The National Register. — London, England, 1811-07-07 00:00:00

sight of his own interests. He found us too trou blesome guests in Spain and Portugal, and too tenacious of the lan4 which we occupied. He per ceived that neither the experience, skill, nor tried courage of his veterans, could resist the overpower, ing gallantry of our men, and as he could not fulfil his boast of driving them into the sea, he undertook to drive them over it to the plains of America. For that purpose he revoked his Berlin and Milan De crees, and putting at last into action the powerful influence which his gold and intrigues purchased among the patriots of the United States, caused their Government to adopt measures which must lead to a decided rupture with ours. Hostilities once commenced in that quarter, he fancies that tie necessity of defending our Transatlantic posses sions will compel us to recall our armies from the Peninsula, the entire subjection of which would then be no longer doubtful. So useful did he think a diversion of this nature to the success of his ambitious plans, that for several years all the springs of his policy have been exerted to effect it. Every art and means which could secretly or open ly prejudice the American mind against us was put in practice. Threats and promises, hostile severity and pacific leniency, reproaches and praise, the cap ture and unexpected release of its vessels were suc cessively adopted to aid the French party in the United States, and scourge or bribe their Govein- Pient into an open war with this country. In the speech which we have already quoted, NAPO iteox has announced his complete triumph over the American Executive, and the conduct of the lat ter in sending a frigate for the express purpose of engaging one of ours, as well as the action between the Pi esident and the Little Belt, are confirmations tco strong to leave a doubt on any reflecting mind. In the latter case, the Americans still contend, it.is true, that the British Captain was the aggressor ; but the official account has at last reached Govern. molt from Halifax, and the following substance of its contents will prove, that not only the President bred the first shot, but that when she fell in with the Little Belt she was prepared fur action with any • British ship she might chance to encounter : tl ern seeing the frigate with an American broad pendant, which we were convinced wanted to speak ns, Capt. BINGHAM, With his (Y racers, Monett it would 1F better to speak her before riborteued sail, and hove-to, some considerable time before sn-set. The frigate inuriediattly shortened sail, and came dor; n to u very slowly. Wehoiated the ensigrrand pendant to let her know who we vvere 4 __. and on heaving -to, hoisted them again., and kept theln up. When the. frigate was coming down tii us, we distinctly saw the white stars in the broad pendant. " When Captain BIN GUAM judged the frig4te within hail, he bailed her twice very loudly, bat received no answer; abtrat four or five niiruetes utter (Bh. lam. re.) when a little closer, lie hailed. Ship a-hoy; was then repeated from the frigate. Curtain 13. Wen hailed, • What ship is that ?' which Was abo asaiii repeated. The frigate then immediately Commenced firing a broadside, and muskets, front her tops and gangways : the acticu continued with great vigour for 45 minutes, when the' frigate c.oabed firing, and we tlkn did the same. She appeared when she ceased firing to be on fire at the main hatchway. We were' then asked what ship is that?' and immediately au*wcred • by Captain 13. who immediately asking'. what ship is that r was simmered the United States frigate Prvident.' I'he President then asked .' have you struck your colours ?' Captain ad. bravely answered No a..id said to the Officers who were near him, he dM his colours. observed the frigate about six shortly after she bore up, and sail, quite prepared for battle ilea us, and said, • I wilt send Captain B. answered, 6 very who said that Commodore ROOXIti was very sorry Such an accident /IA taken pace, and that we had fired the first shot. Captain B. immediately con tradicted the Officer in the last statement, and said, he could bring the whole of hip Officers to. their oaths that the frigate fired the first;' and as ked the Officer • if he thoue lit we should "fire at a neutral frigate much more than doable her force: The (Aker appeared perfectly convinced of hie being obliged to tell Captain B. a falsehood." Had not the President come down upon the Little Belt perfectly ready for action, she could not after Cartain BINCHIAItt had hailed her the second time, have immediately commenced firing her broadside and muskets from her tops and pniwa,-s, where '- her men most have been purposely and previously stationed, on perceiving that the Little Belt was 'a British vessel of war. Another circumstance sets the question completely at rest, with respect to the priority of firing. The disparity of force was so great and so evident that Captain BINZHIAM must have been ins ine had he, knowing that the' act must be d;sallowed by his country, wantonly courted so unequal an engagement with the frigate of a Neutral Power. Accordingly we find that Avhen he American officer came on hoard the Little Belt, t he pretended that we had fired the first shot, Captain BINGHAM naturally , asked,_ him is if he thought we should fire at a 'neutral frigate much more_ than double our force r' Had, as the Ame ricans pretend, -Commodore ROGERS had no other end in view, than to procure the restoration of some American seamen said to have been impressed, he would, in the first instance, have made the demand in an amicable manner ; were it merely in order not to endanger the lives of the men, whose release be claimed, by firing - into the ship on which they were compelled tel serve. But when he not only had an opportunity of making the 4)4 - pity, but was even asked a question, which he only answered by a general discharge of guns and musketry ; it be comes evident that his only intention was in com pliance with the wishes of France and - his own Government to commit an act of hostility against our navy, when he thought his superiority ensured him success. When he found th.,:t notwithanding the heaviness of his fire, our colours were not lowered, be began to doubt the result of the con test with so undaunted an opponent, and sheltered his wanton aggression under a plea which he knew' to be false, but which enabled him to discontinue the contest uithout having recourse to open flight. The American official account abounds with misrepresentations. They state, that the Little Belt struck her colours, which, on the authority Of all her Officers is known to be false. They also swell her into a 28 gun higate, whilst she carries . only eighteen ; ;Ind at the same time exult in an action which, they say, is decisive of the teishcs and the feelings of the nation." This open call for war will not have been made in vain. A squadron, consisting of four ships of the line and two frigatc\s, has saile under the command of Sir JOSEPH YORK E, WllO hoisted his flag on board the Vengeur. Sir Josnell's instructions are to act with the utmost decision and promptitude, nnless proper reparation should be given. Should the American Govern meat, as It is more than probable, relying on the promises at •France, i-efuse to make the most signal reparation, we may therefore shortly expect to hear that the whole American Navy has been swept away from the scas. that he did not intend to strike hi "Ne m4)11;1113, 4U.daylight, of or •• -! tittulfrArd, and al c „ ,dci- • .y as ' er hai i.L0.4 4 "f 4 70. ell 7. 14 t • ,; ( ist . • L i 1.; 441 4+l . •d, • . 1 116. 1 " * * Zit. al tzT trK-V ti