Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-09-28

full time they had purchasing laces, &c.
introduced by pirates, at half their va
lue. But W bat, above all, must astouhd
any one who hears it, is that no CON.
junction, no self condemnation. fol-
lows these mnrderous acts, which even to
read of thrills the soul with horror
There 10 not pirate of Cuba who,
from principle of revenge or super
sti.ien, does net glory in Diminishing
foreigner from existence; so careless
too, are they Of observation, that when
upon the Commodore's retiring from
his station at MataDzas, nearly one
hundred individuals, of those usually
employ ed upon the wharf disappeared
With sundry small craft, for the pur.
pose of committing fresh deprsdations,
and they retarDed to speak Of their
fsats almost in the hearing Of the pub
lie.
OF the charge made against the au-
thority of Cuba, or passiveness ia this
matter, must acquit the Governor at
Havana personally. No one possesses
nicer sense Of justice than Wives. and
no one looks upon the vices and crimes
of his countrymen with greater horror
and detestation; but it is not generally
known that his powers ere limited in
this respect. the faculty Of ssizing and
judging belong altogether to the marine
department. Governor Allen, at Matan.
gas, also bears an excellent character,
and certainly has proved himself an
enemy to piracy, but the corruption of
those about him invariably baffled eve.
ry attempt to bring these pests of socie.
ty TO the gallows. Not an officer 10
sincere to his efforts; many of these,
even in the command Of forts along the
coast, have been known to share in the
spoil produced.
OF the head of the Department Of the
Marine, | wish lcouid speak az favora-
bly,, but it is q lamentable fact that this
parsonage is most incompetent to bis
office, aud so pusillsnimous withAl,
that the dread of his lawyers and of the
malefsctors themselves, prevents him
from ever pursuing an object of this
kind with effect. Jealously, too. of the
exploits of the A merlcaDs and English
prevents him from granting useful as.
sistance or cooperation. 1t pilot ia
wanted, he cannot command them; jfa
bsa. is out of order; if men to assist,
they are otherwise employed. !. D short,
there is no cordially, no spirit, no ex.
preston Of good will to the service. AS
to his Navy, SO far from these vessels
generally good and fast sallets) being
occupied in checking piracy. there is
found an extraordinary sympathy be-
tween both classes of the crews, as in.
deed, you may see one day sat OF PEG.
pie engaged in scts of piracy and the
next impressed into the kings service
without dollar of pay. il is believed
that If 8 pirate cane in the way Of one
of these vessels of war. they would pass
unexamined; and, in return, it i. motto
rious that Spaniards and Spanish yes
sells are suffered to pass unmo!ested.
ls 1t theR to be wondered at that clear
and Distinct evidence agaiDst individu.
ais should lose its effect. Their per-
sons ideptified--their hand writing
and the number which distinguishes the
coasting schooner engaged in the h"rrId
traffic: evidence. one thousandih art
Of which WOO d suffi Q TO condemn ma
lefactor. there fails OF its purpose, be-
cause no one dares to pursue it, or the
prosecution is quashed by means of ALL
powerful gold.
In excavation Of the passiveness OF
the people of Cuba themselves upon
this occasion, it is urged, thatthe coast
10 go lengthy and so desolste, that effec
tually to protect it and suppress piracy
would employ more soldiers than the
government could afford to keep. No
argument is more futile; for suppose
the Florida coast, almost as desert as
that of Cuba, would pirates there go
with IMMUNITY ore week, or would their
spoil ind market? Thus. also, those
of Cuba stand in need of their fellow
mea to purchase-they cannot live a.
midst desc 'atioD-it ia obvious that the
property pil!aged caRnot be consumed
by themselves-oor could money ever
be Of service withouta communication
with the rest of mankind. without a
mart like that of Havana or MataDzas,
and may add without the connivance
of every subaltern oi1ices along the
coast.
| attribute then tn eon'ipuauce of
piracy to.the encouragement given to
pirates on shore. by the self interest of
80 Jetand