Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-26

t''sn which, \ more infamous falsehood never
existed. II I'd. ,4rgns.1
JYrckv Gazette, Rer.rino, .lfay 3.
we feel il duty incumbent upon us to present
the following correspondence 20 the world, that i
may determine vino is most deserving of eensure;
andy shall sorSrar my further comments in this
dSvs Paper, than are requisite for cur own iustf
cation but shall look tn another source Tor repa.
cation Tor WRONGS and insults unprecedented and
'un'e@esved.
.Canr of an o6reial hitter from c. Coobsr Esq. Pri-
RITZ Srcretdrs IN Ire Gousraor aud Commander
in ri?f 1rsI Government House, Bs,aiuiss,
18Th .qb1l, 1915
SIR.-Your paner Of the 12'h instant, having
reached ris Excellency The Governor and Com
wander m Chief last night, 7 am directed by him
~ express TO Won his great surprise at para
graph which youh,ve thought fit 20 put forth,
with reference to former publication OF yours
.anl subsequent contradiction ofa statement made
in that puhl,catIon relative 10 the concealment Of
s,xtv eight men on board the " S. Fr;gate Pres-
dent, and grossly rejecting upon the conduct of
Com Decatur and the officers of that ship. How
ever ,nwarrantsble may be Com. Decatur's Off
-eal letter IN his Government detailing the cap
tire ofthe Frigate under his command, and how
ever much His Eyeellency may lament that ar
officer Of his rank. and profession should have
thought fit 10 put forth such a document yet
ford the slightest ground or excuse for British
misrepresentation The gloTies OF the British
navy shine fDrth ton conspieuously to require the
aid of false coloring, and The gallant conduct of
cant Hope and his ships company. IN the conflict
with the President, stands too firmly establish ed
moi 20 GesPise alike, such means of attack and
s,oappott. ,a--ss-ss-s> - 49,
Ia vo,lr paper of Thursday last which now
calls for HIS Excellencv's animal ,vrSons, you
have vrntured TO assert, that your publication in
contradiction to vour original paragraph above
alluded 70, was issued in consequence ofyour hav-
ing been "-equeSted to smooth it over" and you
go on to insnuate that the statement contradict-
Ell was "fnunded in truth" 1t is impossible for
his Fxcellency to permit such direct and posi-
tive nnsrepresent alton ~ stand uncOntradicted, &
more especially as his Excellency himself COM
municated o YOU, Capt. Hopes pointed declara-
ton that there was not the slightest foundation
wi,atsoever for the assertion which you had pub
lshed, and that he himself and every officer in
his MsjestY's service felt the utmost indignation
and regret at the wnton insult offered thereby to
an enemy, who then being prisoner under the
protection of the British flag was ent'tleH to pe-
e Her marks Of delicacv and attention, Of VIII oh
Captain Hope, with the nicely OF honorable feel.
ing natural 10 an officer ofthe British navy, lad
fels 50 truly sensible as To have sent brother
officer the moment The ndecorous paragraph re-
fc-red 10 met his eve, 20 express to Commodore
Decatur his ind ignation and regrCt at its having
appeared.
Hs Fzcellency AT the same time stated to YOU
his own opinon, and that oFthe officers ofhis Ma
jesty's service, that the rcprehensible paragraph
Shouldbe instantly and unequiyoeally contradict
ed, and not merely. +" smootHd o1er'' az YOU have
nov thought proper to declare though as YOU a
the time seemed fully impressed with he propri
civ acknowledging statement which YOU hac
erronec~ sly put firth, and oftherGby making Il,
oniy re'rbution Cbich it was then in your powe
tooGer 70 those whose character had been SCUM
Justly DETAINED Ills Excellency felt anx ous tina
The dsayo,gaf to be published should he couchet
in terms the least dissgreesbly 10 your own feel
ings, Or hurtful 10 the paper Of which YOU are tn
Ejnor.
His ExceIency has since seen with pain ant
regret that you have subsequently, on more tina
one occasion, endesvorcd to rctract the correctio
then made by you of ypur prior mis-statemen
and to impress the readers ofthe Gazette with
belefthat your original statement was establish
cd in fact, though Won had the highest authoTit,
{tiat ofCaptain Hope himself for knowingit
be completely unfounded. These attempts hi
ztcelsncy has hitherto passed over--but you
publication ofThursday imposes it upon him q
duty 20 himself " Capt Hope, and 10 the Eir
fish nation, ard in common justice 70 Com. d;
catur, who IS not present 70 defend himself fTor
the aspersion which YOU have cast upon him. Z
=" uterins with reference 10 yourself as base
falsehood as ever was imposed upon tbe world,
not to admit of 5uch document standing uncor
tradieted in paper protesting 10 be publishe
under the immediate authority of his Maiesty
government.
TTis Exeellenoyis thoroughly aware OF the eres
Importance ofpTeserving 10 the utmost exter
perfect freedom OF discussion, and the fullest I
terty Of the Press in every part Of the british dr
ftinions, and undoubtedly therefore nothing eoul
BE further from HIS Intentions than the most dis
fl6t desire 10 compel British editor TO ,,
tract a statement founded in truth"--but whe
asatsment is founded in falsehood, His Exec
Ienoy conceives il to be incumben. upon hin
equally in duty TO tho British Public and in suT
port ofthe true character of the British Pres
todenand that that falls hood, whether directe
against friend or foe, should be instantly contr:
deted, or that thepaper which thinks 1t TO di
grace rs columns BY Pcrrcyeriug IN error shoul
nolonger be distinguished By the ROYAL prote,
tioa-And I am therefore Compounded 20 siqnii
% you His ExceIlsncy'sd esire {bst your ens,,in
publication NAV contain a due and respectful COZ
tkshstoa Of those parts Of year comments upc