Star. — London, England, 1814-10-25 00:00:00

AMERICA. COPT OF A LETTER FROM VICE-ADMIRAL COCHRANE TO MR. MON ROE. " His Majebty's ship the Tonnant, in the Patuxent River, August 18, 1914. • Sin—Havirl been called upon by the Gover nor-General of the Canadas to aid him in carrying into effect measures of retaliation against the inhabi tants of tlie United States, for the wanton destruction ens:omitted by their army in Upper Canada, it has become imperiously my duty, conformably with the nature of the Governor-General's application, to issue to the naval force under my command an order to destroy and lay waste such towns and districts upon the coast as may be found assailable. • I had hoped that this contest would have tenni tatea without my being obliged to resort to severi ties which are contrary to the usages of civilized war fare ; and as it has been with extreme reluctance and concern that I have found myself compelled to adopt this system of devastation, I shall be equally grati fied it the conduct of the Executive of the United States will authorize my staying such promdings, by making reparation to the ►uffering inhabitants of Upper Canada—thereby manifesting that if the de structive measures pursued by their army were ever sancti ,, ned, they will no longer be permitted by the Government. _ _ _ 44 I base the honour to be, Sir, with much coos"- devotion, your most obedient humble serront, (Signed) 44 ALEX. COCHRANR. Vice-Admiral and Commander in Chief al His Britannic Majesty's ships and vessels upon the North American Station. COPY OF A LETTER FROM MR. MONROE TO SIR ALEXAN DER COCHRANE, VICE-ADMIRAL, ETC. " Department c)1" State, Sept. 6, 1814. di Sin—l have had the honour to receive your let ter of the 18th of August, stating, that having been called on by the Governor-General of the Canadas to aid him in carrying into effect measures of retaliation against the inhabitants of the United States, for the wanton desolation committed by their army in Upper Canada, it has become your duty, conformably with the nature of the Governor-General's application, to issue to the naval force under your command, an or der to destroy and lay waste such towns and districts ,upon the coast as may be found assailable. 46 It is seen with the greatest surprise, that this system of devastation which has been practised by the British forces, so manifestly contrary to the usage of civiiizA warfare, is placed by you on the ground of retaliation. No sooner were the United States com pelled to resort to war against Great Britain, than they resolved to wage it in a manner most consonant to the principles of humanity, and to those friendly relations which it was desirable to preserve between the two nations, after the restoration of peace. They perceived, however, with the deepest regret, that a spirit alike just and humane was neither cherished nor acted on by your Government. Such an as'cr tion would not be hazarded, if it was not supported by facts, the proof of which has perhaps already car ried the same conviction to other nations that it has to the people of those States. Without dwelling on the deplorable cruelties committed by the Savages in the British ranks, and in British pay, on American pris-ners at the River Raisin, which to this day have never seen disavowed or atoned, I refer, as more im mediately connected with the subject of your letter, to the wanton desolation that was committed at 1-favre de-Grace, and at George Town, early in the Spring, 1813. These villages were burnt and ravaged by the naval forces of Great Britain, to the ruin of their unarmed inhabitants, who saw with astonishment that they derived no protection to tlie.r property from the laws of war. During the same season, scenes of in. vasion and pillage, carried on under the same autho rity, were witnessed all along the waters of the'Che sapeake, to an extent inflicting the'most serious pri vate distress, and under circumstances that justified the suspicion, that revenge and cupidity, rather than the manly motives that should dictate the hostility of a high minded foe, led to their perpetration. , g The late destruction of the houses of Govern ment in this city is another act which comes neces. sarily into view. In the wars of modern Europe, no efo.mples of the kind, even among nations the most hostile to each other, can be traced. In the course of ten years past, the capitals of the principal powers of the Continent c.f . Europe have been conquered, and occup'ed alternately by the a ictorious armies of each other, and no instance of such wanton and un justifiable destruction has been seen. We must go sack to dist ,nt and barbarous ages, to find a parallel fir the acts of which I complain. " Altheugh these acts of desolation-invited, if they aid not impose to the Government, the necessity of retaliation, yet in no instance has it been authorized. The burning of the village of Newark, in Upper Ca nada, posterior to the early outrages above enume rated, was not executed on that principle. The village of Newark adjoined Fort George, and its destruction was justified by the officer who ordered it, on the ground that it became necessary in the mili tary operations there. 'I he act, litwevcr, was dis avowed by die Government. The burning which took place at Lops Point was unauthalized by the Government, and the conduct of the officer subjected to the investigation of 'a military tribunal. For the burning of St. David's, committed by stragglers, the officer who commanded in that quarter was dismissed without a trial for not preventing it " I am commanded by the President distinctly to state, that it as little comports with any orders which have been issued to the military and naval Comman ders of the United States, as it does with the estab lislied and known humanity of the American nation, to pursue a system which it appears you have adopted. The Government owes it to itself, to the principles which it has ever held sacred, to disavow, as justly chargeable to it, any . such wanton, cruel, and unjus tifiable warfare. 66 Whatever unauthorized irregularity may have been committed by any of its troops, it would have been ready, acting on these principles of sacred and eternal obligatitoi, to disavow, and as Tar as might be practicable, to repair. But in the plan of desolating warfare •a hick your letter so explicitly makes known, and which is ittempted to be excused on a plea se utterly groundlt.ss, the President perceives a spirit 01 deep.rooted Lostility, which, without the evidence of such licts, he could nut have believed existed, co ut,tild have been carried to such an extremity. 46 For the reparatiou of injuries, of whatever na ture they may be, not sanctioned by the law of nations, which the naval or military forces of either power may have committed against the other, this government will always be ready to enter into reci procal arrangement. It is presumed that your go vernment will neither expect or propose any which are not reciprocal. " Should your Government adhere to a system of desolation, so contrary to the views and practice of tie United States, so revolting to humanity, and re. pugnant to the sentiments and usages of the civilized world, whilst it will be seen with the deepest regret, it must and will be met with a determination and constancy becoming a free people, contending in a just cause for their essential rights and their dearest interests. " I have the honour to be, with great considera tion, Sir, your most obedient bumble servant, (Signed) " JAL MONROE." PROVINCE OF LOWER CANADA, SEPT. 22. PROCLAMATION. " George the Third, by the grace of Goo, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defen der of the Faith : “ To all our loving Subjects, and to all others whom these presents may concern, greeting: gs Whereas war has been declared, and now exists, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies thereof and the United States of America and their territories ; and the ex portation of grain and provisions of Lower Canada may at this time prove highly injurious to the interest of our empire and to the welfare of our loving subjects in the said Province; we have thought proper, by and with the advice of the Executive Council of our said Province of Lower Canada, to cause this our Royal Proclamation, and to order; and we do hereby order, that an embargo be forthwith laid on all wheat, flour, and meal of every kind, barley, rye, oats, peas, potatoes, biscuit, salted pork and beef from any port or place in and within our said Province of Lower Canada, to any country, place, kingdom, dominion, or territory whatsoever ; and we do hereby strictly prohibit and forbid the sailing of any ship, vessel or vessels, having on board any of the aloove-mentioned articles, from any port or place aforesaid in and with in our said Province of Lower Canada, to any such place, country, kingdom, dominion or territory akore said, save and except such vessels having on board, as aforesaid, so much of the said before-recited ar ticles as may be necessary for the supply of those ports of the coast of Labrador only which are occu picd as trading ports and fisheries, and which have been recently annexed to our Governm?nt of New foundland, and also in like manner necessary for the supply of the settlements of our Island of Anticosti ; in the Gulf of St. Lawrence: aad it is our will and pleasure, and wt: do hereby order, that the said em bargo remain from the date of these presents until Saturday, the 31st of December next ensuing, of all which our loving subjects and all others concerned are to take notice, and govern themselves accor dingly, we by the tenor of these presents firmly en j,,ining and commanding them, and all and every of our Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to be in all things and to the utmost aiding and assisting in the due execution of this our Royal Proclamation ; pro vided always that nothing herein contained shall ex tend to "revent the exportation of coarse biscuit, commonly called Newfoundland bread, certified to. be such by the inspector of flour at the time of ship ment, the exporter, shipper, or owner first giving a bond to the Officers of our Customs at the Port of Quebec for the landing of the same in the Island of Newfoundland or its dependencies. 44 In testimony whereof, we have caused these our letters to be mide patent, and the great seal of our Province of Lower Canada to be hereunto affixed, witness our trusty and well-beloved Sir George Pre vost, Baronet, Captain General And Governor-in chief in and over the Provinces of Lower Canada, Upper Canada, Nova Scotia, New Bo unswick, and their several dependencies, Vice-Admq.al of the same, Lieutenant-General, commander of all our forces in the said Provinces, and in the Islands of Newfound land, Prince Edward, Cape Breton, and Bermuda. u eat our Government House in the City of Montreal, in our said Province of Lower Canada, September 21, 1114, and of our Reign the fifty-fourth. (Signed) 46 JOHN TAYLOR, Deputy Secretary." The following interesting particulars respecting onr late Expedition to North America, are extracted from private communications: " General Ross, while gallantly riding at the very head of the advance, by the side of Lieutenant Evans, Acting Deputy-Quarter-Master-General, received a rifle shot in his lett arm, which, after passing through it, and breaking the bone between the elbow and shoulder, entered his body, breaking the ribs, and inflictedia mortal wound. The General exclaimed—. 66 My arm is broken," and almost immediately fell, but he was caught by those near his person, and gently supported. He requested to be taken on board -the Royal Oak, after he had with difficulty communicated with Colonel Brooke and Rear-Ad miral Cockburn. As he became weak and evidently near his end, he lamented very strongly that he should die on such an insignificant field of battle, wishing that, since it was his fate to fall, that he could have ended his glorious career amidst some more brilliant scene. He bore his great pain with the most heroic, and indeed, astonishing composure, and his last words were, which he ejaculated with a convulsive sigh—" Oh ! my dear Wife !" 66 The fall of the General had a visible effect on the troops who observed it, so much was he beloved ; but Lieutenant Evans placed himself immediately in their front, and without appearing the least discon certed at the disaster, took off his hat and cheered them on towards the enemy in the most gallant manner. 4 , The enemy, after the attack on Washington, expected that 1341timore would be assailed, and they had accordingly prepared every means of defence within their power. During the whole of the period mentioned, the militia of the adjacent States had been iu the town under arrnk,regularly training, and an immense number of labourers were employ• ed in raising fortifications. Added to this, when our fleet approached the mouth of the harbour, nearly forty large ships were sunk in two lifie% across it , mouth, and more were ready in props; to be sunk At a moment's notice. There were also in the real of these sunken ships, a line of stfong gunboats, the whole of which entirely precluded the possibility of our ships atnicking within proper mtge. Ex-, cept at the entrance of the Barbour, the water was so very shallow, that nothing larger than gun•brigs could navigate it, and even these could not com pletely close. " The bombardment was continued with much spirit for many hours, with great effect, by four bomb-vessels. Shells were thrown into the citadel and into the town. Our people on board the squa dron observed the walls and roofs of houses shattered in pieces. For more than four hours after the bombard ment commenced, the enemy would not chew his fire, nor did they open until the 13th, about two o'clock in the afternoon, at a time when the vessels had approached within range. When their fiie open ed it was tremendous. The water appeared (to use the simile of our informant) as if peas had been scattered over it, but their shot from the large guns were very ill-directed. Only one person was wound ed on board the bomb-vessels. " When our troops went on board the ships again, the enemy brought out his force, and displayed it on the shore. Their line was of great extent, but their numbers only served to excite contempt, when their conduct in the field was recollected. gg The loss of the enemy at Baltimore and Alex andria must be immense. The sinking of their best ships, though they will be enabled to weigh the greatest part of them, serves to swell the amount.— Baltimore is the chief town of the State of Maryland. It is situate on the north side of Patapsco river, at a small distance from its junction with the Chesapeake. —The town is built around what is called a bason, reckoned one of the finest harbours in America. It contains about 50,000 inhabitants. At the entrance of this bason the ships were sunk in lines. •, After the re-embarkation of the troops from neJr Baltimore, Sir Alexander Cochrane, in the Formant, accompanied by the Severn, Captain Nourse, saild for Halifax, where the body of General Ross was taken for interment ; and Rear-Admiral Cockburn, in the Albion, with the Hebrus, Captain Palmer, proceeded to Bermuda. The Albion was completely laden with tobacco which had been captured, and each of the three other ships were stored with much valuable captured property. It is intended to winter in the Chesapeake, and keep the enemy under a state of alarm. 44 Rear-Admiral Malcolm had the command of the fleet, during the absence of the Commander-in- Chief and the Second in Command. His flag was on board the Royal Oak, and he has under him, the Ramilies, Surprise, Seahorse, Menelaus, Madagascar, Havannah, Euryalus, Diadem, Dictator, Diomede, Trave,Weser, Melpomene, Thames, Regulus, Brune, Fairy, Wolverine, Boxer, Jaseur, Manly, Thistle, &c. Rear-Admiral Hotham commanded off New Lon- 1 don. The Colonial Black Marines, mentioned by Sir Alexander Cochrane, are the Slaves who have de serted front the Americans and joined our armament. They are clothed, organized, and armed, and fight, in general, with much spirit. Of course they have a two-fold stimulus—hatred to their late masters, and the certainty of death it retaken. 64 An Of who writes as from the Chesapeake of a late date, after detailing the particulars ef a great many minor expeditions in which the enemy has sufF,:red severely in men and property, observes— • The Americans say that we are a collection of ' devils let loose oa them to torment and worry them to death, and that our boldness in ascending to the very sources of their tributary rivers of the Chesa peake, astonishes as much as it annoys them, which I can assure you is not a little. During one of our perambulations on shore, the enemy played us a cu rious trick. General Hungerford with some militia was in the neighbourhood, and Lieutenants Pasco and Stephens, at the head of a strong party of Ma. rives, went in quest of them, but could not find either the General or his party. We afterwards learnt that the enemy, forming a true estimation of his danger, concealed himself and two light field pieces which he had with him under some bushes, and in that state we passed them. We have taken possession of Tan gier, and some other Islands in the Chesapeake, the latter of which is garrisoned by Lieutenant Duguid, R. M. and 40 men. 44 We have erected proper fortifications and ac commodations, and here we drill the blacks who de sert from slavery to us. We have already above 500 of them, clothed and armed ; we h:tve tried them several times on etore with the marin:s and sailors, against their old masters, and their behaviour was such as to gain them our approbation and Iliz i llest confidence. 44 Mr. Cummins has been appointed garrison Sur geon to Tangier Island, which we shall retain during our occupation of the Chesapeake. Our rocket corps astonish the enemy much, and our marines heat t!iem in grand stile. While the battalion was at Bermuda the officers were incessantly employed in drilling and fitting them for the field. The enemy observe that they are riflemen, infantry of the line, artillery men i or sailors, just as the case warrants ; and this is really the fact. Rear• Admiral Cockburn thinks so highly of them, that he says he would trust himself any where under their protection. “ The Rear-Admiral is a fine officer, and is un commonly beloved by all the seamen in the fleet, who observe that he is • a true Briton.' He will go any where, and when an attack is to be made his boat or barge is in general the leading one. He is both General and Admiral, and his plans are laid down with that familiar clearness that all understand them. " The quantities of tobacco we have taken are enormous. We find it well packed in very large hogsheads, and the article is become of considerable value. The country bordering on the Chesapeake is very fine, and was the land higher would be healthy as It now is pleasant. The Rivers are in the narrowest places halt a mile wide. The ships in general are well supplied with fresh provisions brought to us from the shore. a We have just heard that a malignant fever rages at Norfolk, carrying off the inhabitants and troops in abundance. The enemy endeavoured a few days ago. to get permission to send the Constellation frigate (which is at Norfolk) to Europe as a 11 ig of truce, but it was not grantetl. Two Englishmen who came of to Tangier Island with some Blacks, intorm us, that if they had succeeded in getting her out of port, they did not really intend to send her as a flag of •ruce, but to one of the Northern ports, where it was lesigned she should take in men, guns and stoles, .ind go ou a marauding cruise. These Englishmen inform us that their ships are manned principally by Irishmen of the lower order, who are brave and of the most adventrous cast ; hence the animated man ner in which their ships are fought. We also learn that Irishmen and many Englishmen man their gun. boats and batteries. The Thistle is stationed of Tangier Island, to assist in protecting it." BELGIUM. ADDRESS TO LOUIS XVIII. 44 SIRE—The hand of PROVIDENCE has delivered Europe from the excesses of a conqueror equally in satiable and heedless of the future, and has restored you to the throne of your fathers. The Belgians re joiced at this, because they considered it a benefit in which they should participate. The love which they bear to their mother country, their respect for your virtues, their confidence in your paternal administra. tion, and the connection of their interests with those of France, constitute their claims to the happiness of belonging to the Empire of the Bourbons. These claims have been neglected, our hopes have been dis appointed ; but our sentiments have not changed. gg At the moment of our deliverance, the wishes of one portion of our countrymen called for the Govern. ment of the House of Austria ; but this minority, whose influence arose from their ancient titles, and the authority of which they had obtained possession, looked to the revival of their prerogatives, and not to the good of their country. They did not reflect that the Belgians, too far removed from the centre of animating authority, and exposed to attack by their geographical position, would be continually subject to invasion, from which the Austrian Government would be unable to defend them, and for which evil it could not compensate. Our Noblesse, in fact, for twenty years deprived of its tights, and removed from em. ployments, naturally wished for the return of those Princes who had loaded it with titles and authority. —To have felt otherwise would not have been gene. runs. Belgians are not ungrateful. But PROVIDENCE has not crowned this wish, and the House of Austria, which had already abandoned our country in several Treaties, has now released us from all obligations of gratitude, by giving us op to England, which leases us out to the House of Nassau. The Nobility, there fore, like the rest of the Belgic Nations, look towards your Majesty, who will preserve its rights, privtleges, and titles, as you have those of the Illustrious Nobi lity of France. • • " The Ministers of our religion, victims like our. selves and their brethren in your kingdom, of the fury of a Government which no longer exists, quitted France with regret ; but the return of your M..jesty, which is also that of justice, religion, and goad prin ciples, secures to them a safety and protection from the Elder Son of die• Church, which they cannot hope for from a Government whose religion is not that which they teach, and which we profess. " Our commercial men, our landed proprietors, our possessors of capital, our agriculturists, like the rest of their countrymen, like the whole world, wish. ed for a termination of the bloody contest, which, without any definitive object, was devouring the pie. pulation and resources of their country ; but they did not expect that this period would also be the epoch 1 of their ruin. They knew, as we do, that the union of Belgium with France could alone prevent this oc currence. At one moment we hoped that the allied Powers, truly animated with the noble desire of tee storing durable peace to the world, would reunite us to the throne of your family. They would thus have crowned our vows and those of your subjects ; they would have calmed the regret felt by the generous friends of France ; they would have deprived the discontented of every ground for complaint, and have crushed for ever one of the most ancient and prolific sources of European wars. But a ruling policy de. tided it otherwise, and this refusal is the more humid Hating to France, to your Majesty, and to tee becaitie all the world knows that we should have r, ruainel the subjects of a man still too dangerous it he had been wan to make terms. What, Sire ! whilst the conscription depoptilat ed our country, and odious imposts ruined our land, we were Frenchmen ! Whilst insupportable miiitary oppression violated our fire-sides, and shackled our internal relations, and desolated our populatien, we were Frenchmen I—Whilst our ports were closed, whilst commerce eves nought but shame and rein, and wnilse we were called upon to our blood and tree. sure, we were Frenchmen !—ln short, during twenty years, throughout when we made-sacritices of every kind, in order to remain subject to France, whose manners and language we have edoptee, we were Frenchmen ! —And now, when the return of peace and order, and liberty and commerce, is about to re store to France her ancient prosperity, shall we, like deserted children, be given up piece-meal to HoLands to Prussia, and to England ? Ah, Sire ! deign to cast a glance of kindness on this fine country, and msy your inclinations be in unison with our own, and with those of your subjects! We are your children, and our ancient Sovereigns were only great vassals of your crown. The shores of Jordan saw them fight under the banners of that holy Monarch, whose name and virtues you recal to our recollection; and our eons but yesterday formed a part of the warlike phalanxes of France. Long time a prey of the tyranny of a pe rishable man, shall we now become the victims of the despotism of a Government which cannot die ? Al most exhausted by the efforts of a conqueror who core tended in vain against his destiny, we are destroyed by our liberators. if the conscription no more weighs heavy upon us, the landwehr threatens us. If we Are freed from the dreitt minis, we are overwhelmed with taxes and military charges. What have ..re gelded .! Nothing ! What have we lost ? Every itiing ! The sole hope of commerce supported us, and far from being able to give ourselves up to it with security, this hope becomes only a destructive allure ment for the employment of our resources. Shut in and fettered by four lines a . Custem-houses, wa sec them closed without pity at the sight of our products. and opened with the utmost complaisance to inundate the country with English merchandise. Our tine manufactures, raised with so much labour and ex pense in the midst of the vicissitudes of war, laugaisi and decay in the bosom of a deceitful peace, widieut the hope that their productions will fall to the low piece of foreign xnerehendise, which premiums indem nify. Atreedy our attisaus (pit, in great nuineers , their native soil, which no lon e er turnishes them wah work or resources. Our etiiiiicipetities ale .•very where assailed 'oy uuturtun lee weeveree a;10 ask ter passports to foreign coufiaies. A's auae II es RI