Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-02-22

indeeI as to the source from which all the .sco-
iour and support" given to the piracy of the
seas, arc derived. The other point in the letter
to winch we would draw attention, is the fur
nishing supplies Of every kind, sin the way of
lawful commerce." to the South American In
dependents. On this subject MIR. Adams saws
''The neutrality Of the United States has
throughout this confess between Spain and South
America, been cautiously and faithfully obser-
we'd BY their government. But the complaints
OF fir. Andu1ga, as well AS th Jse of his prcde-
cessor,> Mr.. Ons, are founded upon erroneous
e'os ard m,shohen principles Of neutralify.-
ihey assume that uU commerce, even the most
peaceful commerce of other nations with the
South Americans, is a violation of neutrality
And while they assert this i'm principle, the
| Span SIN con m ,nders, in the few places where
they yet hold authority, attempt to carry it in
70 effect in spirit worthy of itself The decree
OF General Morales, of the 18th of September,
1922, is IN perfect ACCORD with the Argument of
Mr.. Anduagt, on the 18th December of the
| same year. The unconcerted but concurrnc
solemn protests against the former of the Dutch
Governor of Curacao, CantZlaar, of the British
Admiral Rowley, and of our own CAPTAIN
Spence, was but the chorus of al h.D,u,, feeliap
rerotting at The acts of which Mr. Anduaga'.
reasoning was the attempted Justification
The third case of complaint by Mr. Anduaea
was against Lieutenant Wilkinson, ofthe Spark,
for the capture of vessel called the .NTnfz
Cntai1nl, or the Sa,afissin,n Tiiniciad. and
sending her into Norfolk for trial Of this case.
Mr. adams instructs Mr.. Nelson to say, that
"a ere re sons for believing that Lieut.
VIII nson acted upon erroneous information,
Court u; Inquiry had been ordered upon his
conduct; tia, effort had been made to obtain
All extraordinary session of the District Court.
for the purpose of procuring an immediate de-
cision of tine case, after receiving Mr.. Anduap;,s
letter, which however, the Judge had declined
appointing, from the lnpracticability of giving
notice 10 all the witnesses: and that the most
impartial Justice would be rendered to all the
parties concerned, well by the adjudication
oil The admiralty Court BY the military inuui-
ny into the conduct of The commander complain
ed of. 81 ought to add, (says Mr.. Al that no
evidence IN herto has cOme 10 the knowledge of
the government winch has duplicates the cor
iectne,s of Lieutenant IVikinson's intentions.
or manifested any other motive than that of dis
charging his duty, and protecting the property
o! his fellow Citizens"
The fourth occasion for this class of Mr. An
duaga's remonstr;nces furnished by the cap
tare of the Sp lnisn achr. Carmen alias Cutie. o
tie Third, by the United States sloop of war
Peacock Capt. Ca,sin. The contradictory de-
clarations of the captain of the Galego; thc mar
raiive id his protest of alIcdged occurrences, as
Ii frum his own knowledge, on board of those
vessels, which II morally impossible h. could
have witnessed; and the interest which he took
in other vessels capturcd'by the Peacock while
he was on board, which were afterwards proved
to be piratical, furnished strong reasons for be-
lieving that the Gailego did actually belong to
the gang of pirates of which the other vessels
formed part. That there was at least lustifia
BILE cause for capture botii OF the Catelan Nytnph
and the Gallego, even admitting them TO haze
been lawful traders, Mr.. Adams had no doubt.
The following view of the circumstances which
have made it so difficult TO distinguish between
the lawfully commissioned and registered Spa
uish vessels and the pirates, will afford full ins
LITIGATION to our naval officers who may have
sometimes mistaken lawful trader for an unli-
Censcd marauder.
ssThe first of these has been the unIawed ex
tent given to tl,e commissions and instruction of
the prvaeers, avowed by the Spanish govern
ment; an authority To take all commercial yes
sells bound to any of the ports in possession of
the Patriots. The very assumption ofthis prin
ciple, and the countenanCc given TO il by the
aducajous OF the courts, was enough 10 kim
die AL the passions OF law less raplne in the mari
time Ipulation Of the islands. Ii was holdinp.
out to- them the whole commerce of the neutral
world as a lawful prey. The next is the impu-
nity with which these robberies have been com
United in the very port of the Havana, and I'M
der the eve of the local government. 1t is re-
presented, and believed to be true, that MANY
inhabitants of the city, merchants in respectable
standing al society, are actively concerned i'm
these transactions. That OF the village of Re
gla, opposite the city, almost all the inhabitants
are, with public notorlety, concerned in them.-
That some of the deepest criminals are known
the government is so deficient, that there is an
open market for the sale of those fruits of robbie
ry; and that threats of vengeance are heard from
the most abandoned of the culprits, against all
who modest them, in their nearious and bloody
career.-The third is, that many of the piracics
have been committed by merchant vessels, laden
with CargOes. The Spanish vessels of that DIES
crption, in the Islands, are all armed, and when
taken BY the pirates, are i'm ncdiateIy converted
To- their own purposes The schooner OF nine
guns, taken by Capt. Cassin, and restored TO its
owner in the Havana, affords one proof of this
Eict:' and one ofthe most atrocious piracics com
mltted upon citizens of the United States, was
that upon the Ladies' Delight, b. the Zarago-
sana, a vessel regularly cleared at Havana, as a
merchant vessel.D
In this letter of Instructions to our Minister at
Madrid, MIR. Adams makes the following ami
nadvcrsions upon the conduct Of Mr.. Anduaga.
II will be recoected that the letter was writ
ten before the restoration Of the Catholic King
60 MS absolute AUTHORITY, and while the existence
OF the COrtes kept up some show Of constitution
al government. We have no doubt of the truth
Of SIR. Adams suspicion; indeed it would be i'm
possible upon any other ground, to account for
the very extraordinary tone of arrogance which
Mr.. Andunga thought proper TO assume, in his
communication with this government.
''In rejecting upon the conduct of this Minis