Yeas.—Messrs. Adair, Adams, Anderson, Bayard, Condit, Gilman, Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Mitchill, Smith of Maryland, Smith of Ohio, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Thruston, Turner, White, Worthington, and Wright.
Nays.—Messrs. Baldwin, Bradley, Gaillard, Hillhouse, Moore, Pickering, Plumer, Smith of New York, Sumter, and Tracy.
So it was Resolved, That this bill pass as amended.
Monday, March 17.
Ex-Bashaw of Tripoli.
Mr. Bradley, from the committee appointed on the 16th of January last, to consider the Message of the President of the United States of the 13th of January, respecting the application of Hamet Caramalli, made the following report:
The ex-Bashaw founds his claim on the justice of the United States, from his services and suffering in their cause, and from his having been deceived and amused with the prospect of being placed on his throne, as legitimate Sovereign of Tripoli, and frequently drawn from eligible situations for the purpose of being made the dupe and instrument of policy, and finally sacrificed to misfortune and wretchedness. The committee, from a full investigation of the documents which have been laid before Congress, with other evidence that has come within their knowledge, are enabled to lay before the Senate a brief statement of facts in relation to the ex-Bashaw, and the result of their deliberations thereon.
This unfortunate prince, by the treason and perfidy of his brother, the reigning Bashaw, was driven from his throne, an exile, to the Regency of Tunis, where the agency of the United States, in the Mediterranean, found him; and as early as August, eighteen hundred and one, entered into a convention to co-operate with him, the object of which was to obtain a permanent peace with Tripoli, to place the ex-Bashaw on his throne, and procure indemnification for all expense in accomplishing the same. This agreement was renewed in November following, with encouragement that the United States would persevere, until they had effected the object; and in eighteen hundred and two, when the reigning Bashaw had made overtures to the ex-Bashaw to settle on him the two provinces of Derne and Bengazi, and when the ex-Bashaw was on the point of leaving Tunis, under an escort furnished him by the reigning Bashaw, the agents of the United States prevailed on him to abandon the offer, with assurance that the United States would effectually co-operate, and place him on the throne of Tripoli.
The same engagements were renewed in eighteen hundred and three, and the plan of co-operation so arranged, that the ex-Bashaw, by his own exertions and force, took possession of the province of Derne; but the American squadron, at that time under the command of Commodore Morris, instead of improving that favorable moment to co-operate with the ex-Bashaw, and to put an end to the war, unfortunately abandoned the Barbary coast, and left the ex-Bashaw to contend solely with all the force of the reigning Bashaw, and who in consequence was obliged, in the fore part of the year eighteen hundred and four, to give up his conquest of Derne, and fly from the fury of the usurper into Egypt. These transactions were, from time to time, not only communicated by our agents to Government, but were laid before Congress in February, eighteen hundred and four, in the documents accompanying the report of the Committee of Claims on the petition of Mr. Eaton, late Consul at Tunis, which committee expressed their decided approbation of his official conduct, and to which report the committee beg leave to refer.
In the full possession of the knowledge of these facts, the Government of the United States, in June, eighteen hundred and four, despatched Commodore Barron, with a squadron, into the Mediterranean, and in his instructions submitted to his entire discretion the subject of availing himself of the co-operation of the ex-Bashaw, and referring him to Mr. Eaton as an agent sent out by Government for that purpose.