The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-04-12
An Old Document.

friend has put In our hands curious old
document, being nothing more nor less than q
pass signed, In old times, by the President aud
Secretary of State, to vessels trading in the Med
terranean. 1t reads as follows:
"By the President Of the United States Of America
"suifer the schooner Rover, Henry Lorcom, mas
ter or commander, of the burthen of eighty three
tons or whereabouts, mounted with - guns, nav
gated with seven men, to pass with her company
passengers, goods and merchandise, without any
hindrance, seizure or molestation, the said schoo.
ner appearing by good testimony to belong to one
or more of the citizens of the United States, aud
to him or them only.
"Giyen under my hand and the seal OF the
Uuited States of America, the twenty-sxth day OF
June, ia the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and twenty-one
GAMES MONROE.
"By the President;
"JoHN QUINCY ADAMS,
no. 1881. "secretary of State"
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS,
District of B.ston and Charlestown,
Oouutersigned by
J. ii. DEARBoRNE, Collector.
To all persons whom these may concern"
At the head of this peculiar document is pic
ture Of Algiers, aud above that an engraving of a
ship, the top of which was cut in a curved shape,
the other part being In the possession of the
"persons whom these may concern" that is, the
Algerines TO whom all Christendom had paid tri.
butte for centuries, until this youDg country, un.
der the motto, Millions for defence, not a cent
for tribute" compelled Aigiers to let go its hold
and permit American vessels to pass free of tri.
butte. Under the provisions of the treaty, 1t was
agreed that every American vessel shonld be fur
nisbed with pass like the above to prove her
nationality, as tribute was still exacted of all
other countries, and any vessel not provided as
above could be seized, and its crew sold into sla-
very. 1t was customary for vessels trading In the
Mediterranean to carry these documents until the
French seized Algiers, whose people having blown
the French consul from q cannon succeeded at last
10 exhausting the patience of Christendom and
bringing upon themselves vengeance which rem
dered them forever powerless for mischief.
An old New England sea captain informs us
that, In the days when the seamen were seized by
the Algerines, and made slaves of, Yankees always
brought higher price in the Algerine market
than the slaves OF any other nation lie says that
they were so ingenious and industrious that the
Algerines were greatly delighted to get hold of
them. Our nautical friend tells yarn of Young
Yankee passenger in vessel, the son of the
owner. who, being taken by the Agerines, ex-
never been trained to any occupation, and would,
therefore, be entirely useless to anybody. when
tho prisoners were brought to the market, each
one was asked what was his trade, aud was dis
posed Of accordingly. When the young man s
turn came, he replied that he had 10 trade, and
did not know how to do anything,--that he was a
gentleman. "Genteman, gentleman, what's that 90
exclaimed his interrogators. He undertook to ex-
plain by stating that gentleman was a person
who sat still oil the tmo. Unfortunately, the Al.
gerines, 1t seems can make some uso esen of a
"gentleman." The aristocratie captain was i'm
m sdiately purchased by a shrewd old AIgerine at
o high price, who provided him with n pair Of
Dreeches lined with feathers and set him to hatch
ing hens eggs. lie 10 said to have turned on,
more chickens than all the old hens In Algiers
and demonstrated that even "gentIen,a6 :" a.
not without his capabilities. IL seems to ns thar
civilized nations might take hint from the AIpe.
rines and employ gentee loefers in similar yoes
'NN"'