Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-12-25
Office OF the Gazette,
PIJlI.ADEIPsIlA Ia, I2 .x.n;cc

Office OF the Gazette,
PHILADELPHIA, Dee. lS, evening
we have received the Spanish account OF accent
events Porto Rico, aud hasten TO uicate the
same 10 our correspondence.
PoRro Rico. Nov. s3i, 1871
SHAMEFUL AGGRESSION,
BY Captain Potter ut the United States iya,e john
Adams. IN violation OF the rights Of uai,ons.
Oh the iih oil the present month, the com N auder
o. the United Sistes f,iga,e Thu Adams displaying
The ,g OF nation with which we are nj peace, aud
wish which there was no appearance of our having
daci,red war, anchored "a he port OF Faiuto with
schoouers, landed uuntcs- Of az med ,r,ors aud
placing himself at their head, under spccioms r,r-
iexis threatened Destruction the Town and 10
Ives OF its inhabitants, Who had no other huluark
bat their courage, aud other aubn,y in their
front but that Of AN Aicalde, and Of a militia officer
OF the district. lie led his enter
ise SO far, (ak'ng advantage of the surprise of the
moment AMI OF the state al peace In which we ara
with he nation whose q .. way ed over him l,s TO
spike the artillery, rc--mbarkipg when the people
began Ia collect by which he avoided nc eni
wh,cn was BIS due. " his prccipitatc embark ,Iion
and the weakness Of the AlcalLe, (whom we csnnoi
positively pronounce cuipabie On account of our rot
being yet acquainted with all the circuu,siances)
saved Capt. Porter from tho indignation Of people
most aIoc'ously insued, and, for the present, from,
the punishment winch The laws of society impose !;
the thinking world will judge of the criminali,y il,
both cases OF the aforesaid Potter, public man.
comm'nd'ng tue naval forces OF civilized nation
The facs we alou, 10 re late
Under date of the 30lh of O,,oher, he Alcalde Of
the aforementioned Town oil F4jrdo, gave notice
that nj o'clock on the eve ming OF the 96tb the A.
merirah war-schooncr Beagle, Capt j. Plat, had
arrived at that port, having on board Mr. George
baaton, clerk IN The house uf C.bbot and Bailey IN
Tie island OF 81 Ihomas, with orders aud recon-
me"ds'ions irom Mr. John Csmpos Of that place, IN
search OF some goods said have been a,oi.n from
ne SAID house on the Disht Of the S4-s5th Of
March.
rnar i..,, ~ 4,
tue other military authorizes, vigilance was recom-
mended on account OF the number of vessels which
accor,ss advices received, had been lted GU, ~
Tue onred States under the flags Of what are called
the sutgent siaics had his suspicious Of the brig
and requested The assistance Of The Alcade TO exa-
mine her papers, when fading them regular he r,yr
the schooner liberty To proceed on her voyage the
same day.
Undes da'c Of the li.h be saws. tl,a, a, s.v., n,
CLOCK oil that day, information was received Of two
American schoonrrs, with launches in tow having
passeu me isle o. raIom'nos, which is IN front of the
port that from these launches, bearing The Amer,
can Dig, one hundred aud fifjy armed men landed
and WITH drum beating marched 10 The town wbe,
The people OF the neghbo'ho had already begun to
hands on, and resolved as good Span,srds 10 self
dear tho ground they occupied, when tbey observed
WINE a'E norne ~ iron', aud having hecn COM
manded 10 hall, he went out and an officer, WHO
Translation OF which fn!iows:
U. 5: F'ighe John .3eians, Nor l2h. 1894
S'R-i have been officially informed thar =, = HI
cer under my orders who visited the ,oyn nj + ;,,i
oil Which you chief, IN sc .rch Of IL wh c viii =
great quantity Of American properiy were su.,,oscJ
IL he secreied there and Carving with ham ;c.
,es'moDa': Of his object and character, was, ia,
he had made all known YOU, Sir arrested tI,,on.h
your orders, by armed men, aud haneiu,Iy insui,e
ana tabused ~ your presence by the cap,ap of the
t"r', and, that after he WAS sent way hy your or
ners, anu SCI al liberty, he was nsued and aaused
"hesn ny the inhabitants of the Town His ohiec,
~ visiting iJ5fdo has been frustrated throuy, ,es
means, and Tor these offences has been made oei,Ier
expiatIon nor explanation.
Iho inject oil my visit is to obtain hath md
leave u entirely to your choice either IN co,,a with
me captain OF the port and the other offenders ybr,r
mn, 20 give me satisfaction Tor the par. which vou
nave al had III this s inie fuI aft mr. ar IN av,.c, -
''t "a Your town. u yoH, ST., decline 10 come to
me- shall take wb me armed force compe,en,
20 ch"s"ze the ,gressnrs and IL any resistance
I've made, The 'o"i destruction OF F.j.rdo shall be
ihe CERTAIN and ia,medrafe consequences
II a'onenicn, for 'lIe injury is promp,lv mad. ,I
innocent oi the offence shall escape all punishment
oui there m;ist and shall he An atonemen, ami IF !
punishment. es"'
SHALL hold The town md the vessels in mort. If the
ohicer who rs seni with has letter bs detained or Ill
treated. ~ w
grant you, Sir, IN honr 10 decide on m. .uhi.c,
AT the expiration OF which period ir YOU d., moi nrs
sen yourself III person before me- shall m ,rcI 10
Fsjudo. '' W
1 hive the honor TO b,, with srea, respect. YOU,
obedienf srivani, 49,
(SgNep u. PORTER,
Sommahder OF he Naval Forces Of the u 5 at,s on
me Coas OF Africa and FloriJs, IN the Antilles
AID Coll of Mexico.
Inc Alcade says that To avoJ ,hs ,o,...
VITA which he saw The Town was t!,reae ned h, -.
solved TO go and speik 10 In,moJor. PoT,.r viii
wsom lie heid conference in tho mast fr,euJj,
m'hner, ani after h'ving removed all dim ule. 70.
'Ted. Alter this he snpposes they spiked The ronr
pieces Of artillery at the port, "'
'I,oIs perso"S who were present say, that Com.
'uore foiIer and The Aicalde having ,n,crchanged
invitations TO pariake IF rsIreshmsu,s the
eep'ed ihe invitation Of tho later PASSING IN IN.
own hn' that when he arrived who're the p,onl. of
Tue se'shoorho"i were collected, who had cannon
'e'py "n' 'Isisd III .tch, aud VIII q h. s,,v ,be;,
boldness and resolution, he excused h;msslc .,n'ia
various preienfes, aud retired mmed,,,ev
u ~ red from the Contents of f,o,,,,.,
f1riers tsiier, that he made his iIr,at viii, H. =;
'e"'on OF taxing command Of tho town. before J,..
smoafkiug bn he must know the neonIs 81
Porto Rco well enough, to be cany,uceJ Ia, go
'he small time he allowed ihem ght have cost b,,
dear, aud IiaI only by abusing good f,nh aud corG
dence IN the friendly reiafions OF the faq he bnr.
conii he have succeeded in entering upon Ibe tori;
toy wihoni paving for with The life of as many s
" re olo enough 20 make the attempt, and so was
ne III persof 1T The head Of his troops ti thew were
com maudej TO stop at the enhance Of the foyo.
LIE arrogant toue o Capi,in Porier in his ,tre,,
10 me miserable Acaide Of deienceless tow. or .
t'enoy nation commanding satisfaction for an oc
ience which 10 denied To have been oom.,;r,.I ~,
saIiacuoh Tor which, even " certain shoniI 49,
been exaced ony fron, tho sovereign, w,i, 80 y;
nd, IS sufficient proof that his cond1c, haze ha
cr,ne against The Laws ef nations anI of honor
~ Cap'a'n Potter has &C Ell as An officer Of H.,
ni'y OF The Unned States, ouly has he offended
IN" oPhn'sh nt'pn NY violating ia rerrnorv. and
committing hps,i0es md 0ura2es, when Il was re-
P'fhg 10 he Confidence bli he brought peace win
h'm, bat h" his committed an offence aea,ps, alr,hc
fecogn' zeh ton OF The civilized world and eveu
g''"7' ms ""h, by usuTping severe gay, 10 which,
III war. 1850 w ""S