Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-06-04

as shall recohcile the seeming contIadic-
ton of my public letters.
As To Lord Cochrane's private senii
nenis, had as lille 10 do with them as /
had To do with his private chc,acter with
respect To The mode OF all civilized ma
Mons OF returning a salute, i, was mol The
question: Between us, since, from the FIRST,
declined saluiing at all I; and his regret
al the awkward circumstances in which
he percelves so plainly am placed, is as
ridiculous as il is vulgar.
Lord Cochrane affects 10 think he has
convicted me OF coniradict ton. Ii will, |
think. be perc. ived he has not done SO.
repeat that II is usual 10 salnte, but as IA
matter of courtesy that il is entirely OPP
tional with the man of war. Since there
Is no power IN a government 10 compel "a
foreign man of war To salute that sa-
lutte is sometimes praciised, thai II is Of
teniimes omitted. The opinion advanced
by Lord Corhrane, that il is AN insult To
the flag Of the port for IA foreign man of
war to omI, 10 salute, is perfectly absurd;
nor would any othccr, conscious he him
sell meritcd any respect from others, or
who knew The respect he owed to himself,
ever make disturbance upon such a mai
ter. Equally absurd is il 10 suppose that
government has u rig Into order a fore,y
man of war Out of port for emitting 10
salute.
Lord Cochrane speaks of the practice of
all other services with which he has had
communicative, and says lie is moi ac-
quainted with The regulations of The gov
rrnmeui oi The United States but The
very circumstance, that government has
night 10 regulate lis own msde OF an
swering saluies, makes il manifest that
1, cannot he obligatory upon man of
war 10 salute thai II must be optional
with her 10 ,aluie or not, as she sees fit.
considered Tie letter Of Lord Coch-
rane, as SIS vulgar and indeCorous, that |
| could Not answer it 10 him and, there
fore. wrple 10 the Supreme Director, 10
| aCquainix,i i'm, that, upon my arrival,
had visited The Governor aud the officer
commanding the naval forces, and that
both visits were intended as testimonies
of respect towards the public .unciiona-
ries of Chill; that, on the following day,
the Governor had visited me on board,
| amh cugnized in his frank department
and prompt return OF my visit, d DISPOSE.
non corresponding With tina, which had
uniformly manifested III my several visits
| tn The port that, wIih respect 10 the con-
duct OF Lord Cochranr towards ne, felt
| dellcacy IN commenting upon il TO him
and with respect To my own conduct
| towards Lord Cochrane, did not deem
| u necessary or proper 10 discuss II !; that
| these were matters for Communicai ion
with my own government and that The
| object at my letter was 10 assure him,
| that upon my arrival. my conduct had
| been respectful towards The officers with
whom had communicated, and that
uusred he would not readily BE- perSuad
ed to believe had been wanting, in these
| respects, towards the officers Of Tie gov
eminent of Chill.
The commanding officer Of the naval
| forces had now informed ne that he
would not return my official visit, and
had endeavOred TO dragoon me into salui-
! ing. Ii was therefore proper, as The flag
| had moi been treated with proper respect,
that should not remain in Valparaiso
| longer Than was indispensable. This
consideration, aud this alone, determined
me 10 relinquish my intended journey TO
ST. Jago, 10 take on board the supplies
necessary for The continuance ofmy voy-
! age and 10 sail without delay. Being
ready TO sail on The 3Oih of December,
and about 10 get under weigh, received
a letter from Lord Cochrane, saying, that
in consequence ofthe friendly DISPOSE
lion had protested towards The govern
ment of Chill, and the lies Of amiiy which
| he trusted would long subsisi between
| the United States and that state, he had
| 10 request ofme, as le officer command
ing ship Of war in the port, that Iwould
abstain from proceeding 10 sea until The
| squadron which was under sailing orders
| should have weighed. | answered that,
| TO enable me 10 say whether it would be
| in my power TO comply with his re-
| quest, desired lie would inform me at
what hour The squadron would actually
sail. He replied that part of the squad
ron would weigh immediately, and The re-
manderas soon as practicable; moi being
later than The next evening before dark.
| wrote 10 him, that although il was i'm
port q aRe to proceed TO sea without
delay, as anxious TO have sailed
that mo Ell, from the desire felt
to meet WRshes of the government of
Chill, as far as was IN my power, | had
concluded 10 remain in port that day,
but, that If would be my indispensable
duty TO sail the next dav, and proceed
upon my further destination, thai hop
ed the delay of day would be sufficient
and, indeed, as my destination was
round Cape Horn, my sailing would not,
! should think, in any manner affect the
views OF the squadron. II should he re-
marked that just as received Id. C0ch
rane's first letter, requesting me TO remain
in port, the irigaie San Martin slipt her
cable, and stood out in The ofiing The
CiIacabuc0 sloop OF war, also, stood out.
The San Martin anchored several miles
out-the Chacabuco returned at night,
and anc bored so close TO us, that | ex-
pc ted the two ships would get foul. In
tiIe morning the Charabucn a0aiu ,rnt
under weigh, TO stand out; and the San
Martin was also under weigh. These
nIanmuvres, aud the character of Lerd
Cocbrane, induced me TO believe, that
there was design 10 inlimidaie us from
I,.,.r ii...L ~ q