The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-07-21
CONE. FoRrER's TRIAL.

progresses from day to day. From this we
have made the following summary.-B. I'M.
The first charge is Disobedicncc OF Or
dcrs, and conduct unbecoming an officer; and
the specification alleges that Captain Por-
ter, in violating the territory CT his Catholic
Majesty, the king OF Spain, by landing troops,
in a hostile manner, and by committing di-
vers acts of hostility there, acted in contra
ventol of the Constitution of the United
States, and the Laws of Nations, as we'll as
in opposition to his instructions.-The Sc
cond charge Insurbordinate Conduct, and
conduct unbecomng an Officer; and the
various Specifications embraced in this
Charge, allege that he has written and sent
letters Of a disrespectful character to the
President of the United States and to the
Secretary Of the Navy, by which he has vio-
lated the respect due from officers to the
Head of the Department, and has deranged
the discipline of the Navy: that he has pub
lished pamphlet of the proceedings, before
such publication was authorized by the Ex-
ecutive; has given to the world partial and
incorrect statements of the proceedings; and
has also published official communications to
The government, and correspondence of an
official character, and orders and instruc-
tions which he has received from the De
partrnent.
In support of the first charge Lieut.. Pa,t
has been examined. He stated that on the
14th of October last Messrs. Baily, and Co
Commercial Agents i'll St. Thomas, address
ei lettcrto him stating that they had been
robbed of goods to the amount Of five thou
sand dollars, and requesting him TO 50 in
search Of the property.-Hearins that this
property was sent to FoXardo. he went there
to ascertain the fact. A boat came along side
inviting him to go on shore.
ttBeng fearful lest the character OF his YES
sci should be mistaken, he took much pains
TO inform the messenger that She was mi
ted States vessel of war; and that this infol'-
nation, with the name of the vessel, he de-
sired to he communicated to his command
ing officer. From this man, Lieut.. Plat
understood, that the character Of his vessel
was already known in the village. On land
ing, Lieut., Plat was, for short time, i'm
peded by set Of ragamuffins; blt the res
pectable part Of the citizens interposed in
his behalf, ard procured horses for hiG and
his party to proceed to the village"
Ia his interview with the Alcalt-, in cit
izen's dress:
"The Alcalde observed that he had very
properly come on shore in citizens dress;
TO prevent any suspicion, it was advisable
for him to 70 by himself without the clerk
He then left the office, under the impression
that the goods would be procured before
night BY the police of the place
This matter being thus arranged with the
.Alcalde, he was surprzed at request from
this officer to call at his office, Who, at the
second interview, denied that he was an ctii-
Ger in the service Of the United States, and
demanded his register, when he had none
to shew, a vessel Of war carrying no such
paper--when lie offered to SO to his vessel
tor the purpose of obtaining the evidence Of
his standing as a military officer, his COM
mission, he was arrested by the Alcaldc I
himself--placed under the charge ot a sen
tinel, who refused to listen to any proposal
BY which the evidence could be procured
The lieutenant at length obtained his com
mission and unform-the former was pro-
nounced a forgery and after abusing his
officers and calling them liars, the Alcallc
suffered him to return to his vessel.-All
this was reported to Com. Porter
On the above particulars being commu-
aicated 20 Com. Porter, he proceeded with
tho vessels under his command to Fuxardo I
10 avenge the insult. The witness thus gives
III his evidence
"i'he Grampus anchored of the point,
and the Beagle further up the bay 10 cover
the landing. | was directed By the Cumme-
dore to get out my boat, and pass BY Tho
Beagle, and take as many men as | could
carry III my boat. Lieutenant StrlblinS, Il
bout the same time, was dispatched 10 the
shore with flag Of truce. with commuhi-
cation from Commodore Porter, fo. the ati-
thorities of the place. In about fifteen min
utes after our landing, the Commodore tli-
rected us to form the line. We marched up
and got near the town, in about twenty min
utes after our starting. | had mentioned to
Commodore Porter that there were two
guns planted on 4 causeway betwixt us and
the village. The Commodore directed
some officers and men 70 spike them. After
arriving within 40 rods Of the village, we
halted. A short time after discovered
white flag, which proved to be the flag with
Lieutenant Stribling, accompanied by the
.AlcaIde, the Captain of the Port, officers,
and number Of citizens. When they met
Commodore Porter, they proiesscd ignor
ance as to the object Of his visit. The Com
modore SAID they ought to have known the
object Of his visit from the tenor Of his note.
He Came there for the purpose Of obtaining
redress of the proper authorities, fer the
insult offered to the flag Of the United States
in my person (pointing to me.) This seemed,
at FIRST to cause some astonishment on their
pars--that they should be accused oi treat
ing me improperly. The Commodore then
asked the .Alcalde, in avery positive manner
whether he had not imprisoned INC: His an