Faune was killed, and this account being al
together incorrect, and calculated to reflect dis
credit on the character Of the American officers
then at Mahon, have thought il duty owed
myself as well as the service in general, to give
you statement Of the circumstances as thew
have come to my knowledge, and can with con-
hdence appeal to the Government of Minorca, and
other authorities Of Mahon, Gas far as they are ac-
qaainted with the circumstauces,) for the correct
| ness OF my statement I should not make tn is
reference, not that in the account published
! in the French paper, it is stated, that these
events have raised against them, (the Americans, }
the Indignation OF the Mshones, and the inhabi-
| tants Of Villa Carlos, George Town, who assured
the authorities of the country that in no instance
were the French the aggressors."
! I'd the 18th January last, about one hundred
men belonging to the Java were on shore. Du-
ring the evening there was fight, between them
Pomone, and brig Faune, in which several of my
men were severely wounded, two of them DANCE
rouSiy so. Upon that occasion, the Governor OF
i Minorca, issued order dated Goth Jan. 1929,
| addressed to the CoHsuis, with request that they
would communicate the Same to the commanders
OF public vessels in port directing that all seamen
| on shore should retire board at sunset. In
| compliance with tina, order the American seamen
were kept on board their ships until the 18th Feb.
, when obtained the consent Of the Governor for
them to visit the shore during the eight succeed
ing days. The French on the contrary appeared
to take no notice of the order, but their searnen
continued to visit the shore, constantly, at night
and generally armed with swords. Within a
| week subsequent 10 The ARRAY Of the 25th Janua-
! ry, above alluded to. at my request, (made thro'
| our Consul, mr. Ladco,) the Governor of Minor
ca proposed TO the French Consul, residing at Ma
hon, with view to prevent the sailors of different
nations from meeting on shore, that the French
sailors should be allowed a certain number Of days
(say ten) TO visit the shore, and that afterwards
the Americans should come shore, and so on al
! ternately. The Governor informed me that the
French Consul declined making any such arrange
ment, TO which circumstance we must attribute
| the unfortunate affair of the 18th Feb.
will now state the circumstances of the case,
con6ning myself to the evening of the 18th Feb
1t. Mesnard, with several of his men, had taken
into custody man belonging to this ship, and was
dragging him along Castle street, (the general
place OF resort for saors,) with the declared OBJ
! iect OF taking him before the Governor, but for
| what purpose have not been able to learn; the
| mao was severely beaten, and his cries of murder
brought several Of his shpmates to his rescue, and
| IN the ARRAY which ensued, the French lieutenant
received blow on the head, which fractured his
skull and terminated his existence.
| man belonging to the Java was passing peace
ably along the street, lin George TOWN. alone,
when he was met by several French sailors. one