The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-17

ernment, as well as of its agents, in an obi;
Gus isht but TO untieceive not ONLY INV own,
Couhtfymcn but even every liberal English
man, who may have been deceived by the;t.
scphistry. .t
hat did chase the Little Belt, ac,.
knowledge but that did so with the inten.
ton OF Offering menace or insult to the Bri.
Ish flag, declare, in the presence Of nv
900, is without any foundation whatever.
Ineither would the orders under which was
aC'nS authorise such course, any more
than they would have justified my submitting
TO an insult from ii British, or any other sliiis
+ CT war.
:, Without further observations or comment
.han Is necessarily connected with the sub
Jet, the following are therefore my reason,
Tor having chased that ship On tie 1Oti.
on May, being then al anchor. OH A,,narvI;,
got under weigh to proceed 10 my station
New-1 ork, in consequence of am order from
INC honorable the Secretary of the NAVY TO
tnat effect: in which he acquainted ne of
his having issued this order owing to his
oeng informed that the trade Of New -Yorl,
mao become interrupted bv British * Freneh
cruizers. At this time discovered by the.
newspapers, that British frigatc, supposed
10 oe the Guerrier, had, in the vicinity of
candy Hook, and.during my absence from the
s'a'ioh' impressed out of the American brig
opithre, bound crasswise, a young man by The,
name OF Digsio,an American,& apprentice To
Tie master OF the brig-on the 10th of Nav.
al little past meridian, being at the time.
III II fathoms water, about fourteen or if-
teen leagues to the northward and eastward
OF cape Henry, and about six leagues from
the land to the southwark of Chingoteak, a.
sail was discovered to the eastward standinfr
towards us under press of canvass, which
L soon rnads out by the sha e OF her al y, -
as they became distinguishahle from our deck
TO DE man OF war. Not having heard of a.
ny other ship of war; than the before-men
toned trigate being OH our coast, concluded
(and more particularly from the direction in
winch She was discovcred) that il was her.
and accordingly determined 20 speak her, as
well because l considered it my duty to know
the names and characters, if possible, of all
foreign cruizers lowering on our coast. as;
from an impression, if it turned out to be the.
vessel had conceived, that her commander
from having learnt through the medium of the,
newspapers the sensation which the beforel
ment oned outrage had ~ duced throughout
the U. s., might be induced if he was not to-
tally regardless of American claims to ius-
uCe, 10 mention that he had the young man
Ill question on board, and would deliver him
up to me, and perhaps at the same time as
sign some cause for such gross violation Of
the sovereign rights of the American nation.
AI any rate, whether he was disposed or not,
could learn from him tn the man wasa
on board, should have it l.. nv newer to rs-
present the same to my government, & tbere.
by be the means of mere readily effcctinr his
emancipation from vasalage and the cruel
necessity OF lighting the battles of the very
country whose officer had thus unlawfully
cnslaVed hlm and in doing this, ] consider
Gu was DONG no more than duty imposed
on me by my situation, Consequc ntiv / felt
regardless If, in accomplishing it, a further
attempt should be made &. i,s,.it NV country
oy Offering Violence 20 the flag flying over my
head-as was then, am now ard ever shall
be, prepared to repei any such insult or in
jury to the very utmost of the force unlermy
eomihaho ana that too without regard tb
the consequences resulting thcrefrom
| these, gentlemen, were my motives Ssi.
having chased the ship which | supp sed to
be the trisate that impressed Diggo, but:
wmch afterwards proved t. be his Britain
me MaJesty's ship Little Belt. But even if
mad no such reason to justify my chasing, I
MAINTAIN that the usage ofnatains, the treaty
concluded In 1888 between the u. S. and g.
D., as well as the British precedents almost
without number, gave me that right if It
De admitted that our country possesses any
comparative or reciprocal rights whatever.
Although admit did chase the Lit.lt,
Belt, 1 nevertheless deny that her COM
Inander wished to prevent my coming up
with him, otherwise he undoubtedly would
not nave Kept away, and set his studdiner
ward OF me added to his, ms conduct was:
unfrendly to say the least, as he declined
showing his Colcrs until after it was tof da..k,
10 distinguish what they were. altho' ne; Trusr
nave perceived, as we'll from the courses
stcered, as from my cclors (of which
he undoubtedly saw the pcndant) that
wished to speak him. Indeed the several
circumstances make it apparent 10 me, that
ne was ignorant of our force, and wished to
Procrastinate our meeting, only until after h
should be dark.
(Signed) JOHN RO GERS
The following Jugdment comes ter he
evidence and the Address, and ccnr., des the.
report OF the Proceedings OF the Conr OF En-
quiry
The Court of Enquiry, authorised & re.
CURED by precept issued by the Honorable
the Secretary of the Navy of the United
states, bearing dagc the oath of July. 1911
nave III conformity with the same, niinutey
examined into every circumstance stated in
the letter Of John Rodgers, ESQUIRE, bearing
date, off San y Hook, May The Esd, 1911, 6.
addressed TO the Hon. the Secretary of the
Navy OF the u. States, relative to the fair.
between the United States frigate the Pre-
sident and his Britannia Majesty's shin the
Lille or Little Belt and having taken all
the testimony that could in any manner Oh.
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