Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-04-15
VOL. H.-NO. %.

zehs calls Tor immediate, energetic and extraordinary
measures In addition to the instructions to land in
Tesh pursuit the officers, that station ought to be
directed TO board and examine every ccastDe vessel
ana hshing boat IN order to search for arms, and
every case these vessels having unusual unneces-
sary hunoer OF men on board, any at ALL they
ought to be taken possession Of The praces are gene
rally committed by these vessels in the manner formerly
described aud they ought be allow ed to carry
arms or any unnecessary number of men, The fishing
and other establishments, the KEYS ought To be br.
Ken up Under the preteXt of fishing the pirates fire..
quen the Keys, chains of low sandy islands that ex4
tend tom Maanzas to Neuvitas, the North side of
the Island; round Cape Antonio, at the Western ex-
tremty OF II; and the South sde from the Isles of
Pines to Cape Santa Cruz. During the summer
months they take their station :he Keys East of Ma
anzastha being the route vessels generally pursue at
tnat season OF the year. and IL the winter when YES
sells most commonly the South side Of the Island
uey rendezvous on the Keys Santa Cruz and the
Isle OF Pines. There they erect huts and establish
chain of signals One of officers discovered
signal post and complete set of signals at one of these
fishing establishments. So soon as any of our vessels
OF war are descned from the Keys, fire is lighted
and IN very short time, this signal is repeated and
ruis along from Island to Island On some of them
persons reside, who supply the pirates with arms and
ammunition. The excuse, with all these rniscresnts
for being armed, is, to defend themselves against the
priVateers OF colombia and against Pirates Arms
may be found in all the butts, and in all the coas,ine
vessels: and very otten the latter, with complement
OF not more than 1--WE will have an armament
for twenty The weapon of the Spanish cut throat 10
sharp pointed knife, and they ought to be deprived
OF these wherever they found. If the CAPTAIN
General OF Cuba dared to dsarm the rabbe of Havana
Mantanzas, and Regla it would go far towards the sun
| preston of Piracy.
1t was urged repeatedly, in the debate on this SUBJ
Ject that we ought to have authorised the Government
TO make reprisas upon the inhabitants of the Island of
CUBA, as heing one of the most eGecuaI methods of
suppressng piracy. In opinion this would he botl,
mPolitic and unjust. Who are the persons eneaped
10 piracy Europeans for the most part and despera-
does OF every nation. Who the corrupt officers of
government, that permit the introduction and the open
sale OF goods plundered the high seas and in every
case OF arrest suffer these mcreants escape punish
ment The European Spanish authorities, over whom
the inhabitants of the island whose property we are cal
led upon TO make reprisas Of the 4ney;cnns of Cub.
have no conro they themselves the subjects of on
presson and earnestly deprecate the corrupt and dis
graceful conduct of their rulers. The Creoies of Cuba
are not engaged in piracy. They are not empoved in
the administration. to speak correctly in the
perverslon of Justice 1t is not meant TO be maintained
mat some OF the lower orders among them do not pur
chase goods brought into the market by the pirates.
that would be 10 expect forbearance and yirue
from them than exists elsewhere. But NAV be safely
asserted that the Creoles of education the owners oe
the landed property of the island, no agency in
these proceedings and doubt exists in nv mind that
| If the power lodged in their own hands tber
would adopt prompt and energc to put an end
| to them.
1t would be Just as it would be mpoitc to adont
any measure calculated to augment the evils tbe Cre
oles already suffer- TO ALLEVIATE them from the warn,
attachment they cherish towards this country and to-
wards our institutions. We ought not TO desnniI and
Cypress them because they the unwilling slaves oe
spanish desPosm Ii we to make reprisaIs If
ought TO be on the property of the people who have nu
red us. The depredations cur commerce. and the
outrages committed on the persons of our citizens bv
the Spanish priyateers from Puerto Rico call far vim
rous measures, and the President ought to be vested
WIN the power to make repriSas the commerce rs
spain that eminent refuses delays TO grant the
Indemnify we are Justly entitled to demand from her
II,pR rItIS llrf 10
SEES sustained IN their commerce with the South Ameri-
can states, from the prvateers fitted out in Puero Ri
CO. and TINS demand was accompanied by threat to
make reprsals the commerce of Spain if were MT
immediately complied with. This produced the deo,r
ed effect. Spain not only immediately renounced he,
absurd Pretens0ns to blockade the hole coast of the
Spanish Main, with few small vessels thai cruixoa
only in the Mona and Sombrero passages but acco
ded to the demand made by Great Britain for inoernn;
y for losses sustained by the British merchants IN con
sequence OF that Illegal decree. commission Is nov
sitting for the purpose Of adjusting those claims: and
there can be objection to using the same means
OF negotiation resorng to the same measures if no.
collation. tails Against bockoding the ports of thar is
land still stronger objections exist. Admitting that the
power, If granted by Congress- would be exercised nv
the Executive only in the last resort and with the MT
most discretion, not to bring into collision with
any other power than that of Spain still the measure
would be both impolc and nexpedient IF we look
at the returns of our foreign trade shall find that of
Cuba equal to trade with france and second mil,
to that with Great Britain. Upwards of seven ,Iis
are employed IN that lucrative commerce. Examine
the statements OF tue trade of Cuba and will be seen
That we ENJOY by far the largest proportion of it, pro-
portion OF three to one, including English French and
all foreign nations.
This measure, then, would operate against us more
than against all the other commercial nations engared
in this commerce. 1t is probable too that the Spanish
authorities OF the Island would reaIiae any measure
OF hostes, as far as it would be in their power to do
So 1t, for instance, blockade Matanzas W rnust
expect TO have our vessels enlarged Havana; the
losses to our merchants would be enormous; but the
evil most to be apprehended from such a measure
would be that of alternating the Creoes the Americans
OF the Island of Cuba, from
Is there, then, remedy for the evil complained of
Can adopt efecuaIly to suppress piracv
IN tue West India seas' After giving this subject the
matures reflection it appears that there is but one
method of efecng this great object TO assist Spain
the execution of prompt and vigorous measures NJ
police and in the establishment of an impartial an ncor
rupt administration Of justice Cuba; or in case spain
refuses to accede to such proposals, then to erect that
and ufO q and md