Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-05-01

grow ofthe vessel which had been cast away, and.
large quantity of whale bone. Tho 200 skins ba
sold on the Islands, to tho master of an English
vessel, and put the money into his own pocket.
and the whale bone he brought in the Harriet to
Bucnos AyrcS.
A gang of men belonging to the Supcrior. had
been left on Staten Land, fer the purpose of seal
ing, and with supply of provisions only for a Ger
tain period. Altcr Inc captured their schooner h,
took measures for their relief; and ut Che time Of
the arrival OF the Harriet in Bucmos Avrcs, thew
had been some months over their time. These man
may have persisted, and i: 10 SUccuur them that
Captain Duncan, of the Lexington, hurried away
from Bucnos Ayrcs almost soon as lie arrived
there, and heard of their abandoned situation.
The above are briaIly the doin"S Of Vcrnct: what
proper legal opihct is to be applied to them leave
l" JnriSts or 20 our Government. Captain Duncan
suspect, considered them as pirltical or at least
involving robbery on the high seas, or in BAYS and
harbors' and acted accordingly, in the course no
pursued a, inc islands rctaklng all the American
property that could be identified and soizipu mon
the persons OF those who plundcrcd it,
|ornet did not modest the English scalcrs no said
TO the Captain of the Harriet, that '.hc could not
Americans" 0
Now let us glance at the authority which is to
Justify this Governor i'll his outragcs upon ourfar
line Falkland Islands, according TO history, be-
iong TO the English, both as first discoveries and
last occupiers that is, previous to the assertion
OF the right of Buenos Ayrcs
After the discussion about these Islands, which
arose between England and Spain had bccn ,rr,n
Soo, the English abandoned them in INA leaving
on lhch the usual emblcms of SOVEREIGNTY: so tbrv
nave remained ever since, until these recent event.
me hshery being open to the whole world
Neither England or Spain ever assorted an eycl,,-
slVc right to 1t, and now, according to the law of
nations, believe, England hcrsc!f-i( the sovc
relgnty OF the Islands is vested in her-conLd NOT
assert such right A fishery once abandoned or
let OPEN cannot afterwards be assumed 1t is un-
uerstood that the English Government, immediato-
~ on nearing OF the decree of the Buenos Avrc,n
governments taking possession of ;hcsc Island.
niaue formal protest against ii, ASSERTING their
right OF sovereignty, and the freedom Of III. 6,b
CRIES TO ,he hole world. But admitting that thew
belonged to SPAIN whence does i}ucnos Avrcs do
rive her rightl The decree OF occunoncy s,.,o.
llal IL Is derived as consequence Of the Rovolu
lion, and as belonging TO the former Nco R,y,Itv
OF the no dc Ia Plata. But this was not establish
| ca ultI lI'S, and then the Islands had becn for
some years abandoned by both : pain and t,nuI,rI
But admitting them TO have BELONGED TO the Vic,
royalty, although they never adjacent to il
Dut TO independent, unconqucred, and SOVEREIGN
| tribes OF Indians, the province of Bncnos Avrcs
could not well pretend To the jurisdiction of thcm
Shc Is but one province among many Of what wcro
formerly called the United Provinces of the La
Rata. The new Republics of Bolivia and of IRA
quay, or the Banda Oriental, would have heir CLAIM
! to intcrPoSc, well as the dictator of poropuoy
ms Undcr the admission there would be at least
dozen sovereign claimants, each posscssip., 40
good title as the Province OF Bucnos Ayres
Again. If in the face of history, of the asserted
claim OF the English, Chat is to the sovorciwnv Of
The islands, but not TO the iishcry) they are to he
considered as having belonged TO Spain still as
she never appropriated the fisheries, but left them
free and open, such an appropriation cannot now
nc maze, certainly, by party claiming under or
through her. Rights she never possessed could not
he conquered from her.
1t seems, therefore, perfectly clear, that the Co
vcrnment of Buenos Avres has asserted a r;gbt
tn 4 n,.l.r r
Vcw' ana 1t was asserted, too, without the courtesy
OF previous step OF communicating the measure to
other nations who had long prosecuted the fish
cries, and who were deeply Interested i'm the free
enjoyment OF them. Had this been done in season
the present unpleasant dispute between the Govern
ments would have been avoided They bcpan i'm
violence, and cannot well complain if they have
| been met IN the same spirit. If they without the
shadow OF right, capture and plundcr our prouertv
are we to negotiate it back? Neither TO do nor snf
Ter wrong, believe, is our national motto at pre-
| sent.
1t seems that our respectable Consul. Mr.. Slocum
has been suspended from his functions in conso
quence OF his interference in this business This
49, doubtless, because he has attempted TO assert
ana protect the rights and interests of his fellow
cinzens. When the course which Inc has pursued
snail be made known to the public, | am confident
VII! not only he approved Of but applaudcd as it
mas Deeh by his fellow citizens and all respectable
foreigners IN Buenos Ayrcs. The same will be-
inc result am equally confident, in respect to Cap
| ]
mas been officially stigmatized as a couard, by tho
government Gazette of Bucnos Ayres.
In conclusion, l would say, that whatever syn,
Pa'hy we may feel for the Governments of South
America, they have none for us; but look upon us
with the jealousy and envy of rivals: rosrcc rs less
than any other nation the Globe; ina cine that we
dare not redress our wrongs resent an insult;
regard us as embarked in the same ncf1rious
scheme OF rePublicanisn or wickcdncss as them
sc'ves; deem the copartncry an association of
rogues and rebels which ought to have a perpetual
fear OF the Holy Alliance before its eyes and fl
haiy, look Tor iorbcarancc from us, that they do
not from any other nation
It's within the knowledge of the writer OF this.
that our government have other complaints against
That OF Buenos Ayrcs, aggravang if possible.
IMAM the outrages of Vernct at the Falkland Islands
lherc are claims upon that government in favour
OF American citizens, which involve plundcr of
property, and personal oppression, which could
not be briefly told, but if known in detail would
be pronounced by the world uncxamplcd in the
history of modern times. Such is or position
with that unprincpled government at present; how
ever, 1T is to be hoped, that Justice though tardy,
Will be now secured
he, N,.E.IE