Show OLD BOOKS FOUND in tangier tells tale of pirate days A curious old hook book that would excite the cupidity of some over ardent collectors of rare impressions has been discovered in one of the most unlikely places the american consulato consulate in this bizarre old city of morocco it if there be any truth n the yellowed label inscribed by tho the hand of some early am 1 librarian the book at one time tiffie was volume no 1 of the library ot of congress of the united states of america the title of tho the book is ig state papers pers and public documents of the united states from the accession of george washington to the PreA presidency denCy exhibiting a complete V ew of our foreign relations since that time including confidential documents now first published oddly enough the book begins with 9 message to congress relative to moorish piracy written by president thomas jefferson under the date or of november 4 the last entry n the book is tile the deposition of one thomas clarke under tinder date of april 30 1807 describing an attack on the american brig three brothers by the british frigate the mildewed mil dewed curiosity was dug out from a heap of old books and papers that had bad lain hidden for yeadie b DM george E holt recently appointee 4 american v ce cc consul general to mo holt believes the book came across the atlantic in the first consign ment of official literature consigned to the american consulate at gibraltar and t that hat later it was brought biorn the rock to tangier 4 moors moors of warlike nature A glanco glance at the book is sufficient to show the moors were a formidable people in the days when decatur baino came over to lash the lq barbary arbary coast and carry di the american flag as a terror into waters where theretofore ishad it had been regarded only as the distinguishing mark of one kind of prey of the sea that the moors today reta retain ohp same old spirit albeit without the power of putting it into practice is by tho the fact that effia taday the tribesmen on th the mediterranean coast of morocco ascend to herlits heg lits overlooking the sea and discharge their long guns at any ships that come too close A few years ago they tried to capture a foreign vessel that had bad I 1 become disabled jeffersons note on affair the message ot Plas president ident jefferson jefferion in respect to moorish piracy reads by the copy a letter from captain of the philadelphia frigate to our consul at gibraltar you will learn that an act of hostility ila lias been committed on a merchant ship of the united states by an armed ship of tho the emperor of morocco this conduct on the part ot of the power Is without cause and without explanation it is fortunate captan bainbridge fell in with and took the capturing 0 vessel and its prize and 4 1 I have the satisfaction to inform vou ou that about the date of this transaction such a force would be arriving in the neighborhood of gibraltar both from the east and from the west at ais leaver less to be feared for our commerce from tho the suddenness of tho the aggression on the ath of september the constitution ution frigate captain with MT mr lear on oi board was two days sail of gibraltar where the philadelphia would then bo be arrival vAl with the prize and such explanation probably would be instructed as tho state of things required and as might cpr haps arrest tile the rr progress ogress of in the meanwhile it Is 18 for congress to consider the provisional authorities which may be necessary to restrain the depredations of this power should they be continued TH 1711 JEFFERSON describes capture of pirates commander Bain bridges of the capture of a moorish vessel follows president Pies ident dent jeffersons kucab menage age in the book and reads united states frigate philadelphia palla Phila A elphia cast of malaga about ton ten miles monday aug 29 1803 james simpson esq dear sir I 1 wrote you from gibraltar an th instant mentioning that we sail next morning for malta hearing at tho the rock that tw two 0 tans itans were ost off capo cape do gatt made me pi proceed with all expedition to examine that part of the spanish coast on the we toll fall in fit with a ship carrying only her fo foresail rexall which had a brig in company I 1 under r the same sail ball it being night and tho the dessole ves sole guns housed prevented an immediate discovery of its being a cruiser after hailing tor for some onie time we found it was a vessel of war from barbary on which information I 1 caused a boat to lie bo sent to board the frigate arila april dolphia with passports from which discovered that the vessel was a cruiser er belonging to the emperor ot of morocco called Mir boha comman commane com mandou 0 by ibrahim labares Lu La bareg mounting twenty one guns guna and manned with men by not maring making ourselves known to io th tho 0 officer who came on an board he confessed that the brig in company was an american and had been wita them three or tour four days was bound to co somo some port in spain had been boarded by thorn them but not detained suspects wrong in n passports thol 1 low sail ball the brig war andor induced mo ilia to suspect they had captured her notwithstanding their having your passport which it t fiust appear from the sequel was only ob talked to protect thorn them from american ships of df war ivar I 1 sent my first lieuten ant on board to eradine if they had ant on board to examine if tiley they had tempting to execute my orders 1 he was prevented by the captain of bf the cruiser this increased my suspicion and I 1 sent a boat with armed men to fo enforce my instructions after affer they were on board they found captain Ri richard charil bowen of the american brig celia owned by mr amasa thayer of bos BOB ton and several of his crew who were taken on the 1 ath instant from barcelona bound to malaga within two or three leagues of the spanish shore and about twenty five miles to the eastward of malaga the moors confessed they came a clu cruising ising for the sole purpose ot of capturing americans to be sent to tangier I 1 haye received a paper f from rom thern them written in moorish which they say is their authority frow the governor of tangier for so doing I 1 enclose this to john gavino esq with a particular request to have it safely convoyed conveyed to you that you may be informed of the circumstances and act accordingly v 1 I shall be extremely anxious to hear from you as also for the arrival of commodore Co commodore preble to receive his Instruct instructions lons relative to the captured ships I 1 am bound to gibraltar bay with the prize but am fl fearful earful we shall be detained for want of an eastwardly wind WILLIA 11 disavowal by the moors under date of december 5 1803 president jefferson sent another mes mea sage to con congress gron stating that theom the om em geror of morocco had disavowed the act of hostility with the message jefferson the following translation of the disavowal praise be bergiven given to god alone may god be propitious to our dour mastor master mahomet and to his family V aw imperial seal seah now all those who shall see th this 19 noble writing all a bur govi governors e enors choso char charger with oui our affairs and CAP bains of our vessels that the american people leople are still as they were in peace and friendship with our person exalted by god their vessels are safe both at sea and in port and ana so ire are their merchants and you are not to disturb tile tho peace between us its and them what has happened with their and our vessels has only been an affair among the vessels but the said nation continues respected as they were with us and under all security and equally so eo their vessels wherefore we hereby order that all those of our governors those en ell charged with the command of our ports port and captains of our vessels who shall see ehla writing that they act in all respects for the fulfillment of this order a and nd that they ibey do not deviate those who contravene I 1 it t will be with a so severe vero pun Ish ashment Ishm ment cut there ff Is a a good deal moro in the boalt about ille early troubles of the united states with morocco and there Is even more about the troubles with tripoli the troubles with great britain on the high seas are gone into in detail |