maintained that character. The auditor replied he had nothing to do with the justice or injustice of the case, that his duty was to execute the royal order, and that Mr. Meade must pay down the sum required or go to prison. Accordingly he was conducted to the castle of St. Catalina. [sary to secure his person. Your excellency must see what little foundation there can be for such must appear no less extraordinary, that a citizen an assertion; and even admitting it to be true, it of the United States should be arrested for the payment of a sum of money, which his majesty himself acknowledges to have in his possession. The case is certainly one of the most extraordinary that is to be found in the history of Europe; such by his H. C. M. being especially charged by United States of America, and acknowledged as my own government, to watch over and protect your excellency, in the most respectful manner, the citizens of my nation, beg leave to inform that I do most solemnly protest against the arrest and imprisonment of Mr. Richard Meade, a citizen of the said U. States, who was, when so arrested, charged with, and discharging the duties CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES. of my consular office in this city-and also, as James Leander Cathcart, consul of the United Statesticles of the treaty of commerce, existing between being altogether contrary to the 7th and 20th arat Cadiz, to his excellency the Marquis de Cas-the United States and H. C. majesty. The afore. tilldorius, captain general and commander in chief af the province of Andalusia and governor of Before Mr. Meade left his house, he directed Mr. James Robinett to take charge of the consu-and I, in my official capacity as consul for the lar seals, and transact the business; which he did until the arrival of Mr. Cathcart a short time after. The following is the official correspondence that insued: Cadiz. No. I. Cadiz, May 14, 1816. SIR,-On my return to this city on the 11th inst. I learnt the most extraordinary information, that Mr. Richard Meade, a citizen of the United States, and pro-consul thereof, in my absence, should have been required by H. M. to pay a certain sum of money, or to give such security as should be approved by the royal consulate of this city for the eventual payment thereof, and in defect of both, to have his person secured; that the said consulate, not approving of the security of said Mr. Meade, your excellency had ordered him to be confined in the Castle of St. Catalina, where he continues to be held, under charge of a military guard. It is not possible for me, sir, to express my surprise at this outrage, after having seen, by the most undeniable documents, presented to me by Mr. Meade, that H. C. M. had,|| by his own royal sign manual, acknowledged the amount in question to be considered as deposited in the royal treasury, and that under date of 14th August, last year, a royal order to your excellency's predecessor was communicated in the fol lowing words, to wit:-" His majesty has been pleased to order by the royal decree under his own signature-that in the mean time, and until || the necessary funds shall be forthcoming to realize this deposit, it is his majesty's desire, that the governor or sub-delegate of the royal revenue at Cadiz, shall suspend all further proceedings against Mr. Meade, and that the process be returned to the Consejo, to be there recorded and held in view for the execution of the final sentence that may issue upon an appeal." It seems incredible, that while this affair should be depending under an appeal before the supreme Consejo of the war, that such an order as that now complained of, should have been issued in virtue of secret proceedings held in the department of state, and that, without any decision having been had upon the subject in the Consejo Supremo, and that the pretext alledged by the person demanding the money, which produced this order, should be that Mr. Meade was about running away from this city, and that, therefore, it became neces said Mr. Richard Meade is actually confined in an apartment which has heretofore been used as a dungeon, with a centry constantly kept in view, and all this, merely because he would not submit to the payment of the money acknowledged by his majesty to be within his control: I cannot, therefore, do less than declare to your excel. lency, that as this act must be viewed by my go. vernment with marked dissatisfaction, I must be permitted to avail myself of my official character, in its fullest meaning and extent, to demand the liberation of Mr. Richard Meade; and in case your excellency should not consider yourself fully authorized to do so, in consequence of his arrest having taken place by a superior order, which I understand runs thus:-That in case he should not pay or secure the amount, that his person was to be secured, I come forward, and, without hesitation, I pledge both my public and private character to be responsible for Mr. Meade's person, that he may be permitted to return to his own dwelling house, praying, at the same time, that your excellency will be pleased to grant him your passport, that he may, with his family, go to Madrid, and there represent the peculiar hardship of his case to his catholic majesty, and defend his rights under the auspices of the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of my nation; and in the event, that your excellency shall not consider yourself sufficiently authorized to grant the necessary passport for Madrid, I request he may be permitted, under my responsibility, to remain in his own house, until he can receive an answer from court, as well as the expected information of the arrival of the minister plenipotentiary of the United States. I am also to solicit your excellency, that you may be pleased to order, that authenticated copies of the royal order, and of every proceeding consequent thereon, as well as of the official letter to the governor of the castle wherein Mr. Meade is confined, may be furnished me, as also of this letter, which I declare to be my formal protest, and of the decree which your excellency may think proper to issue thereon, that I may forward the whole to Madrid by a courier extraordinary, for the information of the aforesaid minister plenipotentiary of the United States who is shortly expected there. (Signed as usual.) No. IL Answer of the captain general of Andalusia, dated SIR,-The imprisonment of Mr. Richard Meade took place in virtue of a decree of the royal und supreme council of war, with the advice and consent of his majesty; which ordered, that if the amount required was not immediately deposited || in the treasury of the consulado or secured to the full satisfaction of that tribunal, his arrest should take place; and that he was not able to meet either, you appear to be very fully informed about, as I observe by your official letter of the 14th inst. containing a course of reasoning altogether unnecessary, undertaking to prove that I should not have ordered Mr. Meade's imprisonment, as being contrary to treaties and the justice of his cause, &c. all which may be represented in a more decorous manner to the supreme authority, with whom the decree of his arrest originated, and not to me, who am a mere executive officer; nor can I conceive that I am called upon to furnish you with the official copies of the proceedings you require, the same having been already furnished to Mr. Richard Meade, as the party most immediately concerned. This tribunal is very far from aggravating the case of Mr. Meade; but, on the contrary, feel every disposition to grant him every facility in their power, consistent with the faithful execution of their orders, which forbid his being permitted to return to his own house, and much less granting a passport to proceed to Madrid; but if you will become responsible for Mr. Meade, to the full extent, I will submit the same to the tribunal of the consulado, and if considered by them as satisfactory, I will be enabled to decree accordingly, 4.8 in justice may be right. No. III. James Leander Cathcart, Esq. consul of the United States, at Cadiz, to his excellency the captain general and governor of Cadiz, in reply to the foregoing. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, original papers, that the case is altogether of a civil nature, and actually depending before a commercial tribunal, I cannot do less than express to your excellency my surprise at the course of proceedings had in regard to this gentleman, for no other reason than his refusing to pay the same amount a second time, which he had already deposited under the orders of a competent tribund, in the treasury of his majesty, as formally and sotemnly acknowledged under the sign manual of his majesty himself, with his majesty's injunction that monies should be collected from other sources, for the express purpose of reimbursing the same in the royal treasury. I have requested of your excellency to be furnished with the proceedings had in consequence of the last royal order, which commanded the arrest of Mr. Meade's person. Your excellency replies, that you are not obliged to furnish me with them, because they had been furnished to Mr. Meade. As the representative of my nation, I have to account to the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of my government as to any occurrence that may happen within the limits of my jurisdiction regarding the citizens of my nation, and, in like manner, to the government of my country: and anxious of discharging my duty with that precision which an affair of so extraordinary and so much publicity demands, involving no less than the liberty of an American citizen, and the rights of my country, it becomes my indispensable duty to repeat my request, that your excellency will be pleased to order the notary having charge of this business, to furnish me with authenticated copies of the said royal order, and all other proceedings, such as they may be at this date, including the orders to the governor of the castle of St. Catalina, where Mr. Meade is held a prisoner--the expenses of which I will pay. I observe that your excellency cannot condescend to my request of permitting Mr. Meade to return to his own house, and much less to granting him a passport for Madrid; and you are pleased to add, that if I would become his security to the full extent of my responsibility, you would lay the same before the tribunal of the consulado, and if approved you would give the necessary orders. I have offered, and I repeat my offer again to your excellency, that I am ready to pledge my (Signed as usual.) Cadiz, May 17th, 1816. SIR.In reply to your excellency's letter of the 16th instant, concerning the imprisonment of Mr. Richard Meade, a citizen of the United States, I must be permitted to represent to your excel-responsibility in its fullest extent and meaning for lency, that in addition to the instruction which I the person of Mr. Meade, being all that the royal have from my government, it has always been, order requires, making myself answerable, as well and is my wish to treat the constituted authorities in my public as in my private capacity, that he near which I reside, with that decorum and re-shall not absent himself from this city before the spect which are due; but your excellency must termination of the affair in question. not be surprised that, as a representative of my nation, I must remonstrate, with that energy that is becoming the present case, when I see a citizen No. IV. of the United States, and one of its most respect- Rejoinder of the captain general to Mr. Cathcart. able characters, treated like a criminal, and held, Cadiz, May 20th, 1816. to this tirne, confined in a dungeon, with a cen- SIR,-In consequence of your letter of the 17th tinel in view, who will not permit him to walk instant, I have issued my order, an exemplificathe distance of ten paces from the door of histion of which you will find herewith for your inprison. When such conduct is observed to a citi- || zen of the nation I represent, I should be wanting in duty to my government and to myself, if I did not use my utmost endeavours to ascertain the cause, and to obtain the official documents, from which I could ascertain, whether this individual has been guilty of a crime that would deserve such treatment; and particularly when I see, by formation: "Cadiz, May 20th, 1816. "His excellency the captain general of Andalusia, civil and military governor of this city, having seen and examined the proceedings, as well as the last official letter from the consul of the United States, relative to the case of Mr. Richard Meade, has been pleased to order, and does hereby order, that a copy of the last paragraph consul of the U. States of America; but on the of said official letter be laid before the tribunal contrary, is a very decent apartment, plaistered of the consulado of this city, that under the full and with a large window, and such as is occasion. knowledge they possess of the resolution taken ally occupied by persons of all classes, and if Mr. by the royal and supreme council of war, which Meade should not be overcome by his own feeldirects that the security to be admitted from Mr.ings, arising from his confinement, he must acRichard Meade shall be to their entire satisfac-knowledge that I have treated him with such tion: will please to signify whether they approve friendship, respect, and consideration as are comthat now offered by the aforesaid consul, as well patible with the necessary safety of his person, as in his public, as in his private capacity, and upon ordered by the supreme council; for it is a fact, their answer being obtained, further order will that he can walk up and down in view of the cenbe taken as respects the instructions given to the tinel, and that he is the whole day accompanied by governor of the castle of Santa Catalina, as wel! || his relatives and friends, without any other mortias the propriety of furnishing the notarial copiesfication than that of being shut up at night, which of the proceedings so strongly insisted upon-I cannot avoid; for although I suppose, from Mr. meantime he will be handed a copy of this order, Meade's respectable character, that he would be accompanied by an official letter, that he may be equally as safe walking the streets of Cadiz, as if so far informed for his government. confined in the narrowest dungeon; yet there is -Thus decreed and adopted with the knowledge no law by which I could persuade the officer on and approbation of the auditor of war; and guard that his responsibility would not be increas signed by his excellency the governor-also, ed, by the prisoner having the full liberty of the LINARES, and whole fortress, which by its locality, would easily facilitate his departure, if so intended, as has been the case with others. RODERIGUEZ PELAEZ. This is a true copy from the original on record, in obedience to the orders of the royal and su- The consul of the U. States called the day bepreme council of war, to demand and obtain from fore yesterday to charge me with your total want Richard Meade a certain security by this court, || of knowledge of Mr. Meade being closely confinnow certified, the head notary of the departmented, and I could not avoid observing, by his impeof war for this city; and in proof thereof, I here- rious tone, that he has taken up this business very sunto set my hand this 20th day of May, 1816. warmly, all which I beg leave to make known to (Signed,) JOSEF RODRIGUEZ PELAEZ. your excellency in answer to your official letter of yesterday, and the request that you will in consequence have the goodness to instruct me in what capacity Mr. Meade is to be continued in this for No. V. Letter from Juan Antonio de Savillo, governor of the castle of Santa Catalina, to his excellency the captain general, governor of Cadiz tress. God preserve your excellency's life for many years, &c. No. VI. CADIZ, May 21, 1816. OFFICIAL DECREE OF THE CONSULADO. We have seen the official communication of your excellency of yesterday, and having fully con sidered its contents, we can only inform you, that the security proposed by the consul of the United States, as therein explained, is neither in its nature nor object, such as could be approved of or admissible by this tribunal God preserve your excellency's life many years. (Signed) MIGUEL DE MARSON, NICHOLAS BLANA, MIGUEL DE CARRASGUEDA. Whereupon the captain general thought proper to decree as follows: CASTLE OF SANTA CATALINA, May 18, 1816. Most excellent Sir-Don Richard Meade was conducted to this fortress on the 2d inst. by the adjutant Don Sebastian Ortiz, as I informed your excellency by my official communication of sane day, and in consequence of the order of the 3d, he was left here in quality of a person under arrest. Some days after this, he observed to me, that if your excellency should officially require to be informed whether he was sufficiently secure in this fortress, that I would do him a great kindness to report so, that he should not be removed; to which I replied with my accustomed frankness, that my conduct should altogether be governed by the tenor of my orders, and that if it required the security of his person, I could not do otherwise than remove him to one of the apartments calculated for that purpose, as I never chuse to run the risk of being implicated for any person, CADIZ, May 22, 1816. nor would I willingly have the officer of the guard His excellency Don Francisco Xavier de Osno, run any risk. On the 13th I received your excel- marquis de Castelldorius, captain general of Anlency's letter of the 11th, here alluded to, and dalusia, and civil and military governor of this ciwishing to remove all doubts that may arise a- ty-on a full view of the proceedings, and of the bout the escape of Mr. Meade; you desired I would resolution passed by the tribunal of the consula inform you, whether the apartment in which he do, as well as of the explanation given by the gowas confined in this fortress was sufficiently se- vernor of the castle of Santa Catalina, on the vacured, under the responsibility of the personsrious expositions made by the consul of the United charged with his safe keeping; upon which I States, in favor of the citizen of his nation, Mr. Rifreely communicated the order to him, and that itchard Meade: His excellency declares, that feel. was indispensible that he should be transferred to the apartment destined for him, as represented to your excellency by my note of the 14th. But I must observe, that it is not such a dungeon as is made use of for criminals sentenced to capital punishment, as is so strongly exaggerated by the ing himself obliged faithfully to observe the tenor of the royal mandate of the supreme council of war, which he has himself obeyed, and caused to be strictly carried into execution; reduced in substance to the alternative of the amount in litigation being paid down, or causing the same to be secur ed to the satisfaction of the consulado of this city, famation, and who riot in the spoils of reputation and in defect of both, to arrest and hold the per- and virtue, could have called from our naval heson of the said Meade; and he having failed in the roes one drop of ink-heroes, who, by their first part, and not satisfying the tribunal of the consulado as to the security offered by the said consul, skill, enterprise, and prowess, have established it is hereby declared that his liberation cannot be an honest fame, at the expense of their foes; a granted under the aforesaid guarantee; and where- fame that wants no ink or paper support. The as it becomes an imperious duty to secure Meade's person in the castle of Santa Catalina, which from shafts of its calumniators, like arrows hurled at its locality demands all the precautions adopted the sun, only rebound upon the heads of the asby the governor thereof, and those being very sailants, whilst a dignified silence is preserved by compatible with humanity and the respect due to the persons attacked. Tne English nation now the said Meade, and which probably might be more aggravating, if removed to another prison for stands humbled and chagrined; they feel their greater security, which would not require the disgrace, and like some pettish old woman, they same precautions: It is decreed by his excellenare desirous to cover their shame with a multicy, that he be continued where he is, under the tude of words, and if they can bring into the discircumstances heretofore observed, if he should not prefer the royal prison, (the common jail,) pute the pens of those whose swords have inand that this resolution be made known to the conflicted the rankling wound, they flatter themsul of the U. States, by his being furnished with selves with the hope of victory. At the worst," copies of these proceedings, and of all the others by him demanded, with the exception of the royal they have nothing to lose. order of the supreme council which contains expressions indicating secrecy; and that if he should be disposed to complain of that supreme tribunal, it will itself resolve whether or not he shall be furnished with a copy of its proceedings: thus decreed and ordered with the knowledge and consent of Don Rafael Linares, and Quadrudo, auditor of war. CASTELLDORIUS, JOSE RODRIGUEZ PELAEZ. VERIFICATION. We cannot but believe, that if Capt. Porter had given the subject a little more reflection, he would have considered it deserving his contempt. He now possesses, and long has done, the good opinion of all the virtuous and good citizens of his own country and the world; and nothing he can say in reply to the attacks of his wicked calumniators can increase it. The circumstances which gave rise to this correspondence are these': In a number of the Quarterly Review, edited by The foregoing are true copies of the official correspondence and original proceedings as recorded one Gifford, who, it seems, is employed by the on my registers, in conformity with the royal or-members of the British government, there appearder of the supreme council of war, and of thised a base and abusive attack on the character of court and notarial office of which 1 am in special commodore PORTER. This article was considered charge, to all which I refer, in compliance with the orders therein contained, the whole to be fur- too gross even to be noticed by the American editnished to the consul of the U. States of America, ors, until a man, who was once known in this counaccompanied by the following official letter from try by the appellation of Peter Porcupine, and who his excellency. now calls himself Cobbett, volunteered his services, (Signed) and abused Gifford in return, thereby preparing the way to introduce himself to captain Porter's notice, to whom he addressed the following letter, through the medium of his Political Register, and to which com. Porter has condescended to reply.— The insertion of this letter appears necessary as it is the ground work of the letter in reply. JOSE RODRIGUEZ PELAER. By the enclosed copies of the proceedings, you will be informed of the determination taken by the tribunal of the Consulado, as well as of that by the governor of the castle of Santa Catalina of this place, as also of mine, adopted in consequence, which requires the arrest and detention of Don Ricardo Meade, a citizen of your nation. (Signed) El Marques de CASTELLDORIUS. To the Consul of the U. States of America, in this city. CAPT. PORTER AND THE QUARTERLY In recording the following correspondence, we cannot refrain from expressing our astonishment at so novel a proceeding on the part of Captain SIR-In the last Quarterly Review but one, there was a very base attack upon your character and conduct. In order to convince you, that you ought not to suppose that all my countrymen approved of such vile publications, I inserted in No. 11 of this volume, a letter to the author or editor of that work, whose name is William Gifford. Ithere gave an account of this literary hero; but in my statement of what he received out of our taxes, I was, I find, guilty of an omission, which I now proceed to correct. I said that he had been re Porter. We confess ourselves at a loss how to warded with a sinecure of more than 3001. under account for it, except by supposing the commothe title of Clerk of the Foreign Estreats, and that dore's indignation, and not his reflection, was he was a Commissioner of the Lottery. But I now find that he has another place; that is, the place awake. We did not suppose that the whole tribe of "Paymaster of the Band of Gentlemen Pensionof garrulous British writers, whose trade is de-ers," at 3001. a year. A most suitable office, you will say for the whipper-in of a set of hired Reviewers! What particular Band of pensioners this may be I do not know. Perhaps the whole Band may be Reviewers; if so sir, I leave you to guess what a chance the journal of your celebrated cruize stood in their hands! || they have received the admiration which is due to them; and there are many men in England, amongst whom I am one, who most sincerely wish you health, happiness and success in your present important employment of adding to the strength of that navy, towards the fame of which you have so largely contributed. We, who entertain these wishes, are very far from desiring to see the power and fame of our own country diminished. We are for the prosperity and honor of England in But, we by no means believe, that the overturning of your system of government, that the extinguishing of the example set by you, would tend to the prosperity and honor of England, it being impossibie for us to have an idea of national prosperity and honor, not accompained with real liberty. In. short, we are not beasts enough to believe, that our prosperity, or air honor, would be advanced by our enabling a gang of tyrants, who are continually robbing and insulting us, to subjugate you; and, therefore, in every undertaking, which does not tend to the abridgment of the known rights of our country, and which do tend to give to freedom power to struggle against, and finally to overcome despotism, we most cordially wish I gave an account in No. 11 of the conduct of this writer in the cases of Peter Pindar and Anthony Pasquin, and also of the conduct and character of the Judge Kenyon. In short, I shewed what the baseness of Reviewing really was, in Eng-preference to those of all the rest of the world. land. But sir, I must again beg of you and your countrymen and all foreigners, to keep your eye steadily fixed upon this fact that writers like Mr. Gifford, are in this country, absolutely in pay of the government; that is to say, they live upon the taxes, and of course assist in producing pauperism and missery. This is not the case in your country. There a writer if he get rich, or if he live by the pen, must receive his income from the people who voluntarily buy his works. There he need care little about his readers-his payers are the only persons that he need care for, or that he does care for. This writer must have known very well how base it was in him to assault your character, in the manner that he did; what a shameful prostitution of talent he was guilty of; but his mind had for many years been made up to that, and had been seared against all reflections of this sort. with You will naturally ask, how we can tolerate, how we can endure, how we can submit to see our money raised from us in taxes, and earned our sweat and almost with our very blood; you will naturally ask, how we can submit to see our money given to a man like this, while we see nearly two millions of paupers overspread the land. If indeed, he had ever in his whole lifetime rendered any sort of service to the country; if he had served, at any time of his life in the army, the navy, or in any other branch of public business, there might be some excuse for the heaping of these sums of money on him; but, to give this man who was a few years ago tutor to lord Belgrave, and who has never been in any kind of public employ, an income to equal that of 5 or 6 Lieutenants of the Navy, is, you will say, an act for which the employers of this man ought to be hanged, it being neither more nor less than a robbery of the people. However, sir, I think I can now defy Mr. Gifford's talent at falsehood and deception as far as relates to America; and if he continue to deceive the people here, those people are not to be pitied. He is one of those, whose labours, though they tend to keep up the delusion for a while, will in the end, make the fall of the tyranny more complete and more memorable. success. I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, WM. COBBETT. P. S. This very minute I have received a letter from a gentleman in Sussex, whom I never had the pleasure to see in my life, informing me that accident has put into his hands, and that he has forwarded to me, a part of the gilded ropes, made use of in the vessels engaged in the ever memorable fight on the Serpentine river, which ropes I will, as soon as possible, most assuredly send to you. Perhaps you may have forgotten the piece of Naval History here referred to. In 1814, when the kings, our allies, were in England, there was a sea-fight in miniature contrived, in order to give them an idea of our prowess. The scene was a large pond in one of the parks near London. Here vessels were erected, guns put on board of them and every thing else done that was calculated to give the thing an air of reality. The English Fleet and the American Fleet came to action in fine style; the contest was uncommonly obstinate, but, at last, poor Jonathan was compelled to haul down his "bits of striped bunting," and "submit to our gallant and magnanimous tars." At this result of the combat, not less than perhaps two hundred I have the pleasure to assure you, that every thousand voices made the air ring with shouts of one, whom I have heard speek on the subject, has triumph; while, at very nearly the same moment, reprobated the cowardly and viperous attack made a whole squadron of real English ships were haulon you by this sinecure assailant; but, strangeing down their colors to an inferior American as you will think it very few persons here know squadron, commanded by Commodore M'Dothat his statement which represents the Essex tonough, on Lake Champlain! We who really love have been captured by one English ship is a falsehood! There is hardly any one in England, out of the pale of the admiralty, who does not firmly believe that you were beaten and captured by the Phoebe alone! But if you could know the state of our press, you would not wonder at this. As to all matters, relating to the war with America, this nation generally speaking, are nearly as ignorant as are the dogs and horses. As far however as the truth has made its way with regard to its exploits, our country, do not think her honored in victories like that of the Serpentine river; nor, though we are always sorry to hear of any of our countrymen being defeated, when we consider them merely as our countrymen, can we lament at their overthrow and humiliation, when we consider them the tools of despotism, employed in the work of destroying liberty abroad, in order to enable that despotism more firmly to rivet the chains about our own "necks. |