The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-05-21


Il viii be no doubt recollected, that
the law for the suppression Of piracy
was passed on the 26lh of December,
1929. On the 18th Of Feb of the sue
ceeding year, Fifty days after IFS passage.
| left the Capes of Virginia with my
squadron. which had been purchased in
Different parts of the United States, and
equipped under my own immediate in.
| spcction, during an Indictment season,
| which, with excessive fatigue, brought
on disease that nearly costm my life,
and from which it is probable | shall
| never recover.
On the Sd of March arrived at ST
Thomas, (the place of rendezvous) on
my way TO Porto-R Rico, where, ty order
/ Of the g7verament, had 10 correspond
with the authorities Of the island, on
the subject Of the interruptions to our
commerce TO the coasts Of Colombia
and Mexico, BY the porto-Rico priya-
teers.
| The day of my arrival, despatched
a division of schooners TO Tie south side
OF Porto-Rico, for the protection Of our
commerce there, and the next day, sail
ed myself. with the rest of the squad
ron. was necessarily delayed seven
days On the coast of Porto-Rico. to
complete the duties had to perform
| there and during that time, by nv
presence, caused the blockade of the
| Main TO be raised, which existed 10 the
moment of my arrival. here divided
| my force into small detachments, send
ing some on the north and some on the
south side Of ST. Domingo and Cuba,
| causing every nook and corner in those
Islands to be examined, where it was
likely pirate could be found, but with
out success. After thoroughly securing
the West-lndies, / arrived, in 43 days
from the time of my leaving the Capes
OF Virginia, at Matanzas, in the Pea
cock alone, with no officer but her cap
tain and sailing-master, and scarcely
men enough TO work the ship, having
sent them in the ships boat in search Of
pirates among the Keys, about 500
miles to windward, with orders 10 meet
me at this place. Here heard the
capture (and fitting as pirate) of
small schooner from Norfolk, two days
before my arrival, and in ten days after
| her capture, had visited Thompson's
Island, Ie-assembled all my squadron.
built store-houses, landed all my stores,
fitted out expeditions for the coast Of
Cuba, established conveys, DESTROYED
the crew, and re-captured the pirat-
ical vessel.
There have been no piracies COM
mitted since have been on the coast
our commerce is cffectually projected
by weekly conyoys-the coast is COM
Pletely lined by our schooners and
barges-and have jus: returned from
the principal resort Of the pirates,
where they have been compelled, by
our presence, TO destroy their vessels
with their own hands. They are now
| Qhe 9th day of my arrival on this
COAST completely broken up, and dare
not appear here again, whilst the pres
ent arrangements exist. It is said that
I" much has been promised, and little
performed" by us. We have done all
that could in reason be expected of US
we have rendered the navigation on this
side OF the island secure against piratical
depredatons, and avenged the death of
ALLEN by an example that will strike
them with terror---we have driven them
from the ocean 10 the shore, whence,
IT they do carry on their depredations,
they must necessarily be beyond the
reach OF punishment, as they are never
10 be found embodied in any numbers,
and have no mark by which they can
be distinguished from other individuals,
even by the residents of the island and
local authorities But let me ask by
whom SO much has been promised p
Not by me, nor by those under my
communicative promised only TO do our
duty, and we have done it-hut re-
member too well, and with sorrow. the
publicity that was given TO every move
ment OF the squadron, by the editors of
newspapers, although took the pre-
caution Of sending around 10 those of
>New-f ork, as Gen. Swartwout can tes-
Try, and TO you among others, request
ing your silence, and urging the neces-
slty for secrecy but ii was all in vain J;
the papers, with but few exceptions,
were filled with accounts of the expe-
dition, from one extremity Of the Unit
ed States TO the other; and believing
the pirates would consequently change
their ground, found it necessary to
/ chanre my i,lanS and instnnL ~ .ra,X,1.