Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-11-23

From csssea's Weekly R.sis.s,, Of July "a, 1924,

Delapida,ed IedouIts a, Yorktown
From c'1Set,s Weekly Register, IF July "a, 1921
To Mr.. JAMES, who is The author of Naval Ooc,,.
renres OF The iae war between Great Britain and
The Uuiied States of America and who wa, soa,e
Navy. "'
KxNsrsGroN. col JnIy, 1924.
Dir hou have sent me u copy OF the above nam
Gu "oik, wiih u note, containing your .. co,npIi-
men's ip page So9 OF The work, you quote the fol-
lowing words, from The New Annual Rpgs,er for
i3I4 " IL would seem, TOO, that, when we wrr,
victorious over the Americans hy Sc u, we were gem
orally indebted Tor ouI success, to greater superior.
ny man even they had when they were suecessful
lns WAS perfectly true and eves far wi,hin The
uuth Tor, ~ many eases, they were victorious with
On inferior to,ce, both in men and guns. Yei, hay.
ing quoted ,1;s remark FROM the Annual Register,
you ask " Could an American Editor, or MIR Cob.
be't, have uttered more unilushing f,isehood Than
Is contained in this effusion of su,eeu? And ,b,
TOO, hom So respectable d work az the Annual Re.
gsterf"
Alter this. no reasonsic man will expert mo IN
treat you with any sort Of ceremony. au abou, IN
remisk on the book that you have sent me- and in
"h'cn h"u the above passage aud shall unqnes-
tonHb!y asciibe It's bfnte mass of lies TO Intennon
20 what i, is evidently meant to- obtain yon uameJv
the favor Of Blue aud Buff, and The sale of your poui
shuiii'ng, badly wisie" bouk, before you aiiemp;ed
10 make eli, you ought To have hesought some
one TO teach you how 10 pu, words into sentences
Before proceed 10 temitk on the contents of
your hook, will observe that I had given Won mo-
of provocaiiop TO sneak of me a. uI no,or;om.
5eailer oil impuden, fasehooJs. You puI,lisIc youI
Dock, il seems, in 1917. Not only then had | never
offended you; NOT only had never even heard Of
you but, never did hear Of you on. your work !;
never once heard either mined, vntl C.p,sip Phil
'imore, 10y going 10 Your house and bea'ing you, in
troduced You and your book TO the public.
Another preliminary remark. The moment I
heard OF inc beating, sand, that strongly susn-cieJ
tina, you deserved it not Tor exposing The faults Of
tue naval ohceTs; hut Tor your entIeavors TO hide
those faults and 10 gloss over the shocking isgr.ces
which we incurred during The war with America
Never, as shall clearly show, was suspicion better
founded Nothing ca1 have more -nischieyo us
tendency. IL is 10 do all that you can 10 prevent such
change in the N"vy rs shall enable us 10 face the
Toe another time. lis basely sacrificing the inter
es's Of the country 10 your interest," gratifie hy
che sa'd oil your book TO those whom YOU catered
aud apoogzed for. Never did man helier deserve a
beating from some hand nr o,ber but really, IL was
ungraieul in Blue and Buff lay OH tho suck! The
devil will, should suppose, pretty neatiy gel COZ,
for The lies that you have told to screen Blue and
Buff; and, for Them 10 beat you, Oh il j. too
much. ! would, u were in your place, INT far.
ward, 10 The Cour Of Kings Beoch The great m. ri,.
public spirit and patriotism, shown hy my living a,
such an uncommon rate. " Here" would say, q se-
my Lord, and " Gentlemen of The Jury, how I have
he'd for the " honour OF our beloved country - And
then, turning round my naked shoulders, would Il.
claim, y" and, behold my reward''
1 shall now make some remarks on your hook
which, from It's very manner of beginning, from i,s
very lone at The outset, bids expect ~ Iissue of
miserable apt iog'es. When, until now, did The his
toiian Of English naval fights think il necessary 10
write preliminary essay on the nature of timber
and shot, on weight al metal, The feet OF this or
that Of powder, and the like But, am little
before my story, aud will return ~ il presently.
When, until now, did the historian Of English aaval
tights think necessary TO set out with sweeping
declaration, that all the accounts Of the enemy were
fasef With houndleas abuse of all belonging To
that ebemyf These are very bad signs ! aud these
s'gns we ind IN almost every page Of your history.
have ob'y 10 notice your base attack on the Amcf.
can Com. Porter, in order to show how shame
less your conduct has been in this respect.
In your preface, You say, that you shall not med
do with the causes OF The war. That was very
impartial resolution 10 be sure The Cause of the
war was very singular Que, and was very neccssa.
rs 10 be mentioned. You would not s,y any thing
eilhrr, 10 the manner in which il was conducted
by the two parties. Why so shy upon these poiuts 7,
You can 60 Of your way often enough 10 abuse the
Americans collectively and Individually and vet Won
will not say word upon the cause Of The war or
the manner OF conducting Singular forbes rsnce
io man whose every page teens with abuse Of The
enemy
With your leave, T will, however, say a Ii,le upoo
both these points and, If there he any blood benea,
that skin Of yours ftbere be any pores IN that skin
through which for the blood TO appear, pray, Mr..
James, do prepare 10 treat 10 little blush for once
in your lifetime.
The cadse Of The war, aud the sole cause Of the
var, was the impressmeut Of American seaman or
board OF Auerican shp7 by English men of war on
the high seas. This was The sole cause OF the war
And was 1t not cause enough Was there ever any
thpg more unjust, cruel, iyrannical, than TO lake
Americans ont Of their owh ships, put them on board
Of ships Of war, take Them Tor years away from,
their home, parents, and friends compel Them 10
expose bom lives in fighting for us, and fighting too
against their own friends and allies? THIS was the
real aud sole cause OF The war and il ought 10 have
been stated ny man who was about 10 give an ac-
count Of the manner 10 which these Americans fought
to aveDge their wrongs.
Now, as connec'ed with this matter, Iet ne come
to your abuse Of Commodore Porter aHd, in oh.
serving upon that abuse, will show What srrpis-
ing hy pocrte you are. You tell us, VI page 85 thai
SIR James Lucas Yeo felt indigna1f, mt reaing ~
the public lspers OF the ill.nealmeni Of " British
sailor" 10y Captain, or Commodore, Porter. You tell
that Sir James expressed his contempt Of Capfain
Porer for this iil-Ieatment Of The British sailor -
You tell us that Sir James Lucas Yeo was very ke.
" 10 express bis sbhoence Of the occasion Of this
treatment. Your hum 4niiy breaks forth upon this
occasion You rival Sir James in his tender feelings
for the poor British sailor. In short, the exceeding
y well-knowo humanity I all such persons, SCI CAS-
To- have been very predominant spon iha occssjo4
Bat here you were less cunning Than you generally
have been. You give the isjorsd British Subjects
fou were foolish Tor that, You should
have con6ned yo"sslf TO round assertion without