Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-06-24
From the american Daily .idvsrtiser.

From TIC s1HlcftCuN OAttJ eA~S'' 's"'
" Mr.. PoULsoN, -.
The following address to commodore
Rodgers, was written shortly after the
notification of his official letter to the Sc
cretary of the Navy. The publication OF
it has been delayed, in the hope that some
more satisfactory information would have
been given to the public, or some explaria-
ton attempted, through the medium OF
the official gazette Of the government. AS
this has not been done, beg the favor OF
you, to give this place in your paper.
June II.
To Commodore John Rodgers, command
er of the United States frisate PreS'-
dent.
SIR,
+ In YOUR letter to the secretary Of the
navy. dated the Esd ult. giving an account
Of YOUR rencountre with his Britannia ma
jesty's ship Little Belt, you very justly
observed, that you were we'll convinced
of the Importance of the transaction to
your country. In this sentiment, most
cordially agree with you; and l may add,
that, l am not without my fears, it is an
event of more Importance to our country,
than either the administration or the pub
lie seem to be aware OF.
am the more confirmed in my appre-
tensions, from the circumstance OF your
having requested a formal enquiry to be
instituted into YOUR conduct connected
with it. Had you received from the pro-
per authority, clear and explicit instruc-
tons, for the regulation of your conduct
during your cruize, and had you been
perfectly conscious of having obeyed those
instructions, it is highly improbable you
would have demanded such an enquiry.
1t is believed to be uneNampled in naval
or military history, for an officer, on hav-
ing discharged what he conceived to be
his duty, and without being accused, or
any reasonable grounds Of accusation ap-
pearing on the face Of the transaction, to
make request of that nature. While,
therefore, this request may imply conf
dence on your part, of favorable result
to the investigation, it also seems to I'M
ply that doubts hung Oh your mind as to
the correctness of your conduct. Those
doubts probably originated in the appre-
hension YOU entertained, that your pro-
cecdings, as the officer OF neutral ma
ton, protesting to be at peace with all
the world, on discovering on the high
seas, without the jurisdiction of the Unit
ed States. an armed vessel Of "a bclliserent
nation,---were neither sanctioned by your
instructions, nor the laws of nations. This
is fair inference; for although you say
it is from personal considerations you
make the request, yet you allow that it
is from the importance of the transaction
to your country, that you felt those per-
sonal considerations.
From this view of the subject, ] regret
extremely that your request was not COM
piled with. l have no doubt it would
have resulted in your being honorably ac-
quilted and at the same time, it would
have furnished our government with an
authentic statement of all the circum-
stances connected with the unfortunate al
fair, and would have enabled them TO
take firm ground, in case it should ever
become subject of discussion between
the United States and Great Britain.
Though am not personally acquainted
with you, yet, from what have heard of
your character, l am ready to declare,
that 1 have confidence in your veracity /;
and therefore / am satisfied, that every
thing you have stated in your official let
ter, you believed to be true. At the same
time, will avow with equal frankness,
my strong conviction, that Qerhaps from
belief that it was immateriaD you have
not told the 1chole truth.
As the proper authority has declined in
shutting any enquiry into the transaction,
permit humble individual, OH behalf of
himself and others, who feel deep inter-
est in the honor and prosperity of our
country, to call your attention to few
points, which certainly require exp'ana-
ton.
The first which presents itself is very
important one.