The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-08-12

analogy Of reasoning. far from His Msjsstys g.
selnment being considered a. bound for any indsn-
my ior the obstruction of the American brig, q
would have every motive for ask ng and expsctiae
an apology for the attempt committed in the Port
guese territory by that brig, seeing that the frst
shot was unquestonably fred by her and that ia
commander did not previously have recourse 10 ths
authorities OF the country, which was only
done by the American Consul after the Often.
siye proyoeation was committed by said brio
and that the fatal consequences were inevitably:
No ole can look at this communication, nomi-
nally made by the Minister Of Foreign Affairs Of
Portugal, with an impartial eye without see
ing at once that il is Of British manufacture
The apology to the Portuguese government, and
the naturalization to the inhabitants of Fayal for
damages sustained by toe firing Of the British ves-
sells, are attributed in thi, communication TO the
mag aanimity of his Britannia Majesty, who duly
appreciated the rashness with whi,h his officers
acted in the neutral port. Who doubt that
these expressions were dictated by the British Min
lister at Portugal, at the time the despatch was
written! The pretence that this apology and in
Identification were the voluntary act OF his Britaa
mic Majesty, springing from his own sense of jus.
tice, and appreciatlng the Iashness OF his own Of
fcer; it is evident, has foundation in fact, and
is contradcted by the official letter OF the Marquis
de Aguiar to Lord Strangford, dated Immediately
after the outrage was committed IN the port OF
Fayal. In that letter the Marquis informs ola
lordship that his Royal Eiighness, the Prince Re-
gent OF Portugal had directed his Minister at tho
Court OF London to make the strongest represen-
tations before the Prince Regent Of the United
Kingdom Of Great Britain, and to require 50 tisfao-
ton and Naturalization, not only for mis- subjects,
but for the American prvateer, whose security was
This demand of the Prince Regent Of Portugal.
and not the magnanimity and sense Of justice Il
his Britannia Majesty, was the real cause Of the
restitution made to the inhabitants OF FayAl, and
the apology to the government OF Portugal.
The subsisting alliance between the governments
of England and Portugal depended on this restitu-
ton and apology, and IT entered into the policy u
the British government to preserve TINS alliance un
A,olr hinh " no ne III
tude with which this proessed voluntary act OF JUS
tice towards the government and people OF For.
tugal was made. The next passage IN the letter %
De Castro, above quoted, is deemed TO DC unworthy
of notice. as every word contained in ii is contra
dcted by the Governor Of the Azores, by the Mar
qus de Aguiar, and by the Prince Regen, OF Portu-
gal himself, as well as BY every spectator who was
present and witnessed the outrage committed By
the British forces on the American brig in the port
of Fayal. These evidences of an official ona-
racter, and, being herewith presented, are sub
ected to the careful examination Of the illustrious
arbitrator to whom this question is submitted
But, ffurther evidence is wanting to demonstrate
the utter alsehood of the declaration in this letter.
that the American brig was the aggressor, aud, IN
fact, violated the neutrality Of Portugal Il can bs
abundautly found in the action Of the Brtkh go
vernment ITSELF and Of the officers OF the squadron.
by whom this outrage was committed IL will be
that the captain Of the American brig iost ne
time in making the requisite protest before the
American Consul at the port OF Fayal, setting
forth, under oath, the attack which had
commanded by him. which led to her destruction.
after bloody conflict. IL may DO asked II Captain
Lloyd had at that time regarded the American brig
the aggressor, why did he not enter like profess
before the Consul OF Ills Britannia Majesty IL IL IN
eviden nee that he remained in port one week after
he had succeeded in the destruction OF the brig,
and yet he took step whatever TO imPicats
Captain cid as the first 10 violate tho neutrality
of the port The American Consul immediately
after these occurrences, made an official report TO
his government, and TO the Governor OF the Azores
detailing the facts as they occurred, ana charging
on the commander Of the British fleet, the VIOLA
ton of the neutrality of Portugal did tho British
Consul make like report to nj, government, and
to the Governor of Fayal, charging the act oil ag-
erosion on the commander OF the American orgi
No such Communications were made by him; no
protest was resorted to by Captain Lloyd, avering
that Captain Reid was the aggressor; but the mat
ter left where IL stood, subJec, TO the opinion
Of the officers Of Portugal in that island, and of All
mankind, from the ia ,ts given in the testimony VI
these officers and of all who witnessed the Outrage
These opinions have been given by the officers on
Portugal officially, in every form requisite 70 give
them authenticity. BY this evidence, and IN tho
absence of all effort the part of the British com
mandor or his government 10 establish their
ipqgna"Gnfe, ,pr fix the gull, Of this aggres..
manifest, that the allegation made by tn,
Minister of Portugal thirty years after the
transaction had taken place, that Captain Reid
was the aggressor, has not the shadow of fcunda-
ton in truth 70 support it, IL suegestoa o.
British origin, made for no other purpose, NJ tnis
=
of that government for whatever indemnity mIghS
be recovered from Porting al in consequence OF tho
outrage committed by her naval armament at tbs
port Of Fayal.
If the government OF Englan nd. on the demand Of
Portugal, as is adm itted Unidentified the inn abb
tants Of Fayal for the damage done by the frlnE
Of her ships on the American orig, and caused =
FORMAL apology TO be delivered to the governments
Of Portugal Tor the outrage, with Whit iace can
that government, after the lapse Of thirty yesrs.
attempt TO charge upon the American brig, which
she captured and destroyed, the very offence fos
which She had made rerars,ion. and apologiIed
upon the demand Of the government whose neu-
traity had been yslatedl She 10 estopped forever.
by her act, from making any such Allegation.
IL may not be amss here TO reicr To the known
Interference ofthe British government, through her
Minister at Lisbon, with the negotiations which
were in progress for the adjustment OF tsis
claim between Mr. Clay. Charge Of the United
states, and the Portuguese government. Com
munications, bearing an Official stamp iron
British subjects resident at Lisbon, to the
official journal Of the government ut London,
dcmonstatratc, beyond all question: the anxiety felt
by the Government Of Epgand IN the Issue OF these
negotiation. These communications go 20 far, In
fact M to substitute England for Portugal In meet
ing the responsibility III rjecng this claim, at AL
hazards. The government Of tue United states .
tainted with the rjustico ard want OF magnanimny
display I'd in the demonstration Of naval force 70
demand pay ment OF this claim from the governmsnt
OF Portugal appealing, ia justIhcatioa OF tut,
taunt, to the known weaknos, Of Portugal. and ~
the same time ntimaSing that 10 would become the
duty of England to make co nmon cause WITH FOR
| tueal in resisting thus claim. IL ia becomes toe
government Ct England thus to speak, with tui!
| knowledge of the fact, that in the port OF fAys
their gallant commander, Captain Lloyd, avsuea
himself Of this same weakness, ana threatened the
UNPROTECTED Governor of the Azores with chsstise-
ment ii he should dare TO protect the ncuualty Of
the port against British arms, which he had deter
mined TO employ in the destruction Of the brig Gene
raj Armstrong.
The undersigned has thus presented this case 10
the consideration OF the auguste arbitrator. chosen
by the high contracting parties to decide It The
evidence adduccd in its support, whether drawn
from the official acts Of the government Of forta-
gal, the protest Of the captain OF the American
brig, captured aud burned in the port Of Fays the
othcial communications Of the Consul of the Y at
ted states az Fay al OF from admissions aud Oh
eial acts Of the Britsh gov, rnment itself, deems
himself fully justified in the declaration that. rest
ing the claim Of the owners Of the brig General
Armstrong 70 indie unity, or either, all these