The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-02-07
PORTO mco EXPEDITION.

! II will be reco.iecfed by our readers
that daring the last year various accounts
we're ;fslblished-of an expedition fitted out
4 dgains, the island of PaFtO Rico, and spe-
ciA PANS were taken ny the editors ~ sum,
of the Philadelphia and New York papers
Ia afiix The Stigma of this unlawful enter-
prize on Baltimore. In a detaird account
of that expedition published in the Alex
andria Herald, III appears tIiatwhategere di-
INN may attach to ii, belongs exclusively
to those who were most clamorous against
us. II is given in the form of narrative
of all the events which occurred, from be
ginning IL end, of this very extraordinary
ailar. The writer says that
E" Some time in May last a contract was
entered INTO between Decoudray Holstein
and merchants OF Phiadrlpha, the latter
STIMULATING to furnish a considerable guam
tity of arms and ammunition, Il vessel to
convey the articles aud what number OF
men the former should think proper, To a
port in the West Indies where the goods
were to be- paid for on delivery.
A few DAYS after, Decoudray Hostein
contracted with gentleman af New York,
IN the same effect the merchant who fur
nished the arms aud ammunition, going out
with them, not only 10 receive payment
for them, on delivery, but as commander
IN chief of the naval forces.
II was concerted, between the captaius
Of the different vessels to meet in latitude
of 10, of Barnegat, in ID iathoms water.
Accordingly, about the 2Gth of July, the
brig Mary, captain Burns, sailed from Phi
ladslph having ON board, Decoudray
| Ii. a Il.
secretary of state, Charles Il. Vogel, trea-
surer, colonel Count de Ruth, second in
command, and about twenty officers WHO
were attached to the expedition hut ow-
ing to unaccountable delays, the vessels
from New York, did not sail until the 18th
OF August"
The writer then goes on 10 relate the
many disadvantages under " hich the ex-
petition labored, and To give an account of
every circumstance which occurred, and
all the schemes which had been formed to
deiraud those who were entrapped into
this notable project. He says
| On the arrival of the schooners Sail
ma and Andrew jackson, in the former of
which WIS the commander Of the naval
forces, who had furnished arms and am
munition to the amount of $500, 900, every
thing that the general Mr.. Jannet former
~ governor OF Gaudaloupe, or agent dc la
DUecioir., under the administration of Ma
poleon, had promised was found to be a
mere trick, 10 delude the merchants with
whom he contracted to send out the arti-
Giles he required, ard when in the West
Indies, that they would be 80 completely
in his power, AS to be unable to effect any
thing without him. his promises were
too fair III New York and Philadelphia. to
be resisted by those sordid merchants, who
though possessing large fortunes are desi-
rous Of increasing them, by any means.
however unfair and Illegal but this time
they were not cunning enough to dive into
the deception, which, from the commence
mcni, the general had determined to prac-
tee upon them he had deceived them
with the idea Of having a Colombian brig
of l6 guns to convoy them from st. Barts.
to Porto Rico, that he had $4,000 dollars
at St. Barts To be invested in the exped
ton that he had 500 men at ST. Barts,
500 at Crab Island, and 200 at ST. Tho
mas. On the arrival of the vessels, all
finding how much they had been deceived,
they generally persisted in returning 10
the United States, but after every effort
To that effect, and not succeeding, they
determined 10 remain by the expedition,
until some prospect of returning offered"
lie concludes his melancholy history of
this transaction by hoping that it may
serve rs beacon to onr young men, to Il
void entering into enterprises which the
laws of their country d" not sanction.
-GGe-
The .NewS from ..uerico.-Let us hear
both sid~. The following are tn, com
memts of the Charleston Mercury upon the
late intelligence from Mexico, and they
certainly have Some pkuslhilty about
them;
at is scarcely necessary to caution our
readers against receiving, with much faith,
the accounts that are published in the Ha-
'ana papers relating to the Independent
provinces that have cast of the Spanish
domination. They are always exasgera-
ted, and very frequently are entirely fcti-
tious. The Mexican news brought from
Havana by the End0ra, has some very inn
probable circumstances connected with it.
ltnrblde, 1t is said, was at Jalapa, whittier
he had ordered the Governor of Vera
Cruz, Gen. Santa Ana, to repair; aud, af
ter giving him cool reception, directed
him to depart, under arrest, to Mexico.-
This order was not obeyed, but the Gene
raj retired back to Vera Cruz and pro-
claimed himself as the enemy Of ltnrbide,
aud the friend of the Republic. 1t is
scarcely possible that the Emperor should
have ordered Santa Ana to 20 10 Mexico
under arrest, and then suffer him, "A dscon-
tented or suspected officer To escape
There is an implied Stiffness or weakness
in such conduct, that does not square with
lturbide's character.
" 1t is story something like that pub