Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-10-15

with his flag flying, and informed the peo-
pie who he was, and yet went on shore,
not in his Uniform as an American Off
Ger ought always to do when on public
service, but disguised. that he might not
be known, and that he might be more
successful in finding the stolen goods
a contradiction, by the way, which he
has not yet reconciled, however he may
be able to do so. Ii is wonderful it did
not occur to Lieutenant Plat, that if the
service required him to be disguised, it
must, for that very reason, have been
one in which, as 40 American officer
commanding national vessel, he ough;
not to be engaged.
He was forbidden to go to the town,
but went, nevertheless, regardless of the
order, and refusing 10 wal; until he could
make a commune stion 10 The public
authorizes. This act, it il produced no
othefietfect, would naturally induce them
TO suspect and watch him. Nor was his
Subsequent conduct calculated to re-
move the suspicion. The discrepancy
existing between the Report to Commo.
dore Porter and his Siinony on oath,
might leave some DOUBT as to what his
conduct was, were 1t not made evident
by circumstances. He called upon the
Captain of the Port, and the Mayor or
Governor ofthe town, and was well re.
ceived. Why this treatment, of him was
afterwards changed, is not satisfactorily
explained; but 1t probably arose from a
direct VIC iation of the order of the Go
vernon. He informed the Governor Of
the object of his visit, and proposed an
examination OF the stores, to find the sto-
len goods, not to find and punish pirates
the Governordirecled him not to do this,
but to leave the matter to him. Yet, in
his official report to Com. Porter. he ex-
pressly says that he did examine several
OF the stores. Here, then, is foreigner,
who does not speak the language of the
country, Disguised, claiming to be an
American officer, but with nothing about
latio1 Of the order of the Chief Magis-
trate ot the place, searching several
stores for s.olen goods. Is il strange that
he was called 10 answer for The act -
10 prove his character ITO show that he
was not himself a pirate and a robber,
seeking information to aid him in his
plunder,ngs 5? There seems TO be little
doubt that this act, in violation of the or.
der of the Aicalde, was the cause of all
the harsh treatment which he received
from the authority of the pace-and il
he had been actually pnt in prison, il
would have been no mater OF surprise.
The manner in which he was after
wards examined, though harsh 10 the
feelings of L.. Plat, was precisely that
10 which his conduct subjected him. Il
was watched that he should not escape
he was required to show evidence OF
his character and when he did show
such evidence, he was dismissed, and the
mob hooted him. He was at 20 time
actually in prison. We do not mean 10
justify the manner ofthe people or pub
lie officers of Foxardo; but we do
mean to say, that he suffered no more
than he ought to have expected, and
much less than he would have suffered
had the scene been laid in his own coun-
try. Let us apply the case to ourselves.
There are robbers and violators of the
law on he frontiers between US and the
British Provinces: suppose robbery
O be committed on store house in the
territory of New Brunswick adjoiniDy
the state of Name. A French schooner
arrives, is informed of the fact, sails for
Eastport, and the Captain, Disgusting
himself, goes on shore, sees the Collect
or of the port and lhe Mayor or Chief
Magistrate, and having related the OBJ.
iect OF his visit, and received directions
to leave the task of discovering the sto.
len goods to them, proceeds peverthe-
less, TO search the stores :-What would
the good people of Eastport say? What
would every American citizen say The
indignation that would be fel, would pro-
badly furnish the officer much more SOL
id grounds of complaint than Lieutenant
Plat had. And, If to this state of facts
we add, that Lieutenant Plat was in a
small schooner, such as is often used by
pirates, who constantly infested that por-
ton of the West India seas, and tina, his
Disgusting himself was calculated to pro-
duce an impression that be was one of
the number, we shall find little cause,
in the commencement of this unpleasant
matter, TO censure any one but Lieut. P.
himself.
When Commodore Porter arrived at
St. Thomas, he was verbally informed
BY Lieut.. Plat Of what had occurred,