The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-05-23
TO DON LUIS DE oNIs.

Minister PLenihofcnfiary of his CathoL,
majesty, near be government Of IN,
United SfGfca.
SIR-In the diplo matte .corrs;nnn.
dcnce between you and the honorable
secretary OF State Of The United States,
nod you have made very honorable
mention OF my name therefore has.
zen, sir, 10 return my most sincere
thanks. There are, however, two points
In your communication, which i beo
leave 20 explain; and that explanation |
give with the more pleasure, becass
1t VIII probably render you, in future.
more respectful to the government, of
the United States, anu may even spare
you an unnecessary embarrassment a.
our next Interview
You have attempted sir, to cast a shade
en- the administration by yonr simnle
assertion, that was concerned win The
revolutionary party at ST. Antonio de
BexeF; this statement is altogether, s.
Gust be wilfully incorrect, since Ills a
fact of IotoIiety, thu, on my PASSAGE to
he interior provinces Of Mexico (beinc
thcn on mission under the sathorify
u the government ] was detained a
prisoner three days at the river Trinity
by the Patriots. and the flag of the Uni
ted States, my companion, and even nv
servants, were taken from me, and i
vas compelled TO pass through viii
'erness OF near 400 miles alone. | aver
mat was not directly or indirectly con.
cerned in that army, although, sir, as
sure you, had not been in the service
OF my own country, would mos
teeriully have been one of the party.
AS 1t regards tie second point, 10
which you affirm that / was concerned
~ The murder Of fourteen Spanish ofIi>
GERS, suffer me 10 inform you, sir, Tia,
| was in Orleans, on my wae to Wash.
'ng'on city, when that outrage was com
miited. was personally acquainted,
SIR, With all those officers, and the mos
OF them were gentlemen OF honor and
worth: with the unfortunate governor
Herrara had been intimate for many
years; AID sir, any but an iIliberal Span.
lard may judge of my friendship for
that amlable soldier, when | state, tina,
my son has borne his name for more
Than ten years mo one can dcplcre,
more ;haD myself, that horrii assasina
lion but, sir, by whom was il perpetre-
ted! Was il by Americans No, sir, il
was by the secret order of the comnan.
der IN chief, a Creole Spaniard. who
possessed, however, no other iecline or
sentiment, than that which is common
to every native of that country il is a
ieeiing sir, which has arisen from three
hundred years Of dreadful serVitude. s.
1t IS 10 a sense OF that Injury that Mexi
co VIII sooner or later We her indepe,
de0ce, and every European Spaniard. in
that country, the loss OF his head ; yet.
even this awful sacrifice, will be fee
DE atonement for TIC bioJd-she in the
conquest.
! shall DOW add, BY way Of concluding
TINS no'e' that as your language, sir, is
extremely 'odecorous, I shall not des.
cend iroin The dignity of an American
aud an officer, OF the Mexican republic.
70 reply to the illibers1 and scurrilous
observations of minister Of Ferdinand
the seventh. You viii, therefore, please
10 recoIeci, that, as you state, l have,
IN my own person, declared war against
the king your mister, shall in ali fu.
tuFe correspondence 90 the subject of
that war, address my communications to
the kIng,your master; but,sir, give YOU
q parting assurance, that I will give bic
majesty sufh -ient time 10 calm the Uery
important considerGfions 7vhieh lie before
hi0l' having heard through the medium
OF your Official spondence, taat his
mslessy, your master, was too much oc-
cuPled with the organization ofthe Off