The Enquirer

From Cobbett's Register of May 27.

AMERICA AND ALGIERS.

As the war, which has now begun between the "Democratic Rulers" of America and the "Regular Government" of Algiers, may lead to important consequences, it is proper to insert here the grounds of this war, as far as we can come at them. We have the American official accounts only. America has a tell-tale sort of Government. It has no state secrets. It blabs out the proceedings in negotiations, while the negociators are still assembled. Not so the Regular Government of Algiers, which is one of the "ancient and venerable fraternity," which the Bostonian Noblesse so much admire; one of the "gems in the crown of ancient glory," of which Mr. Chateaubriand speaks so feelingly and foolishly; one of the links in the chain of the "social system," which has recently been under the hammers of so many able artizans at Vienna.

The Regular Government of Algiers does not make any prefaces to war. It observes a dignified silence till it has actually begun and made some progress in the war. Till it has made a good haul of the enemy's ships, before he knows that he is looked upon as an enemy.

I shall now insert, first, an account of the grounds of war from the National Intelligencer, published at Washington; next the Report of Congress upon the subject; and last, the act of Congress declaring war against Algiers. For, the reader will observe, that, in the Irregular Government of America, war cannot be declared by the Chief Magistrate without the consent of the people's real representatives.-- I reserve a few remarks to follow the documents:

[Here follows the report of the committee of which Mr. Gaston was chairman, &c. and the act of Congress on the subject of the Algerine war]

There is one circumstance connected with this Algerine war, which I think worthy of particular notice; and that is, this regular government began, it appears, its depredations on the Americans, just as these latter were entering upon war with us! Some of our modest and honest gentlemen: some of our most honorable men, have called America an assassin, because she made war against us, while we were at war with Napoleon. What will they say now of the venerable head of this African state? The same honorable worthies have said that because America went to war with us while we had to fight Napoleon, she was the slave of Napoleon. But I hope they will not apply this reasoning to the present war between America and Algiers. I fervently hope, that no one will pretend, that because Algiers went to war with America while America had to fight with us, Algiers was the slave of England! As to the result of the war, I have no doubt that the Dey will not have to rejoice much at the success of his undertaking. A dry blow, instead of millions of dollars, are likely to be his portion. As an Englishman, I must wish, that the Algerines may be beaten by those who have, unfortunately, so often beaten my own countrymen. The Times paper has told us, that it is SUSPECTED that the Algerine war is, with America, a PRETEXT for increasing her navy! Indeed, Doctor! and in what civilian have you discovered that America is restrained from augmenting her navy at her pleasure? What need has she of pretexts? I know, indeed, that amongst your other follies you did during last summer, insist upon it, that in making peace with America, she should at last be compelled to stipulate not to have any ships of war beyond a certain size and number. But the stipulation was not obtained; and now, instead of big menaces, you throw out your suspectings for the cogitations of the wise John Bull. Away driveler! and await a similar fate to your predictions as to the humiliations of France.