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Federal Gazette & Baltimore Daily Advertiser 1807/07-1807/12 msa_sc3722_2_6_2-0131 Enlarge and print image (5M) |
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Federal Gazette & Baltimore Daily Advertiser 1807/07-1807/12 msa_sc3722_2_6_2-0131 Enlarge and print image (5M) |
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MPgHVMMXI
To THOMAS JEFFERSON, PreM«-
rf tjjg United States of America.
The petion of the citizens of the county of
Washington,in the Mississippi Territory ,res-
pec;fully sheweth untoyou, sir,as chief
five of our country. We, sir, as faithful ci-
tizens of our country, separated from the
other parts of the U. S. but equally entitled
to the protection of the whole as any indi-
timjal state or territory,, agreeably to the
iaws of nations; as we recollect, the com-
mencement of any society is always found-
ed uoen these principles, to wit, the protec-
tion of all'its parts ; among these rights are
those of personal security, personal liberty
and private property. Whenever these
rights are violated, the citizen or subject
has a natural right for redress, either by suit
or otherwise.
•' We now, sir, address yon npon these prin-
ciples. Our misfortunes with the Spaniards
hitherto, we have borne with patience, but
sir; whenever military oppression shall rear
its despotic head, we will consider ourselves,
if not redressed by you, as the source from
"which the military derive their power, re-
verted to oui natural rights, and will with-
out hesitation redress the wrongs, which
li't only us but other citizens of the United
Sla'es, have so recently and unjustly felt.
The military officers which have com-
wanderj at different times from the period of
the first establishment of a military post, in
this country, have with impunity, net only
insulted our citizens, but have infringed op-
en their natural rights that we dare to say
that no other set of people under heaven
would have borne with so much patience.
But, sir, we cannot, nor will we suffer lon-
ger ; ttre recent and flagrant breaches com-
mitted by the officers Commanding at Fort
Stodi'art, arc such that forces us to call on
yon f r immediate redress^ A. certain lient.
Edmund P. Gaines, win has combined in
one person three different offices under the
general government, fto wit)-Post-master,
Lent, in the armyof the United States, and
collector of the District of Mobil?, f r Fori
Sto.ddert—has boldly and penTy, and in
conlcir.pt of the civil laws of his country
arrested a citizen of the U. States upon the
public toad, and without proper authority;
and him the ^aid citizen of the U. S. so un-
der a military arrest bath confined under a
military guard >f s ddiers at Fort Stiddert.
In the seci nd place, lie has assumed to him-
self the character of a judge, in stopping
the property of a citizen of our country, in
a vessel, after she had a legal permission
from the collector of the Custom Iloure at
F it Stoddert, and by a military foice oblig-
ed the captain of the said vessel to the pre-
judice ef the said citizen, to return under
a millitary guard to Fort Stoddert.
Your petitioners beg leave to further state,
that a certain ensign Francis W. Small,
¦who was so deeply concerned in the conspi-
racy, which has so recently threatened our
country and who saved himself from the
just punishment dae to his enormous crimes,
by turning traitortohis party and becoming
witness on the part of the United States,
and was. sent to fort Stoddert. as deputy
paymaster, has taken upon himself to act as
a complete military despot. The- laws of
-the United States, the country which has
offered him an asylum, when banished from
his own, he has trampled on in the most
flagrant manner, and even too our judges
have felt his assumed and despotical powers,
desired in the first place, by him, to com-
mit a flagrant breach cf the laws of this ter-
ritory, and in the second place he endea-
vored to obtain by foice, what he could not
by persuasion.
A few days past li-e refused a passport to
captain Thomas Few, one of our most res-
pectable citizens, when called for by the
sheriff f.tbi« county, who offered to sign
the legal'certificate of capt. Few's character.
But now, sir, we have to address yon up-
rn an act of violation not only of gene-
ral orders from the commander in chief of
the' United Sta'es army, but of a violati n
of our treaty with Spain and the Creek In-
dians, commited by this ensign Small. It
is the duty of the officer commanding at
Fort Stoddert, to call all vessels and craft
too, that pa^seSor repasses up and down the
Mobile river—to do this he must firs a gun,
but that gun by custom is not to be leaded
to bring them too ; but relative to the Indi-
ans this is not the case, for by our treaty
v-itb Spain we bound < urselves to make the
trade with the Indians mutual ; what right
then has any custom-house or fort, within
the limits of the United States, to stop any
Indians in the lawful exercise of their trade
when the Spanish government does net ?—
Also, by cur treaty wiih Great Britain we
have most solemnly bound ourselves net to
afk or demand any duties fr m the Indians
bringing gods out of the British domini-
ons into the United States, or from any fo-
reign dominions whatever. But, 3ir, in
what manner has this the most solemn law
of our country, been observed ? Duties
have been taken on all the goods that they
have brought up tie river, and that by vio-
lence ; theii first appearance, by the fcrf,
has always been saluted by a shower of
grape shot, one after the other ; and v, hat
has been the consequence ? The unprotect-
ed traveller has been robbed—our friendless
country threatens*! with the tomakawk and
scalping knife. Who have we to look to
for protection ? To foreigners who you have
put into office to sport with the lives of the
natural b. rn citizens of America. Our
situation is d'Slies.- ' g—surrounded by the
Indians on 'all sides—separated from the
principal settlement* of our territory, and
far frrm any sister state, we have been ths
sport of all ill fortune, " a fixed figure for
the hand of scorn to point her sl»w unmov-
ing finger at."
Four years have \ve borne-with p.'
otfir unheard of misfortunes! s-ill h
that the ^general government would n
our wrongs, but in this wo have been most
grossly deceived. Such, sir, is our sif.ua? :
tion, and suet) is the conduct of our milita-
ry omcers. To yo;;. sir, we appeal as to
the fountain of justice, and from your hands
we expect the conduct of these officers may
inin«d into, and th'e'y removed from
this post—Our situation, bettered by the
free navigation of our rivers^ and »he pos-
session of West-Florida, the country which
our treaty has declared to be our own.
Confident that the humble prayer of any !
of the citizens of the United States will al-
ways be examined into by you with candor. |
And in duty bound, we will ever pray, &c.
William'Buford, David Ferguson, Rout. 1
L. Clinton, Jno. Buford, John Wetkley, '
VV. Throw, T. Brooks, Amos Reed, E.
S'ni'h, Coth Smith, Thomas Hates, junior,
iri Smith, Joseph Lestor, Richard
Jenkins, Peter Jenkjns, Win. Baldwin, Jno.
S. Huford, Win. Cain, Wtn. Sims. Buford
Weekley, 'G. Weekly, J. Fletcher, L. Wil-
mer, jun. William li.ae's John Bates, Jos.
W.ekley, Thomas Dunn, Boij. Pyborne,
Barthel Gardner, Peter Batidon, John Ran- j
don, Beni. Baldwin, Nathaniel Darnel, L. '
J, Bryars, Tli. B. Singh ton, D.S.Moore.
I certify the abc e to be a true copy of
the original petition.
ft. P. JOHNSON, Clerk
Of the Committee.
HORRID MURDER,
By the Indians.
Extract of a letter from s genthmatf "in Au-
gusta, io Us friend in Virginia.
1 Dear Sir,
" On the night of the third February
last, arrived in this place in a deplorable con- !
dition, Mrs. Mary Jordan, who with her j
husband and six children, were in January
last carried away captives by the Indians.
Mrs. Jordan has furnished me with the fol-
lowing melancholy account of the massacre
of her husband and children, and of her
own ,offerings while with the savages.
'• On the night of the 22d January, 1807,
we were suddenly awakened from slumber
by the hideous yells bf savages, wrt before
we could put ourselves in a situation to op-
pose them, succeeded in forcing the doors
at the house. They were to the number of
40 1 r 50, frightfully painted and armed
with tomhawks and scalping knives.—My
husband met them at the door and in their
own language asked them'what they wanted ¦ —
' the scalps of your family /"—was their an-
wer. My husband intreated them to have
compassion on me and his innocent children,
but his intreaties availed nothing ; we were
dragged naked out of the house and tied se-
verally with cords. By order of one who
apfiewed to be the chief, abaut 20 of the
Indians took charge of us, who were order-
ed to conduct us with all possible dispatch
to-their settlement (about 200 miles distant)
while the remainder were left to pillage and
fire, the house. We commenced our jour-
ney about midnight, through an uncultivat-
ed wilderness at the rate of near seven miles
an hour. If either of us through fatigue
slackened our pace, we were most inhu-
manly beat and threatened with instant
death.
After a tedious travel of more than forty
miles, the savages halted in a swamp—
here for the first time from the time of our
departure we were permitted to lie down:—
the Indians kindled a fire on which they
broiled some bear's flesh, of which they al-
lowed us but a small portion.
After they had refreshed themselves and
extinguished their fire, we were aghin com-
pelled to pursue our journey—We travelled
until sunset, when the Indians again halted
and began preparing a covering for them-
selves for the night. My poor children com-
plained much of their feet beeing swollen,
but I was not permitted to give them any
relief, nor was their father allowed to di -
course with them. As night approached
we shook each other by the hand, expect-
ing never again to witness the rising of the
sun. Contrary to our expectations, howe-
ver, we had a tolerable night's rest, and on
the succeeding day. though naked and half
starved travelled withmuchmoreeasethanon
theprecedine one. The Indians occasionlly
allowed us a little raw food, sufficient only
to keep us alive. We this day travelled,
according to the reckoning of the Indians,
nearly 40 miles, and were about sun-set
joined by the remaining savages who were
left behind ; they were loaded with the
spoils of my husband's property ; among
other articles, they fund a keg of spirits,
of which they had drank plentifully. As
they became intoxicated, they exercised the
more cruelty towards us—they beat my poor
children so unmercifully, that they were un-
able to stand on their feet the ensuing morn-
ing. The Indians attributed their inability
to wilfulness, and again renewed their acts
of barbarity, beating them with their clubs,
cutting and gashing them with their knives,
and scorching their naked bodies with brands
of fire. Finding that their hellish-plans had
no other effect than to render the poor un-
happy sufferers less enabled to travel, they
came to the resolution to butcher them on
the spot.
" Six holes were dug in the earth, of about
five feet in depth, around each of which
some dried branches of trees were placed.
My husband at this moment fiHed with hor-
ror at what, lie expected was about to take
place, broke the rope with which he was
bound) and attempted to escape from the
hands of the unmerciful cannibals ! he was,
however, tlosi iy pursued, soon overtaken
and brought back—as he passed me he cast
Ids eyes towards me and tainted—in this si-
tuation I e v. ;s placed erect in one of the
hobs. The wi ods now resounded v itb the
heart -piercii.g cries of* my p*or children—
" spaie, O spare my father !" was their
cry : " Save mercy on my poor children !"
was the cry cf their father -it availed no-
thing : my Hear children were all placed in
n situation similar fo that of their father—
the y *inayst (pnh; S years old) broke from
them and ran up to the, crying " don't
mammy. •¦ t Iri tkeih kill me .'."
Alas, O thaiers. what could t do ? In
vaii did I Utg there, to let me ta&e my dear
child's place ! by force it was torn from me,
in an hour when I could an'.."'! it no protec-
tion".
li.'vhv',' placed the poor unfortunate-vic-
tims hi the manner above described, they
: I'e'iu in 1 Stan-ding position by re
placing the earth, which buried tbem nearly
to their necks !
The inhuman wretches now began their
hideous pow-wows, dancing to and fro
around the victims of their torture, which
they continued about half an hour, when.
they communicated fire to the fatal piles !
Heaven only knows what 1113' feelings were
at this moment 1 As the flames increased,
the shrieks and dying groans of my poor
family were heightened ! thank Heaven,
their sufferings were of short duration ; in
less than a quarter, of an hour from the
time the fire was lirst communicated, their
cries C( ased, they sunk into the arms of
their kind deliverer.
The callous hearted wretches having suf-
ficiently feasted their eyes with the agonies
of the unfortunate sufferers, retired to regale
themselves itb "hat liquor remained ; they
drank freely and toon became stupid and
senseless ; with one of .their tomahawks I
might dispatched them all, but my only de-
sire, was to flee from tkem as quick as pos-
sible. I succeeded wdth difficulty in liberat-
ing myself by catling the cord with which
I was bound, on which I bent my course
for this place. A piece of bear's flesh I for-
tunately found in one of the Indian's packs
served me for food'. I travelled only nights,
in the day time concealing myself in thick
swamps, or hollow trees. A party of In-
dians pa- sed within a few rods , f the place
of my conceal men t the second day aftermyde-
paiture but did not discover me ; they were
undoubtedly of the same party from whom
I had escaped in pursuit of me. Two days
after I was m<*t by an Indian of the Shaw a-
nese nation ; he proved friendly, and con-
ducted me to a white settlement ; ithout
his assistance I must have again fallen into
the hands r>f my savage foes.
Extract from tbk jfewtal of the T?nit.d States
shop of war '"o.:trzuma, dated April 30,
1701). //. Mwr.-.y, commander.
" We are now about taking our depar-
ture from the Mor > castle with 57 sail un-
der'convoy collected from various ports on
the rvard station, and bound to the Uni-
ted Slates ; the estimate vain* of their car-
gk«s amounting to 2,021,000 dollars, the
duties on which will add to our revenue
250,000 dollars.
What cannot American boats of! thus
in their infancy, when they hear of such,
fleets, covering the Western ocean with .
their canvas ? and what would have been
the reverse had net government aroused
from its lethargy in giving at .east an appa-
rent protection to our commerce, and which
hath filled our treasury beyond all calculati-
on. Blush, then, ye stubborn opposers of
the naval fystem ; may ye live to see and
acknowledge your errors, for while labour-
ing to save a cent, you were losing dollais
to the c mmunity,"
These are facts that speak for them-
selves ; the above mentioned fleet all arri-
ved safe.
From the Ntiv-York Evening Pest.
Mr. Collmav,
As shameful atferr.pts are making to
dishonor the United States by misrepresent
ing the nature of our controversy With G.
Britain, respecting SEAMEN, the following
summary observations may be acceptable to
some of your readers.
The British navigation act, passed In the
reign of Charles 2d, requires that the mas-
ter and three-fourths of the marines of British
ships shall be British subjects.
But this fundamental regulation is by a
statute of the 13 of Geo. 2d, limitted to pe-
riods of peace. During any wars in which
Great Britain is engaged, it is sufficient if
the crews of her ships are composed of one-
fourth natives or even naturalized marines.
Provision is evift made for allowing a less
proportion than one-fourth in oertain cases.
But though during war, no more than one-
fourth of the crews of British ships are re-
quired to be native British or even naturalized
subjects, yet at all times, the principles of
the navigation law, are inforced to inpect
to " foreign vessels trading to G. Britain."
Those principles require that the " master
andl three-fourths of the marines shall be
subjects of the countries to which the foreign
vessels belong."
By a permanent statute K all foreigners
who nerved in the merchant ships or priva-
teers of Great-Britain, are exempted fiom
being impressed into the king's service, and
for their security, are entitled to protections
from the admiralty ."-Vide 13, Geo. 2d.
Foreign seamen, who serve faithfully for
two years during a time of war, on boaid
any public or even private British ships, are
by law deemed " natural born subjects of
Great-Bihar,.."-Vide 13. Geo. 2d.
It will then be seen that naturalizing sea-
men and granting protections for the pur-
pose of detaching them from their natural
allegiance, are not as they have been called,
" American inventions."
The impressment cf seamen is contrary
to the genius of the English law, and no
such right has ever been vested by statute,
though its existence at common law may
be inferred from several statutes, limiting
the exercise of impressments. Seamen above
83 or under 18 years of age, apprentices,
ferrymen and fishermen, and all persons of
whatever age, for twoyeais after lirst going
to sea, are exempted and entitled to protec-
tions. No law (unless one has been recent-
ly enacted) has ever existed for compelling
deserters to return to service, except on board
the king's ships. British sailors who have
even signed articles to serve in British mer-
chant ships, cannot be compelled to a specific
performance of their contracts, and are only
liable to confinement for a short tiqse as a
punishment for desertion. A deseitei from
a foreign ship cannot be arrestea in England
and returned to his duty . Any seaman majr
leave his service in a private vessel, at any.
time and enter on board a king's ship, \v'j|»-
out forfeiting his wages or being deemed a
deserter. •
There is nothing in the British statutes or
public regulations which countenances the
impressment of seamen, from British vessels
on the high seas, and no Such right in re-
spect to foreign vessels is recognized by the
law of nations.
From this representation, it is evident that
the British have no right to complain of our
laws, which on the subject in question, are
more liberal than their own, nor ought any
modification of them to be expected, but
sokiy on the ground of reciprocal benefit.
Tiie former administration offered the
British government a stipulation for th«
mutual guarantee of all deserters, on condi-
tion that they would abstain from impress-
ments from our vessels on the high seas :
If 1h,j present administration have made a
similar oi.'er, they have done enough ; more
ought not to be conceded in any event.—
A government which will not proteet the
personal liberty of its subjects, is unworthy
of support.
There is something inexpressibly disgust-
ing in the attempt now making to deceive
the people by representing this as.a contro-
versy for the protection of British mutineers
and deserters ; nothing more liberal was
perhaps to be expected from certain merce-
nary minions of British' influence among us <
but Americans ought to be ashamed of such
base and unfounded suggestions. On this
question they can find no room to hesitate
Whether they shall support the causes of
their country : To recommend a submission
to British injustice because our administration
has submitted to French and Spanish injus-
tice, will be to establish a principle wliioh
must in a few years deprive us of every
vestige of our right, and place DS humble
slaw-, at the feet of some usurper: Mo!
while we would prefer peace with honor,
let us spurn it if connected witli unequal
or degrading conditions : Let us say, with
the proud spirited Romans, " We will not
dispute about the qualifications of a master ;
we will have no master."
CAMILLUS.
LONDON, June 4.
It Is curious that at the same time that
many of our newspapeis dwell on the dan-
ger of admitting into parliament any favor-
ers of the Catholic claims, the Official Jour-
nal of Madrid is discantkvg, with pious teal,
on tlie danger of the Heretics getting foot-
ing in Sputb-America. So completely has
Spanish bigotry tgot the better of Spanish
policy, that it is not so much the loss of
the colpiftes they lament, as the blow which
tin.' C.ithclic faith has received.
The Nautilus a eyt .sloop of war, has had
a iate attended with still more teirible cir-
cumstances than flw tjax. .She was wreck-
ed on a-small island in the Archipelago, and
immediately sunk, all the crew were saved
but iO or IU who were dr«wned -the others
to the number of 80, were taken, off the
island by a Swedish frigate, in a most deplo-
rable state, having suffered incredibly thro'
hunger and fatigue, the island affording no
sustenance. The dead bodies of their ship-
mates were their enly food i their life blood
slaked their thirst, and fo'~ nine days they
tasted nothing but iiama , fl.sh ! Thecaptain
and others, who loathed this aliment, died
raving mad—a source of no small pleasure
to the survivors, who immediately devour-
ed them.
The Spaniards make prizes of American
ships, and the Algezitas Diary announces
he sale of the cargo'of an American brig, the
Fair Manhattan, consisting of tar, flour,
biscuit and rum, captured by a Spanish pii
valeer.
It is said that the king cf Sweden intends
to transfer his ordinary residence to Gotten-
burg, and that lie purposes building a palace
there. The spot has been already chosen,
and an estimate of the expense seat to his
majesty at Stialsnnd.
ANECDOTE.
The followingannecdete of the magnani-
mous conduct of an Irish soldier, was relat-
ed by general (then maj r) DoyLe, in the
house of commons, on his introduction of
a bill to improve the establishment in Ire-
land for worn out soldiers, on a plan similar to
Chelsea H spital.
When Lord Raw don-was in South-Caro-
lina, he had to send an express, of great
importance though a country filled with the
enemy. A corp, ral ofthe 17th Dragoons,
of known courage and intelligence, was se-
lected to escort it. They had not proceeded
tar, when they were fired upon, the Express
killed, and the corporal wounded in his
side ; he snatched the dispatch from the
dying man, and rode on, till, fiom the loss
of blood, he fell—when, fearing the dis-
patch would be taken by the enemy, he
thrust it into the wound till it closed upon
it.
He was found the next day by a British
Patrole, with a benignant smile of consci-
ous virtue on his countenance, with life suf-
ficient to point to the fatal depositary of his
secret. In searching of the wound was
found the cause of his death, for th« sur-
geon declared it was not in itself mortal,
but rendered so by the irritation ofthe paper.
Thus fell the Patriot Soldier ;
" Cat off from Glory's race,
" Which never mortal was more fond to
run.
" Unheard, he fell."
In rank a corporal, he was in mind a
Hero—his name Olavery—his country
Ireland—Down was his county —his Reli-
gion Catholic.
BOSTON, Augusts.
Arrived, brig Henry, M Lellan, 30 days
from Guadaloupe, via Portland. Spoke Ju-
ly 12, lat. 27, long. CS, schr. Resolution,
Pierce. 20 days from Boston for Havana.
July 13, lat. 28, 40, long. 67, schr. Wm.
and Henry, Lord, 23 days from Boston for
Havana. July 19, brig Joseph, 44 days from
Lisbon for Baltimore.
NEW-YORK, August 7.
Arrived, the brig Active, Harrison, 23
days from Cayenne. Left, brig Isabella,
Callahan, to sail in 10 days for N. York ;
brig Clio, Rennygen, for Philadelphia in
la days ; St. Uudts, Tliayei, fur N. York
in 12 ; schr. Isabella,. Bliss, for Plym "
No news.
The sloop Catherine, and Eliza, Bail
from Jamaica, and 26 days from St. Philip.
Bay Cuba (where she was carried in by at
French privateer, and robbed of 42 pipes of
Rum, Src) Passenger capt. James Brown,
late of the brig Summer, of Norfolk, from
Port-Antnnio, sent in by the same priva-
teer, and robbe I of her cargo, seamens*
clothes, money, presents, &c.
The sloop Nancy, Taylor, from Curri-
tuck.
Cleared, brig Matilda, Graham, Antigua:;
Dragon, Holbrork, Antwerp ; Friendship^,
Christe, Savannah ; Eliza, Mitchell, Mar-
tinique ; schr- Silvia, Lincoln, Charleston ;
Liberty, Ransom, Cayenne ; Sarah, Forbes,
Plymouth, N. C.; sloop Halcyon, Cahoone,
Newport,
The ship Otho, Sterling, of New-York,
arrived at Liverpool, in 38 days from New-
Orleans—The ship Mac, and 3 other ships-,
had also arrived from New-Orleans.
August 8.
Late from England.
Last evening, the fast sailing shipPallas»
capt. Event, arrived at this port from Liver-
pool, which place he left on the 27th of
June. Capt. Everit politely favored the
editors of this Gazette with a London paper
cf the 20th of June, and a Liverpool paper
ofthe 25th ; which papers contain but little
except ship news. Our former London,
dates were only to the Gth of June.
PHILADELPHIA, August 8.
-Arrived, brigs Saunders, Singleton, Ma-
deira, 26 days ; Man , M Cutchen, New Or-
leans, i7 ; sell's Amicus, Nelson, Ilavanna,
18 : Enteip, iz«-, Young, St. e roix ,S ; Mid-
well, ------, llavann.i, 14.
Cleared, snip Amelia, Jennings, Norfolk ;
sch's Sally, Vickeiy, Ha-.ar.na; Mariner,
Somers, Chailesion.
Yesterday auived biig Saunders, captain.
Singleton, from Madeira, and left tfeu . ;- U
July, ship Magdalen, of NewY.rk, lor
Calcutta. 111 10 days ; bri^ Julia, Smith, eg
and for New York, 35 clays from lexandria,
July 27, lat. 29, 30, sp.-ke the ship ...n e,
.Saunders, i7 daj-s from Philidelphu. !
to Antigua, all well. July 30, ii, lat. |