Star. — 1818-11-05 (London, England)

THE EDITOR, DATED SEPT. O.  " As I perceive that the system of privateering, which our Merchants have carried on fur some time past, has been reprobated by you, I now communicate some of their proceedings fur your information. It seems that the Spanish property having been swept from the ocean, their cupidity has been attracted by the valuable Portuguese vessels and cargoes which navigate between Portugal, the Brazils, and the East Indies. Blank commissions are procured from Artigas, who occupies the banks of the river Plate, opposite Buenos-Ayres ; under colour of which, vessels, armed, equipped, and owned in the United State's, an d more particularly in this city, attack aU the Portuguese and Spanish vessels they fall in with, plunder them of the specie which they find on board, and if the vessels have valuable car, goes, order some for St. Bartholomew's, where it appears an arrangement of mutual convenience has been made with the Governor ; others, fur small ports in the West Indies ; and some even fur the ports of the United States. " Two privateers which lately arrived at this place have carried on their depredations to a most ruinous extent. One •of them, called La Fortuna, (formerly the Fourth of July), has captured from eight to twelve Portuguese vessels, among which are the Rayuba dos Anjos, from which he took out 112,000 dollars: a large ship of 900 toes, called the Monte Alegra, loaded with a cargo valued at half a million of dollars ; the brigs Vasco da Gorua and I)on Joao Lest*, valued at 100,000 dollars each, besides others of less value. Another privelber. called &Irresistible, which left this place in January last, returned a few days ago, having pillaged, distressed, and taken 29 sail of Portuguese vessels, among which were three And amen of great value. This privateer is said to have brought into this port upwards of 200,0u0 dollars in speckle. " The Portuguese Consul-General has conunented sundry suits, to endeavour to procure the restitution of some of this prOperty. lie is said to have attached a quantity of specie deposited In one of the banks, and to have libelled a large Portuguese ship and cargo, which lately entered this port as a prize to the Fortuna: he has, however, directed prosecutions to be undertaken against the reputed owners of the privateers in this city, to recover the value 9f four of the captures ; and the Judge of the District Court has ordered them to give bail each to the amount of 5110,000. dollars. TLe following persons have been held to bail—John S. Skinner, the Postmaster of this city ; Mat thew Murray, the Sheriff of Baltimore court y ; Joseph Kuria, John Snyder, and Joseph Patterson. " The affair has assumed a serious complexion, and if the ('unsul is successful, as cab scarcely be doubted, must, frum Or magnitude of the claim, tie attended with Almost certain ruin to the parties, and probably to thei: bail, who, it is said, are liable to the full amount of whatever may be the recovery against the persons prosecuted; there b, int in this respect a difference between the Admir.dty LINV and common law. The same persons have al4o been arrested upon criara.l charge 4 sivlsting the  Act of Contest, In puttirt oat the pieneet Pa and have bent held to bail by order of the Judt i pig In November-wit."  The Path Papers of Sunday arrired The principal heads of their contents err in our preceding columns. The latesfo Marshal the Duke of FkLTillt, is dead, being the Fete de la &walla, none of were to appear, so that we shall be new arrivals to day.—The following n. of fluctuation of the 5 per Cents. ou Sul 71fr. 7.5 c. 60c. .50c. 60c. 71fr. 50c. 25e. 40c. ssc. 50c. 60c.  Our Readers are aware that, from avoid recording instances of suicide in excepting only in cases where the fact is that every one must know it, as in us case of Sir SAIIL/EL ROMILLy. In the e( nearly thirty years observation, we ha, mark, that on almost every occurrence the example has been speedily followed instances, proving, decidedly, the evil bare record of such a crime meeting the di viduak labouring under a morbid mental with %thorn such statements act as an a malady which might not otherwise hal into action. We have stated this fact occasions in the hope that our content' we believe to be generally as stroll; sentiments favourable to humanity asoui be imluced to follow our example, and t cause of morality,. by abstaining from that unnatural crimes of any description. %V, again to press this upon them, from obs already, since the lamented death of ROMILLT, three or four inqances of liral and some of them with fatal success, ha, corded in the Daily Papers.—Would it to make it penal by law to record such would be no improper restiaint on the press.