Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-06-22

Stg,0,da Gaiieeo.
U. 5. Sem. WEAzIE, PoRr Rocrnsl
August 6, 1924.
SlR--i hasten to communicate to Won nv re.
''''" 10 port, and The cause which led to it, at so
, much earlier period than was expected whom
, l sailed. " Nch
Having been Joined by the Fox at Iavap,
proceeded on the 28th ult down the coast of
: CUBA. On the morning of the Sd inst. off. .ho
J Co'eradoS, ieli III with large two topssi,
schooner, winch, on approaching within a short
u's,ancc iiic, hoistcd Spanish colors and ed
a shot over me; my dag was flying at the mo-
mcnt, and had been some time before. \ o.
turned the fire, but with orders to the officer
To STRIFE her, thinking we both might lave mis-
taken each other, for had only the r,or,ino
before, spoken two Spanish National S;choon.
crs' III search, Us they told me, of Patriot Pri
Vatecr, ana thought 1T not improbable that this
vessel belonged to the other party. He an
swercd my shot with second, which again
returned. directly across his deck, and very
near; ana was IN the act of repeating il when
Inc hailed me, together with several Others who
by waving their hats and hanIscrclicfs TO mr..
induced INC to dcsst until asccrtaincd his real
character. l accordingly sent Lieut.. Randolph
on board, 10 examine the Captains commission.
This he refused TO show, and resolved to COM
pei him but before resumed tho fire, i'm order
| To avoid any unnecessary ctlilsion of blood
hailed him, and ordered him to haul down his
co!ors, which nc did, and soon after came on
board himself, having sent his commission by
one of his officers Being unable TO iutcrpret If
myself, and having no one ON board that under
stood Spanish, Il moreover, believing her TO be a
very suspicious vessel, put Lieut.. r. on board
ot her with prize crew, and ordered her in,
that You might decide on her case. She is arm.
| cd with long IL FOUNDER, and a number Of
small arms of every description AMI had OH
board 80 men, many of whom call themselves
passengers. The vessel is named the Scr,.n IN
Gallicgo, and is commanded by one Jose hIau-
rin she was 13 days from Tampico bound TO
| Havana. Besides her armament, there are ma
ny other circumstances that render her cha
| racter very questionable. We found in her q
quantity of specie in dollars and bars to the a.
mount of $780, 900, as reported by her comnlan-
der. On demanding OF him why he fired at me-
he attempted TO excuse himself by saving he took
us for pirates, although his interpreter, a little
while after, acknowledged that they had seen us
al Havana, and knew She was, at the
time fell in with her, in chase, as Il thought
| o! an American Brig this he Denied and said
he had been III company with her the day be-
fore. determined, therefore, to speak the brig
i'll hopes of getting information from her, that
might throw some light on the character of the
schooner. r. my surprize, was informed by
de American captaiI tliat the statement was
incorrect triai that he IS never before seen the
vessel. We fond ed Gag Oh board some
what worn, aud tive II J OS-!..irty sweeps II t e
hold.
Tins letter contains al, Chat have eyer m.
nished for publIcatioa lappcal 70 the canJnr
OF every impartial man To say or point ouf
where have made the reflections ;.ttg!butet
to me by the Georgian writer.
Now, rs it regards the pres,rietv of tba o,
turc, it will be seen, that was fired upon in the
first instance; that saw the vessel apparently
IN chase of an American merchant brig: tlat
she had number ofr'en more than sufficient TO
navigate her that she had q red flag on board
and such an armament as piratical vessels usu
ally carry, and that detected the captain in .
PaiPabe attempt TO deceive me, in his repre-
sentation that he had been in company with the
brig the day before. But ! am asIed, yyly 81
disgraced the Spanish flag by causing il 10 be
struck" answer, one reason was, as / have
already stated, that wanted an Indication that
there was TO be no further efiusion of blood; and
another was, that the flag of our own nation.
flying on board a national vessel, had been first
msuited by the vessel wearing the flag of Spain
Again am asked, why prejudged and pun
ished the men by putting them in irons, To
this answer, that had no disposition TO treat
the men with severity or cruelty, though certain.
~ they had no peculiar claims on my courtesy.
but as made up my mind to send the vessel III
lhompson's Island, the putting the men in i.
rons, was measure of necessary precautio,,
This very same vessel, the Sceunda GaIIiep6.
has since been rc-taScn for want of similar care
'"'I NAV MS o'Sh ny IatfIOt pIIya-
teer, and tie prize master and crew, carried
prisoners to Havana. If the same thing had
happened in my case, | should most certain,v
and dcscrvcdly have been broken Ills truc
Com. j. released the prisoners on their arrival
at Thompson,s Island, and very properly as I
| conceive. The vessel was then in an American
port, surrounded by an American squadron. and
unable either TO do mischief or make. her &C.
cape. But while she was in my custody cir
cumstanCcs were different; WIS on the ocean
liable TO fail III with an enemy and with scarce
| iy men enough in watch, after manning the
prize TO take care of the vessel. The Fox was
i'll company indeed, but nothing was more pro-
babe than that VIC might separate, either in
chase, III bad weather, or in the night. and adj
dcd 10 this, the Segnnda GaliicgO Conid sail two
feet 10 our ore. Many remarks relative IN lte
capture are made by the writer IL thc Gcora;
an; the absur,iity OF ,hc51 AZ coi;:; be cxposcd
with Che utmost case. and Should now, i'll had
not already measured ms full length in inc CO.
| lurnns Of Tire Herald, and trcspasscd with need
| less proliXity on the public. shall furnish ono
OF two specimens however, and then quit This
| part of jhc subject.
! The anonymous writer says, that lie scz11r.
da EalnGgo was a regular trading vessel be-.
tween Havana, ' era Cruz, and TampiCo, and
was well knOwn To- most Of the officers and mo,
IN the squadron, from hey' 31;arrkablc benyf,
mi apParrsmCe. Whether this was The case Or
not, cannot pTctCRd 60 say, not having been OF,
tbat station myself, and having never heard anv
Of my brother officers speak Of tns most Je1y,j
fW %Pan;Si ,Hcyctnnt Schooner. But CERTAIN,
it is, that on her arrival at Key West, ali herar.
nnaiDtanccs, If shc had any there refused TO re-