Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-04-15
a9trarp of tie geIest 4mates.

pen Of distinguished Member of the last Conpress
"ho' Win more than usual facility of access TO the
sources OF correct information to subject had taken
pans to embody the facts with view to enghten ms
own course upon the delicate questions to which the
piracy question: was likely TO give birth in Congress-
he views embraced IN this article would probably
have been presented from his seat in Congress had an
opportunity offered That not having been the case
he has obgingy thrown them together at our sugges-
on Tor the use and advantage of readers to whom
they cannot fail TO be acceptable Nrt I,f
| The first pracies were committed b, men of dos
Perate fortune and abandoned character vino were dis
Charged from the prvateers of all nations at the close
OF the last war; and by the crews OF vessels formerly
engaged IN the slave trade, and deserers from the
| Spanish Navy. At first, these marauders coptepted
themselves with plundering the vessels that fell into
Their hands; nor until of the pirates were
taken and punlshed--nor until frequent CAPTURES of
Spanish ships had been made by the prvateers of Co
iomoia and i5uenos Ayres that they began to murder
ana desros They were induced to do by the crews
OF such Spanish vessels had been captured by the
ratrots and who had been ashore entirely desti
tute, upon the of Cuba These men loolxod unon
the Americans and English the principal cause of
their disasters and they murdered the of the YES
ses that fell INTO their power, not only their
ciiTles put TO revenge their wrongs. Up TO this ne
rod. the piraces of Cuba not distinguished from or
dlnary cases of piracy. They were perpetrated by
mariners VINO were not connected with the inhabitants
Oh te island But the Losses sustained by the Spanish
merchants. stimulated them TO harass the commerce of
those whom they regarded their personal enemies
and the enemies of Spain The merchants too who had
formerly been engaged in the slave trade and who had
been deprived OF that lucrative branch of commerce
encouraged piracy They called it pIivateering; and
money was invested shares such expeditions as it
is with US ip East India voyages.
The success of these expeditions, and the impnnv
OF those who conducted them. soon increased the num-
oers OF the pirates. They Joined by the fisher
men, and that class of people who are emDloyed in
making charcoal along the coast of Cuba and bv the
raople OF The cities as well as BY persons of higher
rank piratical vessel captured by one of our CRUZ
sers' was commanded by who kept hotel in
Principe and who confessed that he had been tempted
seeing the pirates so often return laden with plumber
lie thought that he too would try his chance This was
his FIRST cruise and he taken after having canured
valuable French vessel. regular system was now
organized The pirates constituted themselves into So
clety, called Muselmanes of the existence of which
no more doubt is entertained in Cuba than in the Uni
Ted States or Colonization of Bible Societies The
initiated are known to each other By signs as free ma
sons are. Magistrates are surborned project them;
custom house officers are bribed them in tile
disposal of their punder and the higher authorities
either pTofit by their cuDnivance are compelied to
be quet spectators of these Infamous proceedings
ie Pirates OF Cuba not, therefore, to be regar-
ued as ordinary plrates-mutneers who having taken
possession OF ship, commit depredations indiscrmp-
atelv upon the commerce of every nation They are
an organized band of robbers and assassns numerous
IN themselves and leagued with wealthy and powerful
men, In ordinary cases, II would be absurd to garj
pirates as begerent party but against such com.
binaon as that which exists in Cuba we NAV be said
TO wage what is termed Legitimate war Under other
circumstances, Spain would be regarded as our ally in
thiS war; which we, IN common with the whole civil
zed world, wage against the pirates of the est Indies
In that case, right to follow common enemy nto
the territory of common friend, would be unouesop-
aoie II me latter was too weak TO protect himsr1
Onhapply, Spain cannot be considered in the light of
our ally, IN this war. She takes hostile measures
against the pirates, and they, in their turn do not mo-
lest her commerce. The pirates are neither attacked
nor molested by the Spanish authorities and we know
OF no instance of Spanish vessel being pundered
OD the contrary, when Spaniards have been found on
board vessels captured by the pirates thew have been
spared AID landed in safety while the rest of the crews
were murdered We will not degrade Spain so low as
10 as an accessory ally of the pirates but
so long she suffers them in her territory nm
moested to issue from it in order to commit aoresson.
upon the commerce of the civilized world and to return
hther with their plumber, il is impossible not to regard
her either accessory as neutral too feeble 70
cause It's territory to be respected.
What the rights of Spain as neutraP Ills laid
down IN the books that so long neutral wishes to
ENJOY the privileges of that state he must I'm every
thing show strict impartiay between the bellioeren,s:
or he tavors one to the prejudice of the other he
cannot complain if he be treated by the latter as the adj
herent and associate of his enemy Spain does not ex
ercise strict imPartiay between and the pirates
She not only suffers them remain uDnolested in her
territory, but they TT out expeditions from her ports. and
return thther with their plumber What rights then
does such state of things confer upon other nations
1t Is laid down. by Vatel, that, 'f nv neiebor gives
refuge to my enemies, suffering them to watch an on
portuny TO invade my territory this conduct so pre-
judicial to my interests would be incompatible with
neutrality If he cannot refuse them passage through
his territory, he ought TO compel them to pass through
1t as quickly as possible, ote17oe he gves me q yigh
10 enter his territoryto seek Them. This happiness to
nations that are not IN state TO thertcrrtorv TO
be respected" There is always broad distinction
made between nation sufficiently powerful to cause its
territory to be respected, and one that is moi soas
there between the rights Of nation sufficiently strong
to compel its subjects to observe what due TO the c
and subjects of other States and one too feeble n
restrain them within proper lips In the latter case
becomes the duty of all nations, and more especiav
Of one situated in the immediate vicinity of the nuisance
to interfere and suppress it.
But admitting, for moment, that Spain opgb,
not be regarded either ally or neutral in reIa
ton to the Praes il cannot be denied that these Mira
ces committed by her subjects and it is laid down nv
all thewriterson international law, that if government
permits its subjects TO exercise brignndqge the whole
nation ought to be considered responsible to the injured
party. So that, whether regard Spain as Jeacned |
al