The Enquirer

Extract of a letter from Fort Stoddert on the Mobile River, to the Editor of this paper, dated, Jan. 16.

"Our Spanish Neighbors are very insolent—they continue to exact a toll of 12 per cent. on our merchandize passing the town of Mobile going to, and returning from New Orleans. and lately they send their vessels to the Old National Boundary, a few miles below this place, where they have found means to obtain several cargoes of corn and other produce. They are supplied from one side of the line by some of that unprincipled kind of beings who call themselves citizens of the United States, but who in fact, have either escaped from the dungeons, or been picked out of society in other countries, and here, in this out-of-the way place they join en masse, and live & have their being. & some indeed, enrich themselves, through perjuries and violations of our laws—they call themselves merchants or pedlars, masters of small vessels, &c. How fortunate it is for the government of the U. States, that our shores and wildernesses only can be infested with these vagabonds—the heart, and most of the interior of the country will always remain sound—thus the body will be preserved from corruption.

An inspector, a few days ago, seized and brought to this port, one of the above mentioned Spanish vessels—a schooner of about twenty tons burthen, laden with corn and peas. The seizure was alledged to have been made below the line, where-upon Capt. Gaines dispatched an officer to ascertain the fact; and found from his report that the seizure was a short distance below the line. The collector, therefore restored the vessel and cargo to the claimant. The line has never been marked through the low grounds of this river, in consequence of their having been inundated when the boundary was established—a space of near ten miles, through low grounds & islands was left unmarked, hence the difficulty of ascertaining where the true line intersects the river."