Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-08-16
UNITED STATES AND
,e.as.s,PORTTl(sAT. "a ar.

ieI uc C3hdISenle, Oh the Sth tOt this
month, in which we find, among the
local news, some that will interest
our readers. We translate it as fol-
lows: 10 = .ZOTallqff3
The American frigate Constitu,
tion, Captain Conoyer, of fifty-four
guns, entered our port on Friday
evening. AT the moment she ar
rived, Mr.. Hodge, Consul of the
United States, repaired on, board,
Where he received a salute of nine
guns. The next morning the Con
stltutiop saluted our port with 2l
guns. er,laag III .,7
This friga.e constitutes a part of
the American squadron anchored in
the Tagus, before Lisbon, which is
composed Of the frigate Indepen-
dence' Of sixty guns, having on board
Com. Morgan, the frigate St. Law
renee, fIfty-four guns, and the steam
frlgate Mississippi oftwenty guns.
The object of the presence of this
squadron in the Tagus is to support
the demand of indemnity of 25O,OOO
plastres, which the Government of
the United States claims for Ameri-
can citizens. Mr. Clay has sent to
the Count TOTAL an ultimatum, bv
which he gives till the llth ofJuy
to satisfy these reclamations- The
Portuguese Government acknowl
edgs itself to be indebted to the
United States, but it hopes TO reduce
the debt to 25,000 piastres, making up
the difference with The amount Of in
demnity which il relaims or its part,
for losses which it experienced as a
neutral nation during the American
war. 4a go ~
III is more probable that The pre-
tensions of Portugal will not be add
mitted. Mr.. Clay has declared that
If his demands are not entirely COM
phea,withy blythe 18th of July, he
will take his passports. lr9sF
The American fleet has chosen
the port of Marseilles as point of
rendezvous during It's stay in the
Mediterranean. "'7"' '4ANA' F1t,4
The formidable character of This
force is made the ground of a be-
lief, expressed in other foreign Jour
nails, that it is intended to rbombard
or make reprisals upon Lisbon, in the
event of Portugal not, having, by the
tim prescribed, satisfied the de-
mands ofthe United States, prefer
red through our charge d affairs, Mr..
Clay. Such an impression is natu.
raj enough on the part of those who
are not familiar with our institutions.
But, asalF our readers know, repri-
sal in any form could only be made
IN sncha case, however, clear, by the
authority Of Congress. The true
motive ofthis array is, we presume
substantially, given in the following
extract from the semi-oficial cores
pondence Of the New York Courier
and Enquirer: auos.5 e.5e
WAsHINGroN, July "a.
'Apprehensions seem tob be excited
in the public mind concerning our re-
lations with Portugal, which are not
justified by the facts. The state
ments from the other side oftl.e At
lantic are greatly exaggerated, as
will readily be seen by,a candid rep
resentation ofwhat the Government
has done and expects to do. Wari-
GUS and concihatory efforts were
made during the last and preceding
Administrations, to procure a settle
ment of the well established and long.
standing claims Of citizens of the
United States against the Govern
ment of Portugal. All these efforts
resulted unsatisfactory, and finally
from a tone of evasion, one of hauf-
eur was assumed, Finding that no
arrangement could be effected, Gen.
Taylor instructed Mr.. Clay, our char
ge d affairs, to make a peremptory
and final demand, allowing twenty
days for consideration. When these
instructions were sent out orders
were communicated at the same time
to Com. Morgnu, HI command of the
Mediterranean squadron, to attend
ct Lisbon, for the purpose of receiy-
ing Mr.. Clay, ifit became necessary
for him to withdraw from the mis-
.sion.fi No orders of hostile charac-
ter We're .iven or could be given;
and this formal method was adopted
torthe purpose of signifying to Por-
t,,gal the degree Of confidence with
which this Government reposed in
ITS diplomatic agent, upon whom an
indlgnity had been attempted. 1t
was General Taylorfs intention, in
the event of a refusal to adjust the
claims, to submit the whole subject
to Congressf for its advice ana action.
Ofcc,firse al tfba fnra,os,, e,,,oo o,,lo f;o,,e