The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-01-11
IL NcnHuRG. January II, Isss.
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We lay before onf readers to.dny the OF
aisl rtt.of OF fllis Officers trip 10 Fasardo. =
n vnrirs ia NJ essettial particular from the
,,rinf aud unofiieIai aeeenns which We had
,.nfdished The Hfffir will make considerable
i,oise in the political world for there aiH
no, be wanting men who, npon this, as upon
eeerv like occasion, Ia which the fame OF
Interest OF conspicuous officer Is concerned,
ssM needle ssly irainitle under fool fbe Gousii.
tniion and tire Treaties of their country -
Spain, ton, Is weak and imbeeiie aud
Distracted by intestine divisions aud dissen
siohs--her government, weak aud unstable,
reposing on volcano, whose slightest explo
sion wonld shiver il 10 atoms--and which
riH explode whenever her soil shall lie relic.
we'd from the pressure ola foreign nrmy--She
cannot, with arms IN hand, demand atonemcnl
for the wrong we have committed. II she
ohtain redress, |, must be rs n snppicani
a bending the pliant hinges oil tie Knee -
Sbs mny, n is true, threaten MS with her an
ger; but her threats would pass by us as
the idle wind" We should moi regard them
We, who i8s 'bearae ! h Lion, wsild ne
yer eronch to the Jaekall To be sure, there
i something OF The mixed coward aud bully
in the attempt OF the slrang To impose upon
the weak But there issomething worse
H. adding insult 10 injury, by rcprenclling the
weakness we have iniered, aud alleging ii "a.
N provocative To aggression. YET even thus
are some men in this country prepared 10
n.t We already hear the weakness Of Spain
alleged in insfiication of Com. Porter--we
heaf him insfifed, too, on The ground that IL
will bring our relations with Spain 10 cri.i,,
A singular crisis indeed, which widens the
breach that already e,is's, and had been nj
most closed, aud Thai places in The wrong
All upon the footing OF an aggressor, the
marty which was before in the right and &C
sun;ed the ground Of the aggrieYrd! Would
zee ncl thus towards Great Britain, or any 9th
er powe- whose physical strength Is equal TO
ouro Would Com Porter have Invaded
4 Nritjsh West India island. spiked its cannon,
in4nlted il, officers, aud holding lis superior
force IN ffyrore,n over their heads, made their
humiliation The condition of their safety -
NJ. he would not, he dared not SO hevc,act.
al. towards England. Brave rs he is, and,
in most cases, regardless Of consequences, he
would have moi committed an net that would
have resulted in a bloody and almost Interim
nable wnr---we will not say disastrous one
Me- should we then, rs now, hear II SAID,
q Let as nratect our honor first aud afterwards
listen To exposiiuns Of national law II IS
impossible we think, that the conduct of Com
Porter can be sustained by public sentiment,
or that he viii be upheld in II by government.
II would bc a stain upon the character oi the
country which no after act OF generosity
could wipe away The promptness which
the President has manifested in recalling the
Commodore, deserves the thanks ol the ma.
,ion aud IL. we hope, evincvc OF The deter.
inina,ion OF the administration not To permit
the outrage he has committed upon Spain TO
be CLOSED over Ivy his past services, hume
rous and splendid ms they may hive been.