Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-12-23

| he held . conference in the most friendly
manner. and, after having removed all
difficulties, retired. Alter this be suppoSes
they spiked the four pieces OF artillery al
| the port.
Various persons who were present say,
that Commodore Porter and the Alcslde
having in,erchanged invitations 10 partakc
of refreshments, the former accepted the
invitation of the lattel, passing to the
town: but that when he arrived where the
! people OF the neighborhood were collect
ed, who had cannon ready with light.
| ed match. and when he saw their boldness
and resolution, be excused h,mselt under
various pretences, and retired immediate.
ly.
II is inferred from the contents OF Com
modore Porter's letter. that be made hIs
threat with the intention OF taking com
maDd OF the town, before dlssmbarkDg;
but he must now know the people OF Porto
Rico well enough, 10 be convinced that e
ven the small time he allowed them might
cos, him dear, and that only by abusing
good faith a.d cenhden.e 10 the friendly
relations oil the flag he bore, could he have
succeeded in entering upon the territory
without paying tor il with the lite OF as
many as were bold enough 10 make The at
tempt, and so was be IN person at the
bead of bis troops till they were command
ed 10 halt at the entrance OF the town.
The arrog. ant tone OF Captain Porter N
his threat TO the miserable Alcalde oi
detenceless town, Of friendly nation. de-
handing satisfaction Tor an offence which
! ia deemed TO have been committed and
satisfaction for which, even 81 certain,
should have been exaCted only from The
sovereign, with arms in hand, is sufhce
proof that bis conduct has been crime a.
gsinst the laws OF nations and OF honor,
Ii Captain Porter has acted as an officer
of the navy of the United States, not only
6as he offended the Spanish nation by VIC.
latine its territory, and committing bosti
tiles and ourrages, when it was reposing
in the conf fence that be brought peace
W nth hin but be has committed an offence
against all the recognised nations OF the
civilized world: and even against his own,
by usurping sovereignty, 10 which only II
appertaiDs TO change state OF peaLe TO
one of war
II will be enough 70 tell Commodore
Porter, the laws which ought TO be OBJ
served in respect to the rights OF nations.
If q private person. says Vattei, wish.
es 10 prosecute bis rights, IN opposition 10
the subject OF foreign power, he can ap.
ply to the Sovereign OF his adversary, or
TO the Magistrate who exercises the public
authority, and If he does not obtain JUS.
tee, he ought to apply 10 his own Sever.
eign, who 10 basnd TO protect him
To take up arms, says the same au~
thor, III is necessary, first. that we have
jsst cause of complaint; secondly that We
have been denied reasonable satisfaction,
And in another place he says, to enter
with an army into a nelghboring country
which we have not threatened. and with.
out having tried 10 obtain an equitable re.
psration tor the wrongs we think we have
received Will be 10 Introduce method
fatal to humanity, and to destroy The ioun-
dation OF the tranquility and security OF
nations. II public indignation and the
greement OF civilized people bad not pre-.
scribed this mode OF procedure, ii would
be necessary to remain always armed, and
TO be IN the same state OF preparation IN
tul peace az in open war Compare for
a moment this doctrine with The contents
OF the letter OF the American CAP tain and
with bis conduct, and you will see imme.
diately the criminality which bis proceed.
ings involve.
Among the causes, which the author
from whom wes have tak en- these doctrines,
gives as those which will justify nation
in having recourse TO arms, IS just mo.
tive OF complaint. Of which reasonable sa.
tlstac,ion has been refused. lndepen-
dent of the want of authority in Captain
Porter, to make use OF the arms given him
tor other purposes, the cause OF complaint
rests IN an injury which he supposes to
have been done 10 an officer under his
command. According TO another author,
an injury 10 person can be done I'D three
ways; either by denying him that which
is his due, by deprivIng him of tina, which
he lawfully holds or by doing hun an evil
which there is no right 10 do unto him:'
None OF these three circumstances is OBJ.
served IN the case which commodore Por
ter brings forward. and all three concur in
his perfiduous aggression When The cap
tain OF the port of Falardo wished 10 as
sure himself of the Iawfuness of the pro.
cecd,ngs OF the schooner Beagle, he used
very legal right, and to the exercise OF
which occasion was given by the nature OF
the vessel by the character OF the crews
with which the enemies vessels are maR-
ned. and by the advices. mentioned above
which bad been received But applying
this % commodore Porter. we find him de.
ny The Governor of the Island The indis-
putable right he has TO administer justice,
we find him usurp the exercise OF this au-
thorty in case OF private property, de-
nripinu The nsnnlp Of Tho Tranquility ihev