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

From the National Journal.
The case Of Com nodore PORTER has
Justly excited public attention, not so
much from its individual bearing upon
himself, as the principles which seemed
to be involved in it. An 1, is deeply
important, in reference to I Use princi-
pies, that correct inform atio1eshould be
given, and tina, wise decision should be
made. Heretofore, for obvious reasons,
we have avoided, as far as possible,
minglng in various discussions upon the
subject. Ii was manifest, that most OF
those who have endeavored to enighten
the public mind, have been Ignorant OF
important facts, and have, in many in
stances, either because of this ignorance,
or from design, grossly m:srepresented
the conduct of both Commodore Porter,
and of the Government. The period
has now arrived, however, when the iacts
are known, and when there can be no
motive for avoiding discussion Of the
principles connected with them. Un-
der this impression, we shall attempt a
short, and principally historical, expla-
nation Of our views OF the whole case.
Some time in October last, a robbery
was committed upon the store-house OF
some Americans residing in the town Of
ST. Thomas, in the Danish Island of St,
Thomas, in the West-Indies. II was
committed upon the land, in a place IN
dcrthe jurisdiction of a government COM
petent TO its own protection, and that OF
the inhabitants. 1t was not upon the
ocean, and in no respect whatever par
took OF the character of piracy. If the
perpetrators Of the act had been caught
in the fact, or subsequently TO the TACT,
they would have been punished, not as
pirates, but as other criminals who had
violated The laws, by committing theft,
robbery, or murder.
1t was, probably for good reason, sup
posed that the criminals belonged to the
Spanish Island of Porto Rico; and that
they had, after the robbery, gone to Fox
ardo, on the east end of thai island. To
seek them there, in the way which best
compor,ed with the relations between the
two islands, was the duty OF the civii
authorities OF ST, Thomas; but it was the
duty of no other government. No other
government, indeed, had any right 10
pursue them there; and If the govern.
ment Of the United States had demanded
of the government of Porto Rico their
surrender, because they had violated the
laws of St Thomas, it would have been
guilty of great folly and absurdity, to use
the miidest terms. If it had ordered
one OF its officers to go and arrest them,
the violation of the territory of Spain
must have been atoned for, by war or by
concession.
If the government the United States
had no right, still less could one Of its
officers, vested with limited authority,
and bound to obey his instructions, has e
claimed such right.
The persons robbed, finding L.. Plat
in command of one of our small schoo
ners in the harbor, requested him to go
in search Of the robbers. Now, under
what obligation was 1t. Plat to yield to
this request! They had no claims Of any
description upon him. They were, it is
true, native Americans, but they had
chosen their residence in another coun-
try--were enjoying its privileges, and
were subject to its laws: they were, for
the time at least its citizens and subjects,
and by its laws and civil authorities, they
were to be protected. They had no
more claim upon Lieutenant Plat, than
the citizens OF any other West India Is
land, or those OF the continent of South
America, who had suffered from similar
depredations. And what did they re-
quest of him F! Not to pursue and pun.
ish the robbers of the ocean, but to hunt
for, and recover stolen goods on shore !;
in other words to act as constable Of
the Island of ST. Thomas. Lieutenant
Plat probably meant we'll. We do not
mean to question his motives; but in
yielding to the request, he certainly for
got his high character Of an American
officer, and degraded himself to the level
Of Danish baillff, The creates. insult
offered to the American flag in The whole
transaction, was offered by Lieutenant
Plat himself, when he subjected to such
a service. Blu, he performed the SER
vice badly, and deserves no more credi,
for his conduct or success in it, than for
undertaking it. He entered the harbor