Southern recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1820-1872, July 24, 1821, Image 1

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SOUTHERN RECORDER. -*ak VOL. II MILLEDGEVILLE, TUESDAY, JULY <24, 1821. No. 24. PUBLISHED WEEKLY, (on Tuesdays) BY S. GRANT LAND if R. M. ORME, AT THREE DOLLARS, IN ADVANCE, OR FOUR DOLLARS AT TBE EXPIRATION Or THE YEAR. U3» Advertisements conspicuously inserted at fhe customary rates. FROM the NEW YORK AMERICAN. Tile following spirited atul feeling com ments on the Burning of the Public Build ings at Washington, and the excuse given for that disgraceful act of Barbarism by the author of" A Narrative of the Campaigns ol the British army at Washington,” extracts from which have been published in most of our papers, are taken from an article in the Federal Gazette, the Editor of which states that “ this excellent and just defence of the conduct of our citizen soldiers, as eloquent as it is disinterested, is from the pen of a gen tleman who never was even a resident of the United States, u. Ail since the conclusion of the late war with Great Britain. The apology offered lor this Vandal act by the British “ narrator,” namely, that a H ig of truce had been (ired upon, & that Gen. Ross, who accompanied (he flag, [strange occupation for the General in Chief!] had a horse shot under him, lias already been answered by Mr. Skin ner, in a letter alike creditable to the pood sense, honorable feelings, and good taste of that gentleman. Hut as there exists evidence from the mouth of the British General, it may be adduced to do away all doubt or cavil on this part of the subject. General Ross, in his official dispatch to his government, dated, •‘ Tonant, in the Patuxent, August 30th, 1814,” after l iving rather an iuconsecutivc account of the battle, says — “ Having halted the army for a short time, 1 determined to inarch upon Wash ington, and reached that city at 8 o’clock that night. Judging it of consequence to complete the destruction of the Public Buildings, with the least possible delay, so that the army might retire without loss of time, the fallowing buildings were consumed : the Capitol, including the Se riate House and House of Representatives, iSyc. 4"C. 4'C. There can be no mistake here—no thing is left to doubt or uncertainty—the General states distinctly, that he judged it of consequence to destroy the public buildings, and among those, the very first lie mentions is the capitol, and then Ife goes on to enumerate the President's house, ire. ftc. $-c.—But as if resolved not to leave the future historian a loop to hang a doubt upon, respecting this ex ecrable part of his exploit, he, having given a list of the buildings thus consum ed, immediately adds ; “ The object of the expedition having keen accomplished, I determined befo any greater force of the enemy could be assembled to withdraw the troops and accordingly commenced retiring on the night of the 25th.” Thus it is clearly stated—without dis guise—that the object of the expedition was to burn the public buildings, inclu ding those of a purely civil nature, such as the Capitol, Senate House, House of Representatives, President’s House, Li brary, &.c. and having thus accomplished the object of the Expedition, the army re tired. There is not one word about a Flag of truce, nor of having been tired at, nor a single circumstance mentioned, or distantly alluded to, as provocation or apology for doing that which he avers it was of consequence to complete and which be as candidly declares was the object of the expedition to accomplish—This story of the Flag of truce was never heard of —never thought of, till, at the close ol seven years reflection, this “ narrator” conjured it up to neutralize, if possible, the indignant spirit so generally aroused by the conflagrations at II ashington.— There was no Flag of truce, therefore there could not have been, as he asserts, “ a direct bre ich of the lazv of Nations,” in til ing upon what did not exist—I et bad there been such violation of public law, it would have found an example, though not an apology, in the history of British warfare, and, perhaps, in the his tory of British war alone. Arnold, ly ing before Quebec, sent a flag to the offi cer in commi.’nd, when “Colonel Mac- lean who comm-anded during the absence of the Governor, not only refused to re ceive the message, but ordered Ins men to fire on the bearers." And again Ge neral Carleton [the Governor] having resumed the command, Montgomery sent to summon the place by a flag, when “ the Governor ordered his troops to fire on the bearer.” [See the History of Inde pendence, fcc- by Botta.] Here are ex amples truly British, were such wanting, or were such to be received as an c.x- cQse for what is charged against the A- mericans, dt Washington—but as the charge is false, the British may be left jo undisturbed possession of the exam ple which their exploits in “ direct breach of the law of nations” have consigned to a parallel, till something more atrocious still succeeds, and tlieu we wonder al our not having taken a more extensive view of the dark side of the human char acter. Wc are shocked and indignant oft reading of the burnings at Washing ton, and conceive that scarcely more could be executed in the rage of savage devastation ; but if the destruction of the capitol, the President's house, the library, the printing ollices, &i archives, excite so much indignation and disgust, what will posterity say of the following Vandalism ? In the Navy Yard at Washington, a monument of the purest marble, of clas sic design, and exquisite workmanship, had been erected by their surviving com rades to the memory of some officers who f<-H in the naval attack of the Ame ricans on Tripoli. This monument, so creditable to the arts—so beautiful in its structure—so interesting in its nature —so dear to friendship—dedicated by youthful.heroes who survived, to youth ful heroes who perished—this monument which should at once have found its way to the sympathies of a brave man, and v. hieh a true soldier could scarcely con template without a tear—this monument so solemn, so consecrated, so sacred, which seemed to have its very founda tions in the finest affections of the heart —this monument was attacked by the British, and now you may read on its southern side. “ Mutilated by Britons, On the 25th of August, 1814 !,” Can the whole scope of that language which is common in both nations—can that language, so rich, so flowing, and so energetic, furnish terms sufficiently trong, to depict in appropriate colours, the barbarism of this act ?—Jurists may write, define, and promulgate national law, but they will never say, that the burning of the civil buildings or even of the library in the Capitol of the United States, equalled in atrocity S: heartless ness the mutilation of this monument. Had it been a pile commemorative of some of the many American victories o- ver the English themselves, such fact might he offered, by folly or wounded pride, in palliation ; but, when it. was in record of a deed which Britons would have been proud to emulate, and which they did subsequently emulate at Algiers, the shadow of an excuse did not present it«elf. Are we then to assume, that it sprang from rancor, the base ingredient of little minds, or from a spirit of ven geance, inspired by humiliations previ ously inflicted by the arms of America ? Had an expedition from the United States made an incursion into England (and it could have been easily effected) and meeting with a monument erected to some of her naval heroes, attacked and mutilated that monument, what would Jiave been the exclamations and the cur ses of Englishmen ? IVJiat would have ergetic measures ; and, impressed with the maxim that a law to be perfect de mands a penal sanction, & that the pun ishment to be useful requires examples, public, speedy and impartial, we have therefore decreed as follows : 1. A Court Martial shall be created with all the powers of a special council of war. 2. This court shall execute rigorously articles 4 and 6 of our decree of 31st March against those who carry forbidden arms, by condemning to capital punishment as an assassin whoever shall he found with these arms, & shall without delay execute the sentence. 3. The director of police may autho rise the search of houses at discretion. If forbidden arms shall be found without le gal permission the householder shall he punished accordingly. If the collection of arms and ammunition is such ns to give room for suspecting a conspiracy, the person of the inhabitant shall he seized, and placed with his papers at the dispo sition of the Court Martial. 4. The same court shall execute the decree of March 28th against the Car bonari 5. The object of the society of Car bonari being the overthrow of all go vernments, every one who after the pub lication of this decree shall join that so ciety or attend any of its meetings, shall be punished with death, as guitly of high treason. 6. All who, without being Carbonari, shall be taken in actual meeting with a view of overturning the public order, shall likewise be punished with death. 7. The same court shall punish with imprisonment of from three to ten years, every person who, in town or country, shall know of the place of a meeting of the above description and shall not im mediately disclose it. 8. Whoever, belonging to the said meetings, moveJ by repentance, shall discover to the police the members and the projects of a conspiracy, shall be pardoned, his name not disclosed nor en tered on any register. Signed in due form, MARQUIS de CIRCILLO.” [A measure more tyrannical in its ob ject, more bloody in its provisions, or more treacherous in its means of detecti on has seldom disgraced human history. What must be the state of the people to render such a decree necessary ? or the nature of a government w hich would a- dopt such a law wilhuut necessity ?] been the language of their presses ?— Would not the Americans have been painted as more barbarous than the sa vages, who, untaught, and uagoverned, range the Western wilderness of this continent ? Is there an epithet of op probrium that would not have been east upon them with a lavish hand ?—Let then the author of the narrative under consideration, reflect on the fact I have stated, and sink to the earth in slntnie— let his countrymen reflect upon the foul deeds attached to the history of their campaigns in this country, and they will see the wisdom of avoiding whatever may lead to a comparison of their arms with those of America.—The “narra tive of an officer who served in the ex pedition” may gratify the inflated arro gance, and tickle the insatiate vanity of the British natiou—it may administer to England’s well known hatred of Ame rica, and put money into the pockets of its author, but with the world in gene ral it seems Wetter calculated to bring odium on both, than to shed a lustre on either. No work could be more indis creet—it has roused to life and action feelings in American bosoms that time had lulled to repose, and as this is but a feeble exposure of its deformity, it? ego tism and its falsehood will doubtless be touched by many an abler hand—it will have the withering merit of blasting the cause it would sustain, for it will drag in to noon day light before other nations, those infamies which England should wish to see entombed forever in the grave of Ross. TiVStEIGN*. SLtory, and as to apology, they will not be able to find one in justification of an act that would disgrace a Cossack of the Pon or an Arab of the desert. There are atrocities which strike so frrciblv on sensitive and honourable Blinds,to be cop*idered incapable ot FROM FRANCE. New-York, June 30. By the ship Bayard, capt. Van Dyck, from Bordeaux, we received a file of French papers to the 7th of May. The following decree is offered to our readers to show the condition of Naples. * Ferdinand I. by the grace of God, King of the Two Sicilies. The fatherly intimations of our de crees of the sslh and 31st of March last against secret meetings, and, in favor of a general disarming of the kingdom not having produced the desired effect, which shews the guilty designs of those who disoba^, 3nd forces us to adopt more en- New-York, July 4. LATER FROM EUKOFE. By the Atlantic, capt. Matlock, the edi tors of the Mercantile Advertiser have received Liverpool papers of the 30th, and London papers to the evening ol the 28lli of May. Extra' Is follow. Accounts from St. Helena to the 6th of April had reached England. They sta ted that Buonaparte was seriously ill, that he had sent for Sir Hudson Low, the governor, &. that Iris dissolution was not expected to he fir distant. Lint two ves sels have arrived in this country, which touched at .St. Helena as late as the 15th of April, and were both informed that Buonaparte was well. The London papers have also in large capitals, positive accounts of the capture of Lima, with some uf the particulars, re ceived by a vessel which left Rio Janei ro in the month of March. But the Ma cedonian frigate, which left Rio the mid dle of May, knew nothing of it. Madrid, May 10. Favourable accounts have just been received from America, 't he Universal announces that two deputies from Boli var are expected, who must soon arrive, as the despatch announcing their mission set out but a few days before them. The following particulars, which there is reason to believe arc well founded, are added :— Bolivar lias signified, in a confiden tial despatch, the basis of the proposed treaty ; according to which, 1. The province of Caraccas shall be entirely subject to the mother couib try, and make part of the Spanish terri lory. “ 2. Bolivar shall be nominated Capt General of that province, "as the only man able to restrain the varies parties which divide that country. “3. He shall in consequence, make his submission, take the oath to the Span ish Constitution, and have the rank of Lieutenant-General. “ 4. The territory of the republic hf Columbia shall be declared independent its independence was to be recognised by Spain ; and the two powers shall Send to ea«h other diplomatic agents. “ 5. This republic shall, however, be attached to Spain by treaties of com merce, so that the latter power shall lose none of the commercial advantages which it has hitherto derived from those pro vinces.” Madrid, May 18. The session of the Cortes is to be pro longed one month. Irln, May 14. The storm is beginning to threaten General Morillo, Count Of Carthagena A deputy has required an explanation from the Minister at War, of his conduct iu countersigning the appointment of an individual to an office in Spain, who in his quality of Captain-General of the Ca raccas, was a resident there. A Go vernment Journal says, that the laws of the indies, which declare Viceroys and Captains General should be resident in their Governments, could not apply to the Count of Carthagena, who was in trusted with an extraordinary mission, and invested with higher power* than Viceroys. The official answer is mo mently expected. Paris, May 25. Letters from Lnybach announce that the Emperor of Russia left that city on the 14ll> to return to St. Petersburg, pas sing through Rada, in Hungary, & YVar- saw. His Majesty the Emperor of Aus tria also intended to leave Laybuch im mediately, to return to Vienna. Private letters from Spain state that Merino lias been taken ; his own ac complices delivered him to General Em- pecinado. The accounts from Constantinople and Bucharest for some days past are in volved in obscurity. it is said that the whole of the Morea now in arms. At Patras, the tire which was set to the city, continued to rage for more than four days ; and while the cross was hoisted as the sign of in dependence, the Greeks slaughtered the Turks wherever they could meet them. The unfortunate refugees, at the houses of the European Consuls, were every in stant in terror lest they should be drag ged forth. At last, after six days of the greatest confusion, Archbishop Gerveaux, a man endowed with great firmness, and well known for his patriotism and intelli gence, who had left the town on the 30th March, returned on the night of the Cth April, as Protector ofthe Greek popula tion, and enemy of the tyrant Turks.— Immediately on his arrival the following Proclamation was published throughout the city:—“Respect totheConsuls, Assis tance to Christians—Death to the Turks!” On the 7th, news was received that tlie Castle of Lepanto (Lesser Dardanelles) was attacked by the Insurgents. On the 8th, it vvas reported that a Caloycr, na med Grogoras, had seize,I on the isthmus of Corinth, and that lie occupied it at the head of a corps of 6000 Christians, Greeks, and Albanians. Natiple di Ro- mana is also very hard pressed by the Christian population at Argos. , The Mainotes at the same time issuing from Elewlhero-Laconia, commanded by capt. Colocothron, Ex-Major in the Russian service, & capt. Pozzomita, have seized in Laconia, on Misista and Bordonni.— In Massenis, a column under the orders of the Capitanacln, a very ancient family, is in military occupation of Cularaathon.” Accounts from Constantinople, dated the 10th ult. state, that the Grand Vizier is deposed, and Benduli Pashaw appoint ed his successor. A letter from Con stantino;,Ic, of April 25, gives a dreadful picture ,.f the state oFthat capital. Th nsurrection ofthe Archipelago is confir med ; the Porte is particularly alarmed al that in Candia. A letter from Cattora, ofthe 1st May, tales, that the whole Pcleponuesus has thrown off the Turkish yoke, and that there has been a bloody battle near Ain- pli, between the Greeks it the Turks, in which both parties fought with desperate valour ; the Greeks were completely victorious ; their loss amounted to 800 inert, and that ofthe Turks 6,000. Extract of a letter dated Trieste, May II “ By a vessel from Constantinople we have intelligence from thence to the 27th ult. Many ofthe principal Greeks in the city have been arrested and put to death. Among them were the Patriarch and four Bishops, w ho were executed on the 23d, before the Greek Church, by order ofthe Turkish goverffnumt. News had been received, that the insurgents of VVallachia and Moldavia are hopeless of all support from Russia, and, knowing also that the intiigues ofthe partisans in the capital had wholly failed, were lay ing down their arms and acquiescing quietly in the yoke they had attempted to shake off. In the Morea, on the con trary, rebellion was in full activity, though little fear was entertained of its ultimate reduction.” Letters from Petersburg!! confirm the reports of extraordinary movements in the Russf.m armies, which are concen trating on different points. The Impe rial guard has definitively left thatcapi- t;d, and marched towards the frontiers. London, May 28. IVp regret to perceive, by a proclamation issued hy the Lotif Justices ol Ireland, (in the absence of nwExcellency the Lord Lieu tenant,) that the* baVony of Galinoy, in the coutlty of Kilkenny, and the barony of Lp- per Ossory^ih the Queen’s CJounty, are near ■ ly in a btate approaching-to rebellion ; so much so, that the peace preservation act has been put in force iu those districts. Government has lately detected a most extraordinary fraud. Sovereigns to a great extent have bee!) counterfeited, by coating platina with gold, the specific gravity of tin- two metals being nearly equal. In melting down some sovereigns, the platina was de tected at the bottom of the cr'uciliks. Liverpool, May 20. “ Good Cottons of all kinds Lave sold at full prices this week, but inferior qualities j savage massacre of Christians which is have barely maintained themselves. The go ing on in that citv. Thousands have total sales ofthe week amount to about 5000 hags. Uplands at 8 1-2 to I Id; Orleans at 0 lo 12 l-2d j Alabama and Tennessee, 8 3-4 to 0 d-4d. The imports of the present year, compared with the corresponding period of the last, have fallen off' about 02,000 bags. Good and line cottons are becoming scarce. New-York, July 7. LATEST FROM EUROPE. By the fine fast sailing ship Cortes, capt. Decost, which arrived yesterday morning, the editors of the Mercantile Advertiser have received Liverpool pa pers to the Uth, and London to the 8th of June. They furnish no intelligence of importance. The Cortes came out of Liverpool early on Monday morning, 11th of June, and brought uo papers uf that day. London,June 0. It was confidently stated last night, that Mr. Canning is about to return to the Administration, as First Lord ofthe Admiralty, w ith the privilege of forming his own Board; and to make room for tliis arrangement, Lord Melville is to be. Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment, Lord Sidmouth chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, & Mr. B. Bathurst, President of the Board ofControul. Letters from ull the grape growing parts of France concur in stating, that Incalculable damage has been done to the vineyards hy the sharp frosts aud hail storms at the close of the last month, particularly on the nights ofthe 28th and 2'Jth. Several vineyards which promis ed an abundant vintage are laid waste. Madhid, May 24. * 1 * Government appears decided to send to America the two Infants, Don Carlos and Don Francisco de Paulo, one for the north and the other for the south pails uf that country. Government has granted an annual pension of 1000 francs (4H. 13s Id) to the Neapolitan General Pepe. Spain welcomes the Neapolitan refugees, and grants them pensions. London,June 2. SPANISH AMERICA. A question of au interesting nature is at present being agitated in Madrid, of the nature and progress of which but little has hitherto transpired. It is a negotiation between Spam and those co lonics which still acknowledge her su premacy, for a better form of govern ment than they have hitherto enjoyed. We subjoin an extract from a letter, re ceived yesterday from Madrid, on this subject, written by one ofthe deputies to the Spanish Cortes from Mexico, and which contains the most correct as well as the most recent information that has been hitherto received of the progress made in (he negotiation :— “ MadrId, May 1 *1. “ 1 have already informed you mat, on the motion of Count Toreno, a special commission has keen named, to propose the means of terminating their differen ces between Spain aud America. In this commission I have the pleasure of bearing a part, and am not without hope of seeing its objects fulfilled. There have been several private meetings of the American deputies ; and ull agree in the necessity of according distinct legis latures to the trans-Atlantic dominions, reserving the executive power to the King, and rendering the administration of justice independent. We have a strong party among the deputies for the home provinces who give us their sup port ; but they require that the Infantas of Spain should assume the regency of Uie countries in question. A similar idea is entertained by the Mexican deputies. It is not going too far also to say that the King and the ministers in some degree espouse our cause. Those who have held the high office of Viceroy and other commands in America have been con sulted ; and they accord in the general expediency of granting our claim. Fe lice, the minister for the ultra-marine firov.inces, has had several interviews with the King on the subject. Yesterday all the ministers went up to communi cate with him ; and we have the satis faction of learning the expression of the King's opinion, that the time is arrived when the question may with propriety tie entertained. Last night the commis sion assembled for the first time. The ministers wore present ; and eo impor tant was the affair considered, that near ly half the members of the Cortes at tended, although a sitting of that assem bly was then held. After much debate, we, voted unanimously, as the first basis, that there should be legislative bodies in America. To-night the commission will continue its sittings for the discussion of the other basis, in which we trust to ex perience a favourable result, though we shall certainly have difficulties to encoun ter.” Loudon, June 6. IVe this morning received Hamburgh papers to the 1st inst. Their principal contents relate to Turkey. The Porte, it is said, intends to have two large ar mies, one on the Danube and the other iu Macedonia. Nothing certain seems to be known of Ypsilanti. The accounts from Constantinople all agree as to the fallen victim* to the infuriate rage ofthe Turks, who cut off the heads ofthe un fortunate beings w ith the greatest Indif ference. * London, June 7. *, Paris papers to the 5tli inst. have ar rived. The energetic measures recent ly adopted Ly the government, and the assurance given in the cortss l»j M. Bar- daxi, that no foreign power meant to meddle in the affairs of Spain, have o- peraled a very favourable change in the state of the country, ahd nearly restor ed it to tranquility. The iJtelligenc* from Turkey is, a* usual, vague, contra dictory, and destitute of authentic cha racter. The Count Lavalette, whose escape from prison when under sentence of death, excited so much interest at the time ariived iu Paris, on the 2d in stant. Hanover, May 18. The King of England is expected td arrive here an the 22d of August, by wayofSpa and Humburg. A private letter from Paris, in a morn ing paper, states—“ There are many vague rumours with respect to Naples floating about here. It is said there have been plots discovered—risings at tempted—and several assassinations com mitted, particularly in the Abruzzi„ where, it is said, the Austrian soldiers, when found alone, Are hunted down likt wolves, and shot or poinnrded.” St. Petersburg, May 16. Advices have been received from capt- Billinghuuscn, who commands the ves sel sent on a voyage of discovery to the South Sea. In May, 1820, he was at* Botany Bap. After sailing from Rio do Janeiro, he had discovered, in south la titude 50 degrees, three islands, which were covered with snow and ice ; a vol cano smoked in one of them. Capt. B. saw no traces of a southern continent. Did such an one exist, it wou|d, doubt less, be covered with snow anti ice, and be inaccessible. Prom the Danube, May 21. After long debates, it has been resolved in the Divan, at Constantinople, to call over a new and powerful Turkish army from Asia to Europe. Strict orders have accordingly been sent to several Pachas. The Porte designs to have two large ar mies ; one on the Danube, and the oth er in Moldavia. Meantime all the dis posable troops are assembling in Rome- lia, whence they must advance over Mount Hocmus to Bulgaria. The Janis saries who are in and about Adrianopla are to form the vanguard of this army. The Janissaries in Constantinople are speedily to inarch from that city. The Russian Ambassador had frequent con* ferences with the Minister of the Porte. Ali Pacha of Janina has received o- vertures of conciliation, and of being restored to favour, if he will be conteat with the provinces of Albania ; but it is said be has declined to r.egociate tilt the Turkish troops have evacuated Albania, a proposal to which the Porte is not like* ly to agree. Czernowitz, May 11. Families of fugitive Greeks daily arrive here from Moldavia. We have about 80ft houses here, and every inhabitant is eager to shelter the fugitives—but we have no more room. M. Real, the Austrian agent, ar rived here on the 4tli, from Jassy—soon af ter several Boyar families ofdislinction arriv ed from tile same place. They offered a high rent for a lew ill-furnished rooms—but every house is full, and they must travel far ther. , At Rudschuk, and, according to other, accounts, at Silistria—and again, according to others, at both places—The Turks have passed the Danube, and it was feared they would enter Jassy on the 8th. Terror pre cedes them, for they unsparingly destroy whatever is in their way. Of Ypsilanti wo know nothing, certain. Sometimes he ia said to have joined Ali of Janina—sometimes to have gone to Bulgaria—then to have re tired to the mountains of Transylvania— then to have entrenched himself, with forty thousand men at Bucharest. The number of the Greeks murdered in Coustanlino|rie amount to thousands. The furious people cut off the heads of the vic tims with the greatest indifference. Ten or twelve fall upon one person, ill treat him, so as to make him desperate, and when he is so exhausted that he ran resist no longer, they cry out to him “ nie bolzie” ((font be afraid), and cut of his head. This “ nie bolzie" is now the dreadful watchword in the Turk ish Capital, which daily and hoary resounds in all the streets inhabited by Greek Cftrisq tians. Laybach, May 12. When the Congress separated, the fol lowing Document was published in the name of the Courts of Austria, Prussia and Russia “ DECLARATION. Europe knows the motives, of tt>4 resolution taken by the Allied Sove reigns, of extenguishiog conspiracies, St putting an end to the troubles which menaced that general peace, the rq-es- tablishment of which cost so many efforts and so many sacrifices. “ At the very moment that their gene rous determination was accomplished it the kingdom of Naples, a Rebellion oft” still more odious kind, if that were port, aible, broke out iu Piedmont. ./■ “ Neither the ties which fir so