Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-06-18
NJ.

papers relative to the detention and subsequent
discharge Of the Spanish armed schooner Se-
gania Galliego, to one ct which Lieutenant
CJm'dt. kcnnon, of the United States Navy,
has given the sanction Ofhis name, and to which
is appended a paragraph devoid of truth, aud
insinuations calculated to produce, on the minds
OF others, impressions highly prcjudicial to the
conduct and character OF General Wives, and
to the independent Judgment and decision of the
Commander Of the American Naval Forces in
the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico. Ii is,
therefore, due TO truth and justice, to both par
ties, that the official correspondence ON the sub
jcct should be laid before the public; and it is
hoped that those editors who have given currcn-
cy to Lieutenant Condt Kcnnon's statement,
will give place to the correspondence with
these remarks. With the motives of Lieutc-
nant kennon in giving publicity TO his state
ment, the writer Of these remarks believes he is
acluantej mischief, however weak, may some
tunes sting but he trusts that, in this, and this is
not the first instance, it has failed of its object
But let us for 4 moment examine his reasons for
OBTAINING the Scgunda Gailicgo, and compare
them with those contained in Captain PorteI's
letter to the Captain General, and it will rcad;-
~ be perceived that that officer, in lis official
communication, sought only for motives TO justi-
~ Lit. kennon's conduct, and could not posi-
bly, hope TO coarict her of any act of piracy,
which would justify his sending her to the Uni
ted States. Indeed it is known to the writer of
this, that, notwithstanding the reasons assigned
by Liutenant Kennon, for the detention of the
Segunda Gallicgo, & he sought for all he could
find he only yeaturcd re express his hope to his
commanding officer, that his conduct in dctain-
ing her for "furthcr examination" might be APP
proved, and it was not until after he had Pc
rusel the letter of the Commander Of the Sqad-
n, thn ,fotr,
opinion that our Courts might condemn her
Thecase of the Nvmpha Catalina, the Panchctta,
&c. &c. were then cited to him, and he appeared
satisfied.
Lieut.. Co:nmandant Kcnnon was acquainted
with all the particulars of the correspondence,
and If he did attempt to make statement, he
should have completed it. He ought not to have
stopt short in his narrative, and left the conduct
of the Captain cneral, and the commander
of the squadron subject TO doubts, arising from
the Liberal insinuations contained in the clos
ing paragraph of the statement headed by his
name. lfhis object was merely to make known
To the world that Spanish merchant schoon-
or, mounting one gun, and having on board 81
men, was, after an exchange of four shot, taken
possession Of by two American schooners,
mounting, between them, six guns, and having
S4 men on board, and hoped thereby to build
himself a reputation, cannot but lament the
futilty of such hopes; for will venture to as
ser, that no officer, or man, ofthc squadron, felt
disposed to attach any merit to the transaction ;
and If ilis object was to injure the character of
others, trust to prove that it has been equally
abortive.
But to the statement; promising that the Sc
gunda Galliegc was a regular trader between
Havana, La Vera Cruz, and Tampico, was
we'll known to most of the officers and men OF
the squadron, from her remarkable beauty and
appearance, that Captain Cassin, Of the Pea
cock, direct from 'Tanpco, left her laying there.
That there were many such vessels sailing I'M
der special license Of the authorities of Havana,
TO force trade on the Mexican coast and coast
of Yucatan. authorised TO arm 10 defend them
selves, and to make captures: that their out
ward cargoes consisted of goods suitable for the
market, and their returns generally specie or
cochincal, the .Nynpha Catalina was Of this
description.
Lieut.. Comdt. Kennon states, in Justification
other detention, that she fired at Kun, and re-
turned his fire; that he, tue Captain refused to
show his commission, which from his statement,
land it would appear, also, by that of Lieut..
Comdt. Kennon,) had been sent on board of the
Weazel by one of the officers of the Segunda
Galego, and which was soon followed by her
Captain, after the Spanish. fag had been struck
by order Of Liegt. Keanon he then f5gying pos
session 2fthe vesseL, haUing al tint Tine an off
Ger on 5oa'i, and soon after he P:& all The cre,o
and passengers IN irons.-NoY, let it be asked,
Itsst rssht he had to insult s. disgrace the flag OF
Spain By causing 1t to be struck? and what right
had he to PREJUDICE and punish these men by put
ing Hle0. IN ionsP Selfprcservaton did not
make the measure necessary, as his force in men
amounted to more than double that Of the Sc
gunda Gallicgo. Let Lieut.. Condt. kennon
answer these questions when they shall be asked
a =.
Officer of the squadron, is not responsible; as bis
first act was to liberate the men, cause the
Spanish colours TO be hoistcd, and the Captain
to be placed in possession of his vessel of Which,
he had been deprived.
Tli:t sac hal ninety thousand dollars in spe-
Gle on board, was thought 10 be in chase of an
American brig, which; it appears she left, 10 en-
gage the Fox AMI ,Ycazei believing them to be
pirates; thattle captain Of the Scgunda GalIie-
go denied being in chase OF the brig, and said nc
hal been in company with her the day before,
(which the captain ofthe brig stated was untrue,
as he had never seen the Segunda Galliego be-
fore. That she had ga red. Atg Oh board, some
what worn,n and twenty or thirty sweeps in her
hold.
Under these circumstances, Lieut.. Commit
Kennon thought her detention justifable, '.for
further exa,nlliatiou,' and sent her TO I homp-
sons Island,
Yet, notwithstan ling these damning proofs,
Continues the article, Commodore Porter des-
.u"'cted tie Weteei tcitt he,. prize toHaou,nlth,
leaving it to the Captain General to decide as to
the legality Of the proceedings Of the Scgunda
GaIliego. That, Governor Wives accordingly
undertook the investigation Of tho matter, and
after some drys syent in the itquiry, (sec Gene
raj Vives' letter. decided that there was moth
ling to forfeit the character Of fair trader, she
was thcreupon discharged; whereby it is natu-
h ally inerral fiat the caplOrs have be- the CON