The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-12-31

AME
your ob.dient servant,
spec 'ei.n.dl %. PORTER,
ios .njer orthe Naval furces OF the >
ea a..,..s an the cna-t of lea and Fiafi,l.'
n, Antilles and the GoR ol Mexico.
=, ,br Alcalde OF fajardo.
THE Alealde says that TO avoid the con
..,r,, with which he saw the town was
%',,,o..d, he resolved 10 90 aud speak ,o
.',,n,,Iore Porter, with whom he held "A
4 r.r.nep in the most friendly manner.
,fter having removed all difficulties,
+ ar ,,sed. After this he snppnsrs they spiked
-, f,,r pieces OF artillery al the port.
~ r,rious persons who were present say,
,C,nn,odore Porter aud the Alcal,l..
~, ,,a ma in,erchaosrd invitations To partake
..I,. hmenls, the former accepted the
'.5,tion Of the latter, passing la the town /:
~, mat when he arrived where the people
,f,he neishborhood were collected, who
- cannon ready with lighted match,
ehd when he saw their boldn ness and reso-
,.o,. he excused himself under yafious
a,.i.nces, aud retired INN. diatcly.
II il inferred from various contents of
f,mnpdorr Pnrtrr's letter, that he mad.
IL threat with the intention oitaking Gem
,,.,nd of the. town, before diseInbarkins !:
L,t h, mlsl NOW know the people of Por-
:, Rico well enough To he convinced that
..o The small time he allowed them might
b,,e cost him dear, and that only by abu-
mo pnnd faith and confidence in the friend
:. Citations of the flag he bore, could he
b,,e succeed in entering upon thr territory
Without paying for il with the life of as
many AS were bold enough to make the at.
4n,pl and 80 ~as hc in person at the
bead Of his troops Till they We're comman
,.1 IN halt at the entrance Of the town.
The arrogant tone of Capt Portry in his
threat To the miserable Alcalde of IA de-
Gnc,L.ss town, Of II friendly nation. de-
p,,nding satisfaction for an offence which
!. drnird To have been committed, and sa-
,.faclon for which, evrn il certain, should
hive been exacted only from the Sovereign,
With arms in hand. is sufficient proof that
hi, conduct has been crime against the
bYs Of nations and ofhonor.
IfCaptain Porter has acted as an officer
of the Navy Of tn. United States, not only
has he offended the Spanish nation by vio-
hling lis territory, and committing hosti-
Eiies and ontrases, When il WAS rrpUsing
N the confidence that he brought peace
Win Dliti, uAl llf HAS COtniIlItifu an tLIpnfe
against all the recognised nations of the ci.
,llzed world; and even against his own by
usurplug sovereignty, TO which only il APP
pertains 10 change state OF peace To one
Of war.
Il will be enough To tell Commodore
pnr,,r. the laws hicli ought IN h. obsers-
ed in respect to the rights of cations. If
/, priyatr person. says Vattei, " wishes To
prosecute his rights, in opposition 10 the
subject of foreign power, he can apply To
the Sovereign Of his adversary, or Ia the
Magistrate no exercises the public a,ilho
ri,y. and If he does not obtain justice. he
ought 10 apply TO his own sovereign, Who
i. bound 10 protect hln."
$40 take up arms" says the same au-
dior, " il is necessary, first, that W. l,a,e
rsl cause of complaint !; secondly, that ""
haze bcrn denied reasonable saiIsaction."
AMI in another place be says "to enter
with an army into Il neighboring country
which W. have not threatened, aud with
out hayiug tried Ia Obtain an equitable re
paratiun lur The wrongs we think We have
received, will he to Introduce a methad
fatal 10 humanity, and Ia destroy the fonn !
dalion of The tranquility and security OF
rations, lfpnbiic Indignation aud the /,
frrement Of civilized =. ople had not pro
.trbrd this mode Of procedure, il would
he necessary Ia rruuaiu always armed, aud
n be in the same state %! preparation ia :
fll peace "a in open Mar" Compare Tor ,
a mnnrut this dnctrine with tie contents .
NJ The Iriter Of the American Captain, and
with his conduct aud on " i'll sr. linnedi /
atcly the criminaliy which his proceedings ,
in, olive.
Among the causes which the author
from, whom we have taken these doctrines
gives rs iose which viii Justify 4 nation in /
having recourse il arms, is "A Just 'ouii>e OF ,
compliant, for which reasnnablc satisfaction ,
has brrn refused. Independent u" the
want of authority in Captain Porter, Ia
make use Of lhe arms given him for other
purposes, the CAUSE OF cnmpiaiat rests IN an
injury whicl, he supposrs To have been
done to an officer tnhcr his command
According To another author, AN inlnr, /"
person can be done in lhrt Mays; either
b, dpu, ins him that hici is his due, by
drpri,ing him of that which he lawful,
hoids, or by doing him an evil which there
Is no right Ia do unto him.
None of these three circumstances ~ oh
served in thr cas-. " hiri, Commodorr por
ter brings forward, and all three conc"r IN
bis perfidinns aggression. When the capt.
Of the port OF Fajarl" wished t" ass"r"
himself Of the lawlulnrss of The proceed
ing of the schooner Beagle, he used very
kgal right, and t" the exercise OF which
sccasinn was given by the nature of the
vessel, by the CO ractcr of the crews With .
which the enemy vessel are nannrd, aud
BY the adycrs mentioned above, which
lad been received. But appl, in2 this to
commndoie Porter, we End him deny the
Govcrn,r Of the island ihe lndlsputabIe
,isih he has l., administer Justice, We find
him usurp tbc exercise of this auiinri;y IN ,
a case of private property, depri,ing the
peop' "t Ih- tranquility they enjoyed, AMI
Ills Majesty OF the use of his arms, and
Committing hnsi Mites without any authn |