Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-04-18

| and honor, to do less than intelpose
some measure Of precauion at least a
gainst the repetition Of enormlues
which had been so long uncontrolled
by The government whose officers had
committed them, and which had at last
taken the exorbitant shape OF hostlilty
and Of insult seen in the attack on the
frigate Chesapeake ? Candour VIII
pronounce that less could not be done ];
and it will as reasonably admit that
the proclamation comprising that mea-
sure, could not have breathed more
temperate spirit, nor spoken IN more
becoming tone. How far 1t has recelV-
ed from those whose intruslons 1t pro
hibited, the respect due to the national
authority, or been made the occasion
ofnewindignities, needs no explanation.
The President having interposed this
precautionary interdict, lost no time In
instrncting the minister plenipotentlsry
of the United States to represent to the
British government the signal aggres-
sion which had been committed on
their sovereignty and their flag, and to
require the satisfaction due for it in
dulging the expectation, that his Bril-
tannic majesty would at once perceive
it to be the truest magnanimity, as well
as the strictest justice, to offer that
prompt and full expiation of an ac-
knowledged wrong, which would re-es-
tablish and improve both in fact and
in feeling, the state of things which 1t
had violated.
This expectation was considered as
not only honorable to the sentiments
of his majesty, but was supported by
known examples, in which, being the
complaining party, he had required and
obtained, as preliminary to any coun-
ter complaints whatever, precise re-
placement of things, in every practical
bic circumstance, In their pre-existing
situation.
Thus in the year 1854, Bermudians
and other BIRTHS subjects, who had
according to annual custom, taken pos
session Of Turk's-I8land for the season
of making salt, having been forcibly
removed with their vessels and effects
by French detachment from the island
of 81. Domingo, to which Turks Island
was alledged to be an appurtenance,
the British ambassador at Paris, in
pursuance of instructions from his
government, demanded, as a satstac-
ton for the violence committed, that
the proceedings should be disavowed,
the intention ofacquiring Turks-IsGand
disclaimed, orders given for the imme,
date abandonment Of it on the part Of
the French, evefy thing restored to the
condition in which 1t was at the time
Of the aggression, and PREPARATION made
Of the damages which any British sub
Iects should be found TO have sustained,
according to an estimation 70 be settled
between the governors of 81. Domingo
and Jamaica. A compliance with the
whole Of this demand was the result.
Again In the year 1889, certain
English merchants having opened
trade at Nootka Sound, on the North
West coast Of Ame1fca, and attempted
a settlement At that place, the Span
iards who had long claimed that part
Of the world as their exclusive property,
dispatched frigate from l1erIco,
which captured two English vessels
engaged in the trade, and broke up the
settlement on the coast. The Spanish
government was the first to complain,
in this ease,of the intrusions committed
by the British merchants. The British
government, however, demanded that
the vessels taken by the Spanish frigate
should be restored, and adequate salts
faction granted frertous 70 any ather
discussion
This demand prevailed the Spanish
government agreeing to make full
restitution Of the captured vessels, and
to indemnify the parties interested in
them for the losses sustained. They
restored also the buildings and tracts
Of land Of which the British subjects
had been disPossessed. The British,
however, soon gave proof Of the little
value they set Oh the possession, by
voluntary dereliction under which it
has since remained.
The case which will be noted last,
though Off date prior te the case Of
.N6otka Sound, is that Of Falkzand'8 Isl
ands. These islands lie about one
hundred leagues eastward Of the straits
/ of Magellan. The title to them had
been a subject of controversy among
several Of the maritime nations Of Eu-
rQhe. From the position of the islands
and other circumstances, the preten-
slOhs OF Stain bore an advantageous