Newspaper Page Text
peals to the officers of his own and the Spanish
governments, of tneir applications for protection
in wnat they deemed their just rights, and of tneir
remonstrances to our own Indian agents, against
past or anticipated injury and oppression. It is
possible too, mat lie supplied them with some
scanty munitions of war; thougn a merciful
court would have inferred, unit nine kegs of
powder and 500 pounds ol lead, were imported
by an Indian trader, as a supply lor Hunting, not
for war. That nc took a deep interest in tne
affairs of this devoted race; that ne depiored
their miserable condition; that he regarded
them as ius fellow creatures; and was desirous
and active to save them from utter extirpation;
01 tnese unchristian crimes (as Gen. Jackson
considers them,*) he was certainly guilty. The
general regards him as a secret agent of tne
British government, and thinks tuat government
was well advised of nis proceedings.* I mink
it very probable .... But that wouid prove not
his gain but nis innocence, it wouiu prove tuat
it was not tne individual, out Uie Bnusii govern
ment tuat had wronged us, il a*iy wrong uau been
done. Its siibject couid be guilty 01 no iauit m
following its orders. Every suti|ect or citizen
owes obedience to his government; except, in
deed, the officers of gen. Jackson’s ow uJJtvtsion
tj the South.
Ambiister was abett
ing and comforting suppiy ing them
With the means ol 2uiy, ot leading and
commanding ludia?tsmi war against
the C hited Sup ls; he being a suoject,
and nis at peace with our's.
lcss to disenss tne evidence adduced in support
of tne first charge, as tue accused confessed tno
second, which is far tne stioliger ot the two. It
is, sir, unaccountable to me, now the court mar
tial, convicting this man on Uiese charges, snould
in his case, have commuted tne piuiisnment of
death for that of stripes and imprisonment, and
should not have recalled the sentence ol death it J
pronounced against Arbuthnot. Is it not ciear,
mat, upon tneir own principles, Ambnster was
the more heinous criminal?
But if, sir, the guilt of these men, with every
imaginable aggravation, be admitted, the ques
tion would still remain, whether, according to
the laws of nations and tue usages ot war, they
were liable to tiic punishment ol death? It is im
possible for the meanest capacity, to misunder
stand the writers on public law, so far as to see
in them any authority for the monstrous princi
ples affirmed in the latal general order. Dis
carding tne illustrious instances ol Ea Fayette,
Kosciusko and De Kalb, tne question may be
brought immediately home to our bosoms, m ns
application to tue humoiest and obcurestoi man
kind. American and Bmisn meicnanis are, a t
this very time, supplying the royal ana revolu
tionary armies in Spanish America (wnithevei
affords the best market) witn an kinds 01 muni
tions of war: II tne masters and crews of tneir
vessels should be taken in the very act ot carry
ing on this traue, are tney liable to be ai 1 aigued
before a naval or military court martial, sentenc
ed, and hanged up at the yard arm, or on t.ie
next tree ? Many of our youm nave accepted
commissions in tne f’atiiot army, and are fight
ing the batiies of South American independence;
should they iail into the nanus of tne royansts,
has Spain a general, or couiu a court martial be
detailed from her armies, who would hang tucm
in coid blood? When 1 hear it urged, mat Ar
buthnot and Ambristei did not unite in war witn
civilized nations, but with the wild savages oi ‘
the forest, who do not respect tne laws of civiliz
ed warfare; I look into die history of my own ‘
country, and find there (thank God) that such a
distinction is not be endured at tins day. We
never before heard of it. Had it prevailed, I
know not how many Englishmen gen. Wayne
might have hanged, in the war lie conducted a
gainst the Indians; but he cuuid not siience the
pleadings of conscience and humanity in his own,,
bosom; or encountei the frown of Washington.
Had it prevailed, why were not the British pris
oners, taken on our northern frontier during tne
late war, fighting by the side of savages, whom
tney and their government had incited to hostili
ty against us, at a time too wnen (to the disgrace
ol the British name) rewards were offered for
American scalps; why were they not, an, in
stantly tried, convicted and led to execution ?
Where (as it iias been justly asked) was the
necessity ol executing these two men, even if
their sentence was undoubtedly light? The Se
minole war was at an end: anil had it still been
raging, general Jackson could nave sent these
prisoners in cnains to the United Slates, to be
dealt with according to tne wisdom of his gov
ernment. The biood even ol the guilty
net he shed without reluctance and wtmoti! * v .
good end. *
As to Ambrister, the court martial bid not con
demn him to die. The first sentence, as geni
al Jacksdb is pleased to consider it, being instant
ly rescinded bv the court, v. as in truth no sen
tence at all. His approbation could not revive
its existence. The last sentence was the only
sentence. When the commander in chief disap
proved it, the most he could rightfully have none,
tv as to otyler the court martial to reconsider it/
By what authority, then, was Ambrister doomed
to death? By the sovereign will ol major general
Andrew Jackson, in whose hands are the powers
•f peace and war, life and death.
Mr. Gales, in his officious and awkward zeal
to excuse this part of the general’s conduct, sug
gests, “that it was no doubt dictated by a regard
“to the wishes of the prisoner, who preferred
“death to the ignominious punishment, for which
“that fate was commuted by the court.” This is
not a mere surmise of Mr. Gales. If the fact
were so, it aggravates the general’s guilt. A
brave man, asking death at his hands, as a refuge
from disgrace, should have moved him to res
pect, sympathy and pardon. What shall we
1 clemency, according to his defenders , is to in-
death for mercy’s sake?
VBms, sir, has an American officer destroyed
tlßuves of two of his feilow creatures, without
anjßgntful power, without any adequate native,
andvbh such indecent precipitancy as hanlly to
for prayer, in tne interval between
judgment and death. Humanity bieedp at the
recitaind national pride sinks in t M- Ameri
can beam oppressed with the load tjsname and
grief. \
And clQsUiat thejiresident of thf United States
has said , all he has done, isMo tell congress,
that a the proceedings Jthe court mar
tial, in the of Arbuthnot ami Ambrister, shall
be laid b formthem, and to fuMl theto-omise!
Here, sir, lor the present, let us slmMrscene.
General Jackski, from the moment i
trusted with < (Vnmand, tndh avo\vedl% aad sys
tematically, made his ownnvill and
sole rule and guile of all 4iis actions; he sus
pended the executive, fegisiative and judicial
functions of the snks, ith arbitrary sway, and
assumed to do so ao|i ignt; he has’insulted the
executive oi the Uimfli States, at whose pleasure
. he holds his commi|kn, spurned its authority,
disregarded and tiaJsmnded its orders: he has
usurped the high pfer*-ative of peace and war,
| entrusted hv all nations %> the sovereign authori
ty of the state, ancUnyoureonsiitution to congress
| alone: he has abftgated Vie known laws of na
tions, and promulgated a Aw code of his own,
conceived in mmlness or Vlly, and writtcu in
blood: he lias, if fine, \ ioliwcl all laws human
and divine, ancWviolatcd tftmkyith impunity.
Unconi*ectl with public Vnen, bearing no
part in publicaffairs, a silent sjKculator of ordi
nary political occurrences, I caim et never be in
different to great questions of nigV, that directly
affect the pface, the honor and tk constitution
•of my couhtry. I see no reason ok the present
j occasion,/o forbear the public communication of
|my opinions; or to soften, if 1 couldmhc indig
nant lai Jruage of truth and justice, \iberty is
not of Spontaneous growth in any soil o\ clime:
and hm is deaf to the voice of experience, who
deei* it that hardy plant which will flourish
eveßafter it lias taken root, without continual
pains and cultivation. •
f * ALGERNON SIDNEY.
DARIEN,
MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1819.
C (IRRESPON D E XCE.
The author of A Faisvn to Justice may rest assured
that our private feelings shall never interfere with the
duty we owe to the public; nor the threats nor favors of
friends or enemies exclude from our columns wliat is
couched in decent terms and having* a tendency to elu
cidate the wrongs inflicted by any one nation onanother,
or the omissions or malpractice in office of any public
servant, belonging* to the executive, legislative, judicial
or mll ry Icpartment. Our < Eject is truth; but, to attain
i . great circumspection should be used, lest plausible
misrepresentation be taken for fact and our principles
as .veil as our understandings be poisoned and perverted.
No information from a dubious souict should be trusted;
and that for the veracity of which an author is backward
in leaving his name with his printer must certainly be
viewed in that ligh.. A Friend to Justice will perceive
the cause of our not comply ing with his request. By
putting us in possession of his name, the obstacle may
be removed.
GENERAL JACKSON.
Os the policy pursued by this olficer during Ids last
Jndian campaign we freely gave our opinion some weeks
since, and time has confirmed us in it. He has been de
fended by all the devious wiles that the sophistry of his
and adherents could invent, but also assailed
w?T+i such forcible arguments, such cogent
that the great body of the American people
ceedings in Florida, notwithstanding bis
less and unwarranta far as
Ins superiors and the constifeitffffti of our comujßßboun
trv. We wish we that all the assail aßfc/rePfc
actuated by ih&**r*~ purely American, (though* t\o lo
cality jjiHkelnigs of any man neither adds non t(en*acts
rfrtifn the cogency ofiiis writings) but we cannot ventqre
to sav so. The examination of his military life, so farasit.
has clashed with the instructions of his superiors and]
with the laws of his country is, however, from a source :
which cannot be suspect'd. The character of Mr. !
Ritchie’s paper forbids even an ungenerous surmise:—
Yet with the author we must on some points disagree. ;
We cannot denounce the motives nor the measures
adopted by our government to obtain sesssiotis of land
from the Indians, who, since the earth was created for
the common subsistence of all mankind, have no right to
retain more land than they can appropriate to the use
of civilized habits, while the whites are at a loss for
ground to* till. The smaller the compass the savage is
confined to,flic greater necessity he will perceive there
is to abandon his erratic life, imitate civilized man in
siead of prowing the wilderness like a beast of prey
with Ills hands steeped in Moorland his mind intent on
crime. We i- mot accuse general Jackson of having
acted with unnecessary cruelty at Taliapoose. There
the stages refused to accept or receive quarter, v\ Inch
obsi 1 nacy doomed them by the usages oi all civilized na
tions to destruction. To have taken them alive would
have been uselessly exposing the lives ofiiis faithful fol
lowers, and to have left them, infuriate and burning* v. is n
revenge alPtlieir discomfiture, in his rear would have
been leaving the women and children of our frontiers to
the tomahaw k and scalping knife. Neither should Jack
son be aspersed for driving the British out of Pcnsaco
la during the war with England when New-Orleans was
threatened. Congress had previously passed an act au
thorising the executive to take possession of the Flori
das, in case they should be invaded, and there is good
reason for supposing* him to have been intrusted with
discretionary power on that occasion. Nor can we
agree with Algernon Sidney in thinking the editors of
the National Intelligencer as having exceeded their pri
vileges in making public their sentiments with respect
to the operations of general Jackson. The press is free,
and the liberty of opinion guaranteed by the laws of
our country. Si*<h are our objections only to the able
production in question, which we recommend to the at
tention of every man who loves freedom and values the
republican institutions of bis country.
Messrs. Emmas —Observing a publication in your
]ap of t lie 11th instant, over the signature of A Citi
, zen making some enquiry, through the medium of your
paper, why an election was not held, at Mdntosh Court
House, agreeable notice for a memlmr of
| congress, to fill the of Mr. John Fon^H;
■ mated to the senate of andLin this
; enquiry, obliquely wishing e
util In.
j of die
1 the feelings of any individual present, for one moment, I
suggest to them the smallest idea of any intention of
infringement of their constitutional privileges being
intended.
1 am not a judge of the inferior court, nor had I any (
thing to do with the election but to give my vote, i
On my arrival at. the court house, l found about twen
ty persons collected; and they were, as nearly as l
could discover, about equally divided in their opinions
respecting the two candidates, Judge Read, and Gene
ral Milton. The magistrates were seated on the bench,
and I presumed ready to receive votes. No person
appeared solicitous about the matter, nor was a vole of
fered. I spoke to one of the judges, who told me he
was very sick, and could not sit more than half an
hour longer, but lie supposed, as the people were
about equally divided, it was of no consequence keep
ing the poll open all day. I thought with hint, and re-1
turned home. To make mountains of mole-hills looks
dark and invidious. A SUBSCRIBER.
If we conjecture rightly, the preceding article is from
a source entitled to credit, and no doubt can be en
tertained of the writer having related correctly what
ever oarne within his own immediate notice. We suspect
however that sip did not witness all that transpired at
the court-house on that day. Indeed it appears from
his own statement, that his stav there was but short.
W e now hold in our possession an affidavit proving sat
isfactorily to us, that the sheriff did proclaim the election,
mid after the election hml been so proclaim’ !■,‘rotes .cert
offered but refused. The cause of this refusal, we have
been given to understand, was that the clerks had not,
at the momcmt, prepared their lists. Witnesses of ti e
whole transaction concur in this part of the statement,
but they likewise declare that no opportunity for giving
in their votes was afterwards afforded them, the busi-.
ness of the court of ordinary having been called up.—J
The statement given by ws in our last paper we araj
convinced is literally true. The election was proclaim-’
ed by the sheriff, the clerks were chosen and the jus
tices seated; but no election took place* That the ma
gistrates at first intended to hold the election seems e\ .-
from one of the bench to assist in head
ing the lists, others quitting it to harangue the__
voters in favor of one of the candidates. The former
officer differed w ith them in opinion as to the men,
and spoke in behalf of the opposite candidate. This
is conclusive evidence that they had determined to
open the poll. Even if indisposition prevented, as our
correspondent intimates, one of them from presiding,
that is, we conceive, no excuse for the other two, a
fourth individual properly qualified being present. In
fact it is the impression of nearly every man with whom
we have conversed who was there, .that the election
miscarried from design and not inadvertency. The
bench, we feel no hesitation to say, was m fault—but
whether one, two or three are to blame is for the ma
gistrates themselves to decide.
We hope, for the credit of the county, the state and
the union, that no circumstance of the kind will again
occur; for, when it shall he common for the few to place
the many in a state of political pupilage as it were,
then farewell to liberty. Her very shadow will vanish
at the frown of some daring conspirator.— Editors Da
rien Gazette.
CITY ELECTION.
The following gentlemen were, on the 11th instant,
elected aldermen for this city*.
George Street received 80 votes.
Henry Harford 78
E. C. Grosvenor 76
Scott Cray 68
James Troup y 62
Armand Lefils 56
Calvin Baker 54
The Aldermen the same day elected James Tiiorr
to the o’fficc of mayor.
WHOLESALE PRICES CURRENT.
Darien, January 18, 1819.
Cotton, sea-islanid, per ib. .... 45"5 50
Do. upland do - - 24 a 25
Rice, - - -- . ... . ... 550a 575
Congressional Election. —Returns from eighteen ceun
ties(saysthe Milledgeville Reflector of tlie 12fli instant)
give judge Reid a majority of twelve hundred votes over
general Milton.
Notwithstanding the unfavorableness of the Darien
bank charter (says the Georgia Journal) the stock al
lotted to different places in the back country, lias been
taken dp with great avidity.
The steam-boat Alatamaha arrived on the 12th instant
at Augusta from Savannah. Though several of the
freighting boats employed between those two cities re
quire to be lighted, from the lowness of the river, she
ascended without any material difficulty. The trip is
experimental; and we hope that the majestic stream
whose name she bears wiH receive her on its bosom in a
few days.
Despatches have been received at Washington City
from Mr. Campbell, our minister to Russia.
” John Graham, late commissioner to South America,
has been appointed by the president, minister plenipo
tentiary to the Brazils.
Letters from Washington state, that John Forsyth, a
senator from Georgia, has been nominated by the Presi
dent, as minister to Spain.
It is said Ihe senate have been discussing the subject
of the Canada line in conclave.
Advices from Hendon are to 7th and from Liverpool
to the 19th November. The best upland cotton com
manded but from 17d a 17|d, and the. price was ex
pected to fall still lower, liice met with a ready sale
at 48 shillings.
The queen of England made her demise at one o'clock
on the morning of the 17th November. A mortification
took place in her leg the preceeding evening, and she
is said to have died without a struggle; she was horn
May 17, 1741.
wmmwj m# t ** * * *+* w
Died, on the 29th ult. Peter James Nepiiew, at the
interesting age of 23 years, only son of Janies Nephew,
esq. To a parent, the bereavement of such a support is
not easily discerned.. The anguish of tender and affec
tionate sisters is equally distressing. He was a faithful
son, a kind brother, a generous friend, and it cannot
denied that he was free from the many youthful inclis
cretions w hich characterise the present age. He died
in the hope of mercy through his Redeemer.
Mt Ratine lUnosu
PORT OF DARIEN.
ARRIVED.
•
British brig Jane, Murphy, Liverpool, 60 days—salt
and dry goods—to Hall, Cooke & Cos.
Schooner Telegraph, Graves, Charleston, 1 day—an
assorted cargo—to Anson Kimberly, Mr. Hurt, C. Cook j
the muster. {
Bright Phoebus, Smith, Savannah, 3 i
herring, hams, and the
bank—-Wtanmge, Richardson 8c (Jo.
Sloop IjKLßowmtn, New- Y
sorted Cooke Hurd & kinand
Roswell King. ** ‘ 41
Ann, Luce,
ed cargo—to Daniel JacksW^j
bank, rigging, sails from me !
wreck schooner Cornelia.
Sparrow*, Treat, from St. Andrews, with shells, j
Mary, Bunce, from St. Andrews, with
AUhhu* Woody> wd } IVoin Boboj.
I Brazil’s boat, with cotton, from Telfair county, to Si
Cray, Hall, C .n/e 8c < o. ...id throw or.
Boat utter, wiui co mn, from Haruord, to B. King 8*
Cos.
L()>S OF THE SCHOONER CORNELIA.
1 Schooner Cornelia, Hatch, from Charleston, bound to
St. Augustine, was, mi lie oth ins.ant, stranded on an
island ot sail i oft t ..ttle Si. Simon’s. No lives were lost
though out little ot tne cargo has been saved. The cap
tain i rn*. the null io the waicr'sc* ge tor the purpose
ot saving the iron work. The island is übo.i. i nirt n
feel a >ove high water mark, is ye.rl increasing in .* *e,
and never covered except in heavy gales* The cap uin
encamped five da\ s, during vvh i h urn* ,ie was without*
fix sli water in lieu of which lie gave ins’ men a seamy
portion of porter.
__.ii;. . - : -ce-r
AUCTION.
be sold to the lugnest bidder on M >nil:u, the
T T Bih February, TRUST LOTS E and F, pleasant
ly si mated in me city < 1 Darien, having \ criion s t . ire
to the west. Term —one half of the purchase money
to be paid down; a credit of nine y dais on the u‘ .cl*
halt, secured by a note w ith an approved indorser; viH*.
purcliasers to pay for titles.
JOSHUA A COFFEE, auctioneer.
jan 11——12
For Liverp >ol.
fcjarOrpHE t:ist *g British sli p LORD WET r~
u;JL LiNG I’ON, Jann -> \1 tcliell, nus it, wiii sail
I for the above port on or before the 10th February n vt.
Kua ions,
CO.
S’
diooner
>r terms
19th iiist. will be held
1 for Clerk Marshal and Gaoler
/ivVWYF/R & Hr. RUING
O r FER for sale the cargoes of schooners Paragon and
wander, and sloops Bridgeport and Collector from
New-York, comprising
A.V EXTENSIVE ASSORTMENT
OF
Groceries, Provisions. Earthenware,
Costings and Furniture.
Also a few cases extra sunerfine west, of England
BROAD’ ‘LOTUS C\SLMEHEand ladies’ CLOTHS.
8 cases domestic Goods
10 trunks Shoes
10 cases Hats and
1000 bushels Cadiz Salt, just received
jan 18 it 13
The subscribers
Have just received by the regular pad ’ e* Telegraph, J.
Graves, master, and offer for sale
UsD© DEMIJOHNS
12 boxes best Charleston Candles, 5 to a pound
12 ditto ditto Sqap
A few barrels best Philadelphia llecr
18 dozen best double Hibbert’s London Porter
40 doz. double flint Tumble rs and Winc-GlasaiS
8000 D itch Quills
Different sizes Burlaps and white Rolls
2 patent iron Blocks
1 box assorted Medicine
Looking-Glasses, and sundry other articles
DEWITT 8c BURNETT*
jan 18 13
For. sale
barrels Flour .
2 Anchors Jifl
1 Cable
2
the above articles :nav be had low if applied for
(lavs hv LKt* TER 8c LEONA ABB
jail IS— 1
‘The subscriber
% % hIJ. i -.pose 111 lou i* (If file I.< >'! *• oil his Pi<aßß|
V ? . . si (; a boil Mwo 111 ‘< s below* Darien,
*o and leu fc ct front, and tilree ilus^^H
back—cither on a building lease, or otherwise.
situation of those Lots, as .t regards flic advantage^^B
retreat during the summer months, and its
Darien, with the repeated health experienced thereon,
is so well known, that it needs but little said—and in ad
dition to that object, health, it has a spring of watei of
an excellent quality—and the view extensive and com
manding, open to Doboy Bar—and in addition to those
the society in the neighborhood is agreeable.
JAMES SMITH.
jan 18 1 13
Togbe commissioners of Pilotage for the’
Darien and Sapelo liiveiy’
l am the commissioners of the
port of Sapelo River gave thejrfselvcs the
trouble of order that I am-notJior never was
a pilot, as it intention Jtq.Jollow that for a
living. I acted in at diffiltent times purely
witlithe m#ycsof sertin)Qjjose flxit me, with
w*ith saving inward and out
clefi(*ii.*iiUffCTUK*rienced Pilots: i;ke
great ex/mnee to establish
the yMTof the bar aijjffver, and th%false
runJPs that had widely abroad he liar.
1 hope the boarjWm pursuing the rules be
gun, in appapffmg strangers that no may
happen aiid/nat they may treat them with
tude have me.
JEREMIAH
Pan aib ay
the plantation of Mr. Archibald \PI arin, ojß
\arinah river, three negro fellows, viz:
I’ Mow, h , on iron-, win nhr w . 1,1 oil'. I • H^HBBBI
v ’ .’o'i ■.
<>{.,. : * ’ - . i.i ~. ’:. r
■ri ‘ w I', !’ I ion'. • I \ lib. r.! n .* x\Y
“*i l ;M
” 1 ‘
.i.n : —i i'.
~ F. 1, •’ ■* v’ ■”/ (■*'* '■,* *’