Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-04-29

facts, which would never have bee
brought into notice, but for the lame,
table circumstance which gave rise t,
these painful remarks.
He informed your second of the cha
racter ofmy squadron British squad
ron was then lying 10 the port which
knew me, and there cannot be doub
had communicated intelligence of my
intentions to visit Porto Rico.
The sloop of war on board which my
pendant Was flying, with some small
vessels of my squadron, were lying In
full view of the castle with their colors
hoisted the schooner which was fired
into was was standing directly into port
in open day; she could not have esca-
ped after the first shot was fred, or
hsve given up her intentions of going
into st. Johns, had she been SO dispo-
sed. or had she understood what was
intended by the firing. But let me ask
your exceilency, who for an instant
could have supposed that small schr.
Of scarcely 40 tons burtheD, mounting
only guns, with a complement Is otfl
GERS anu mn, would have occasloned
any alarm to the city ct st. Johns, sur
eoonded as it is by tortresses rendered
al impregnabe as nature and the art
Of man can make them?
Was it not more natural to believe
that tie firing was IN ended to compel
ner approach? And, even if the inten
ZION was not complied with. ought not
her feeble condition to have claimed
from those in your fortress some mer.
cy? But no, the vessel after the death
of her lauented commander. was com
PEELED 10 anchor between the forts,
where a tremendous sea was running,
which jeopa.dized the lives Of every
one on board, to send the small boat
on shore, where the young mldship-
man who commanded her was iDsulted
by having heavy gun pointed into the
boat, and threatened with destruction
if ne attempted to move from his posi-
ton: he was then taken as criminal,
and placed under guard.
These are facts, your excellency, and
ones Let me ask
your exceilency what better proofs you
have of the character of my squadron
now than was produced on the trst day
OF the arrival Of the officer you wish to
implcate? What further examination
has been made that the authorities of
Porto Rico are better satisfied of our
being Americans now than they were
before? None.
repeat it, that the character Of my
squadron was well known in ST. Johns.
Even in this obscure place found A
meriean newspapers containing all the
de ails respecting it, and at st. Tho.
mass saw persons direct from ST.
Johns, whu iatormed me that It's equip
ment and object were well known there.
There has, IN fact, been degree OF
publicity gwen to the exp dition, and
an interest felt in it, that have been
rarely equalled.
The whole ofthe civilized world was
in its success l. is In vain,
then to say shat we were taken for law
less invaders, and 1t is uDjust to endea.
vor to stain the character of my coun-
try by charge of frequency OF hostile
against The SP nlsh posses
sIons, or offsrthe IN as an excuse fer the
conduct of the offender. Bad men es-
ca pc sometimes the vigilance Of the most
rigid authorities and no government
deservss rep, zach when it does Its ut.
most to detect and bring them to pun
ishment.
lind your coasts lined with troops
since my arrival here. find reinforce
meets daily coming in, as | aminform-
ed by your order, to protect the inha.
bltants from my resentments. | have
found every precaution taken to keep
me in profound ignorance of the la
mentable occu renee; but these things
were all in vain. ! saw the insult OF.
tered to the flag Of my country. | have
satisfied your military commanders that
their force is despicaole when compar-
ed to that at my disposal; and l have
convinced the inhabitants that, altho'
they are at my mercy, they will not be
made answerable for the offences of an
individual.
tits not then becoming the character
of your exeellency to resort to subter.
fuge in order to divert the odium ofthe
act from one officer to attach blame to
another.
Twill further ask, why rigor should
DO exercised towards vessels bearing
the American flag, that was not extend.
ed to the British squadron, or to the
French frigate, which arrived subse.
quent to the tack on Lieut.. Comd't