Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-06-15
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, JUNE IS, 1921.

published, Judge sirs from Capt. Portet's own
declarations To Capt. Sinclar, on his arrival at
Norfolk, from Savannah He inquired, and WAS
told by Capt. Sinclair, the unhappiness this at
; TACK had occasoned TO me and my connections.
Ills own words speak more strongly than any
comments can offer. ssYou know me swell
enough TO know, Sinclair, that if man treads OF,
my toes, will retaliate ninty- nine fold" When
assured that had never trodden on his toes, that
mad never entertained or expressed an mn
friendly sentiment wards him, and that the cd
i'or OF the paper had publicly acquitted of all
participation iii the communication, lie did III
deed condescend to say, that he would be glad
to find that had not intended to in;ura him
but with what sentiment was it accompanied !?
win any expression ct regret ut the pain his
libel had given me? it'll any offer Of atone
ment, any promise of rcscuing me from the re-
proach Which his publication had fixed on me?
No, no, sirs In this, as i'll many other parts of
the transaction, i was again exposed to that
whitening contempt that proud Contunely
which own, l feel more kecnly, than all his
other wrongs. elf he should be satisfied, that
had not been TO blame, the matter might stop,
or end, where II was" And even this wonder
full condcscension, that, if was proved to be en-
tirely free of blame, ''the matter Nigh. end,n
without reparation, without any contradiction OF
his SANDER, without even an apology expia-
nation: even t.is was too much to be ,nconHf-
as lieutenant in the American navy. ssiic
must not be c't,.ied :" I'll presumed to question
the justice or authority of tho anonymous al
tack, If dared to complain, prcsumed to
NEEDLE in an affair in which my reputation was
so deeply implicated, that might ''chajc Capt.
Porter" a,Ii then even the privilege of abcct
acquicsccnce in my own influ,y was too ,nnc!,
to be allowed to me; tReG, the matter was moi
''to end, "but new fires were TO be lighted, new
| Pnnishmcnts to be inflicted; and, perhaps the
prosecution menaced in the Georgian publica-
ton was tobe commented That This language
and conduct would not be endured by any gen
tlcman In private life, one can doubt. tire
mains to be asCertaincd, if the honor and discip-
line of the service give it impvnity, when APP
piled by one Of the highest officers in the navy,
TO his inferior.
Bat grant me few more minutes of Your pa
tience, sirs, before quit this publication. On
comparing that publication with the structures
i'll the Georgian, you will discover that the ONLY
fact stated in the former, contradictcd by the
Georgian, is, that con the arrival of the Wea-
eel, at Thompson's Island, Commodore Porter
despatched her with her prize to Havanna.n-
The Georgian asserts, on the contrary, and as
serts truly, that she 'swas detained at Thoinp-
sons Island, until the explanations of the Cap.
tain General, could be had.n And solicit the
particular attention of the court to this circum
stance, because the structures in the Georgian
ascribe statement of facts, and comments TO the
5 Herald, which were aaecer made there, and OK.
st only in the Georgian, itself, and makes these
; imputed facts and comments the apology forthe
libel.
But this Is not all No one could infer any
thing prejudicial, either 10 Governor Wives, o.
Captain Porter, from the facts complained of n:
being misstatcd. Captain Porter, himself, wa:
not able to do it, but by changing the phrasolo.
gy of the Herald, at the very moment, when, il
his publication in the Georgian, he processes to
quote it: and it was only by suppressing lii his
, publication an entire and important paragraph
of the Herald, that he was able TO draw the ex.
travagant inference, prejudicial to himself, OIL
Governor Wives.
: THUS, in the Herald, the expressions arc, sir
addition to the above, we learn that, on the ar
rival of the Wcazel, at Thompson's Island
Commodore Porter despatched her, with hel
prize, to HAVANA, ariHt q fj'ieneliy cona,u7icG
! ton to the Gore'nor Of Cuba, Informing han o.
q The circumstances Of the capture, and REFERRING
determination, as TO the legality Of the proceed
iDgsofthe Scgunda Galliego, tohiin.n Sirs, tEicr,
: is nothing here "about damniDg proofs, aud tht
friendly communication from Captain Porter, I,
the Captain G encral of Cuba, informing him of lii,
: circumstances Of the capture :" words we'll SC
! lcctcd to protect Captain Porter from any pos
sibe suspicion of having blindIy submitted til,
legality of the capture TO foreign Governor
But, IN the Georgian, the expressions are caica
lated to convey the idea that direct irnputatio,
, by way of comment, On the proofs, had beer
made by the Herald, and the paragraph shew.
ing that CAPTAIN Porter had not submitted Iii.
matter b'indly to Governor Wives is entirely
suppressed The words of the Georgian are
yet notwithstanding these darnning proofs,
. CONTINUES the article,) Commodore Porter dcs-
: patched The Hersei, DHh her prize TO Eacon-
M, leaving ii TO the Captain General TO decide
as TO the proceedings of the Scgunda Gailic-
; CO."
But TO resume the narrative. Tie prblica-
lion made on the Oath of October did not pro-
duce the effect ] iIad anticipated. The mild 6.
curteous appeal had there made to the candor
and justice Of my assailant, was dsrcgariscd and
lcontemned. IL then was due TO myself 10 vim
dictate my reputation from the Georgian and on
the 10th November, performed that duty, by
adjudication in the Herald. That Captain For
ter has found no cause for complaint init, issnf-
ficient proof of its moderation. In the proposal
made to me aftermy arrest, hc distinctly admits
that IT afforded none and the court will find in
several OF ITS passages, some room, Perhaps, &c
censurc my forbcrancc, but certainly none tc
rebuke my insolcncc. A single passage, which
beg leave to cite, will evidence that even thc
outrage he had committed, had not so irritatet
) my temper as to induce me 10 withhold decia
ton, which, though directed by truth, shout
nave been excusabie, in our relative situation
II had suppressed: "J'he whole object an,
design OF the writer in the Savannah Georrian
appears 10 have been 10 engendcr, AMI cherish ,
, spirit of hostility between Conrndorc Porter. {
, myself. For my own part know no lust rea
son why this state of feeling should exist between
us, and ] have no hesitation in declaring, that
have never 60 direcly or indjrcctlv offerrrfod :,