and rowed up the river to the establishment found. -Rambling in the woods one day with a gun in ed there by Mr. Astor of New York, but then in search of partridges, (which by the by are there possession of the British N. W company-you may very plenty) I fell in with two Indians who were recollect that this post was taken from Mr. Astor employed cutting wood, with each a heavy pair of during the late war,with England-by the treaty of irons on his legs; I asked them in Spanish (for you Ghent it must be restored to us, and I understand it must know I have learnt to make myselfunderstood bas actually been given up, since we left there, to in that language,) why they were in irons; they said the U. States' agent appointed to receive it. It is they had attempted to run away and return to their situated on what is called Point George, about six-nation in the interior, and were caught and shackled teen miles from the entrance of the river; consists as I saw. I advised them to beat off their disgraceof one large frame house, five or six small ones,ful fetters with their axe, and showed them how it some store houses, shops, &c.

might be done-they looked so significantly at each other, that I am convinced they had never thought of such a thing before, but I have no doubt they very soon followed my advice.

Around the whole is a strong high picket to protect them from the Indians, who are sometimes dis posed to be troublesome. Twenty five whites, the same number of Sandwich Islanders, with three 6 As the Spanish force is much too small to cope pounders, constitutes the whole force of the settle-with the Indians in the field, they have adopted the ment. Capt. Biddle was not authorised by his in-following singular stratagem to keep them under, structions to haul down the English flag and place || which has had, so far, the desired effect. The priests in its stead the American stripes-we however took collect all the young females and put them into a formal possession of the country on both sides of the strong building erected for that purpose, where river, in the name and on the behalf of the United they are taught to spin, weave, sew, &c. &c. They States, with all the ceremony usual on such occa- are strictly guarded and never suffered to leave sions. We passed the night uncomfortable enough their prison, until the Holy Father gives them away in our boats, which we anchored near an Indian in marriage, at which time he always stipulates for village. The Indians came amongst us in conside-the female children that may make their appearance rable numbers with great familiarity, were very on the stage of life. By thus keeping the women merry and friendly, offering us their dried salmon in their power, the men are restrained from acts of to eat. Their first enquiries were whether we were violence. King George's men or Boston men; on being told As Monteray and Virginia lay in the same parallel Boston men, they repeated several times "Boston of latitude-the climate and productions of course men Klosh," which signifies good; so you see they ought not to be very different-wheat, and all the understand at least one part of the policy of civili- fruits of Virginia are there in the highest perfection. zed nations. The greater part of the men were en- We remained but a few days to refresh ourselves, tirely naked, and the women were as little cover-lay in a supply of wood, water, &c. and on the 23d ed as the most relaxed laws of decency would ad- || of October, anchored for the third time in the harmit of They have, in common, flat heads and dis- bor of Lima. torted features; the latter is, no doubt, caused by the operation of flattening the head, which is done || by confining it, in infancy, between two boards, || and keeping it in that situation till, as the head grows, it assumes the admired form-Take them all in all," they are, in my opinion, the most ill looking, disgusting objects of the human race, and I hope never to "look upon their like again."

The country as far as we could see, bears no signs of cultivation. The natives live by fishing and hunting. The English raise some cattle, and receive flour and salt provisions twice a year from Canada, by way of Cape IIorn.

If you do not expect a particular description of Lima, I shall be glad of it, for you will not then be disappointed, when you see how briefly I pass it over. You may remember that it was founded by the famous Pizarro, who built himself a great palace and was murdered in it by a gang of conspirators. It is situated two leagues from the sea in a beautiful vale called the Rinac, on the bank of a river of the same name; is surrounded by a wall of 20 feet high; has about 65 thousand inhabitants, of whom there may be 20 thousand whites; is crowded with public buildings, among which are upwards of 40 churches, all immensely rich-in every one may be seen at On the morning of the 20th, the sea broke so least one Virgin Mary, with a crown upon her head heavy on the bar, that we were all very near being of pure gold ornamented with the richest gems. drowned in attempting to get on board our ship. Large columns, supporting images, tables, candle think I never was so near the verge of eternity be-sticks, and various other affairs, all of massy silver fore-for my boat, in which there was twenty men, may be seen in any of them-There is, as you may was half full of water when I got alongside. We suppose, no want of monasteries, con vents and nunhowever all got safe on board, weighed our anchor,neries, and if you like you may go and make love and under a press of sail stood away to the south ward; five days after we came to anchor in the bay of Montery (California.) The Spaniards have there a small fortress, with a garrison of perhaps 50 men —who are placed there, they say, entirely for the protection of some two or three religious missions established in the vicinity for the purpose of converting the wild children of the forest to the Catho I will here then do the Limanians the justice to lic faith; but I am inclined to think that their object say that they are polite and hospitable to strangers, is not quite so humane and disinterested as they at least they were so to us, though it is very evident would wish one to believe-for where mild persua they have no love for the North Americans, for, sion (which is, I think, the only weapon that should sewing them as Republicans, they naturally conever be used in such cases) fails to effect their pur-sider them as decided friends to the Patriot causepose, they do not hesitate to use the most arbitrary and unfeeling means to accomplish it as an evi dence of this I mention the following circumstance:

through their iron grates to a pretty Nan at noon. day. The women are generally handsome, but so extremely ignorant, that their first enquiries were almost always about the fashions in Loadon, believ ing that all who speak English must of course belong to that place. They are utterly without mo desty in either manner and conversation.

We

(had we been more so than we have, we should have
been much more respected by both parties.)
were suffered to live at no expense in their city-

were lodged and handsomely entertained in the first private families, and always invited to the Vice King's dinners, balls, &c.

your time, which may be much better employed in almost any other way than reading these dull sheets -besides if you have any curiosity that way, Molina's History of Chili will satisfy it much more to your heart's content than I can.

You must observe, that, so far, I have spoken of their private character only. The government must be viewed in a very different light. There is no We stayed in Valparaiso only long enough to law for any but officers and soldiers; a plain coat take in supplies of provisions, wood, water, &c. and seldom finds its way through the Vice King's guards, repassed Cape Horn in January, with rather more and if on a foreigner's back, never without large pleasant weather than before. After a passage of bribes-Force alone is respected-nothing but a disfifty-five days we again anchored in the port of Rio play of force can obtain justice. Ours was not very Janeiro-as I wrote you from that place on our pasformidable 'tis true-but sir, they are no strangers sage out, I shall trouble you with no farther account to the fame of the American Navy, and no doubt of it. There were in Rio, from fifteen to twenty concluded that the wind that brought us there, || American_merchant vessels, making most dismal night waft a bigger ship to their view; we hinted voyages; the market so glutted with wheat and flour that we expected a line of battle ship in the Pacific that they were actually selling their cargoes below for certain it is, that the little Ontario was looked first cost, and glad to get any thing near it. upon with a great deal more respect than contempt, On our passage along the coast of Brazil we and the demands of her commander promptly at touched at the city of Pernambuco-crossed the tended to. We found two of our merchant vessels Equinoctial line for the fourth time April 1st, and there, that had been captured and condemned some ou the 21st inst. the blue hills of Columbia once months before, for having on board some contra- more reared their lofty summits above the watery band articles, supposed to be for the patriots of waste. I now ride safe at anchor in my dear native Chili-they were valued together at near 700,000 || land, and when I take a retrospective view of all dollars; their commander had been for some time the different countries I have seen in this and forpetitioning for a new trial, but with very little hopes mer voyages, my own stands so exalted by the comof success when we arrived. At captain B's request parison, that while life lasts I shall continue to say a new trial was ordered, the former decision was to it in the words of a poetreversed, and the vessels restored to their commanders. There were about forty American seamen confined in the prison of Lima; on the demand of captain B. they were all given up to us, though any of them had been taken in arms against the king of Spain.

Having accomplished the different objects of our visit to Lima in their fullest extent, we took a last farewel of that place, and shaped our course for Valparaiso. On our passage we passed close aboard the celebrated Island of Robinson Crusoe, (alias Juan Fernandes) I thought of old Robinson and his inan Friday, and felt a strong desire to land and search for the spot where his hut stood; but a fresh and favoring gale soon put an end to this idea by carrying us in view of the coast of Chili.

22

"Where e'er I go, whatever realms I see,
My heart untraveled still shall turn to thee."

EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE from DROWNING.
From a late London Paper.

Authentic Narrative of an extraordinary escape from
drowning, after being wrecked among the rapids
of the St. Lawrence.

On the 224 day of April, 1818, our party set sail in a large schooner from Fort George, or Niagara town, and in two days crossed lake Ontario to Kingston, at the head of the river St. Lawrence, distant from Niagara about 200 miles. Here we hired an American barge (a large flatbottomed boat) to carWe found on our arrival in the Bay of Valparaiso, ry us to Montreal, a further distance of 200 miles; a patriot squadron of one ship of 64 guns, two of || then set out from Kingston on the 28th of April, 44 (one of which had lately been captured, together and arrived the same evening at Ogdensburgh, a diswith five transports, part of an expedition sent out tance of 75 miles. The following evening we arfrom Spain to re-inforce the viceroy of Peru) one of rived at Cornwall, and the succeeding night at guns, and two or three smaller vessels, all under Pointe du Lac, on Lake St. Francis. Here our the command of the English Lord Cochrane, as bargemen obtained our permission to return up the high Admiral ***** river; and we embarked in another barge, deeply laden with potashes, passengers and luggage. Above Montreal, for nearly 100 miles, the St. Lawrence is interrupted in its course by rapids, which are occasioned by the river being confined in comparatively narrow, shallow and rocky channels; through these it rushes with great force and noise, and is agitated like the ocean in a storm. Many people prefer these rapids, for grandeur of appearance, to the falls of the Niagara. They are from half a mile to nine miles long each, and require regular pilots. On the 30th of April we arrived at the village of the Cedars, immediately below which are three sets of very dangerous rapids, (the Cedars, the Splitrock, and the Cascades) distant from each other about one mile. On the morning of the 1st of May, we set out from the Cedars, the barge very deep and very leaky. The captain, a daring rash man, refused to take a pilot. After we passed the Cedar rapid, not without danger, the captain called for some rum, swearing, at the same time, that God Almighty could not steer the barge better than he

The squadron and several transports were fitting out for an expedition against Lima; they have probably made the attack before this, and if they have nanaged decently, they no doubt have been successsful; as they would certainly be joined by all the colored people at any rate, which compose at least two thirds of the population-and the Vice Roy has not more than seven thousand soldiers, many of whom cannot be safely relied on-San Martin, the Patriot General is a deep scheming fel low, and I think a very great scoundrel, and am of opinion if he takes Limia he will establish himself there, with what title he pleases, and poor Chili may whistle for her ships and soldiers, and protect herself as well as she can against her old friends the Spaniards-Time, they say, shows all things.

A feel really half inclined to tell you a long story about Chili, its climate, productions, inhabitants, &c. || and believe I could do so without mentioning a sin gle circumstauce that was uninteresting to myself; but I dare not in conscience trespass so long on

VOL. VII.]

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

only for speedy death, and frequently thought of did. Soon after this we entered the Split-rock rapids by a wrong channel, and found ourselves ad-giving up the contest as useless. I felt as it comvancing rapidly towards a dreadful watery precipice, pressed into the size of a monkey, my hands apThe barge slightly grazed peared diminished in size one half, and I certainly down which we went. should (after I became very cold and much exhausther bottom against the rock, and the fall was so We here ed) have fallen asleep, but for the waves that were great as nearly to take away the breath. took in a great deal of water; which was mostly passing over me, and obliged me to attend to my bailed out again before we were hurried on to what situation. I had never descended the St. Lawrence the Canadians call the "grand bouillon," or great before, but I knew there were more rapids a-head, boiling. In approaching this place the captain let perhaps another set of the cascades; it, at all events, the La Chine rapids, whose situation I did go the helm, saying, "By God! here we fill."not exactly know. I was in hourly expectation of The barge was almost immediately overwhelmed in the midst of immense foaming breakers, which rush these putting an end to me, and often fancied some points of ice extending from the shore, to be the ed over the bows, carrying away planks, oars, &c About half a minute elapsed between the filling and head of foaming rapids. At one of the moments in going down of the barge, during which I had suffi- which the succession of waves permitted me to look cient presence of mind to strip off my three coats, up, I saw at a distance a canoe with four men and was loosening my suspenders, when the barge coming towards me, and waited in confidence to sunk, and I found myself floating in the midst of hear the sound of their paddles, but in this I was people, baggage, &c. Each man caught hold of disappointed; the men, as I afterwards learned, were something, one of the crew caught hold of me, and Indians (genuine descendants of the Tartars,) who kept me down under water, but contrary to my ex-happening to fall in with one of the passenger's pectations let me go again. On rising to the sur-trunks, picked it up, and returned to the shore for the purpose of pillaging it, leaving, as they since face, I got hold of a trunk, on which two other men were then holding. Just at this spot, where the acknowledged, the man on the boat to his fate. Splitrock rapids terminate, the bank of the river is Indeed, I am certain, I should have had more to fear well inhabited; and we could see women on shore from their avarice, than to hope from their humani. running about much agitated. A canoe put off, and ty; and it is more than probable that my life would picked up three of our number, who had gained the have been taken to secure them in the possession bottom of the barge, which had upset and got rid of my watch, and several half eagles which I had of its cargo, these they landed on an island. The about me. canoe put off again, and was approaching near to where I was, with two others, holding on the trunk, when, terrified with the vicinity of the cascades, to which we were approaching, it put back, notwith standing my exhortations in French and English, to induce the two men on board to advance. The bad hold which one man had of the trunk, to which we were adhering, subjected him to constant immersion, and, in order to escape his seizing hold of ine, I let go the trunk, and, in conjunction with another man, got hold of the boom (which, with the gaff, sails, &c. had been detached from the mast, to make room for the cargo, and floated off)-I had just time to grasp this boom, when we were hurried into the cascades; in these I was instantly buri. I, and nearly suffocated. On rising to the surface, I found one of my hands still on the boom, and my companion also adhering to the gaff. Shortly after descending the cascades, I perceived the barge, bottom upwards, floating near me. I succeeded in getting to it, and held by a crack in one end of it; the violence of the water, and the falling out of the casks of ashes, had quite wrecked it. For a long ime I contented myself with this hold, not daring to endeavor to get upon the bottom, which I at length effected; and from this, my new situation, I called out to my companion, who still preserved his hold of the gaff. He shook his head, and, when the waves suffered me to look up again, he was gone He made no attempt to come near me, being unable or unwilling to let go his hold, and trust himself to the waves, which were then rolling over his head.

The accident happened about eight o'clock in the morning-in the course of some hours, as the day advanced, the sun grew warmer, the wind blew from the south, and the water became calmer. I got upon my knees, and found myself in the small lake St. Louis, about three to five miles wide With some difficulty I got upon my feet, but was soon convinced, by cramps and spasms in all my sinews, that I was quite incapable of swimming any distance, and I was then two miles from shore. I was now going with wind and current to destruction; and cold, hungry and fatigued, was obliged to sit down in the water to rest, when an extraordinary circumstance greatly relieved me. On examining the wreck, to see if it was possible to detach any part thereof to steer by, 1 perceived something loose, entangled in a fork of the wreck, and so carried along. This I found to be a small trunk, bottom upwards, which, with some difficulty, I dragged upon the barge. After near an hour's work, in which I broke my penknife, trying to cut out the lock, I made a hole in the trunk, and, to my great satisfaction, drew out a bottle of rum, a cold tongue, some cheese, and a bag full of bread, cakes, &c. all wet. Of these I made a seasonable, though very moderate use, and the trunk answered the purpose of a chair to sit upon, elevated above the surface of the water.

After in vain endeavouring to steer the wreck, or direct its course to the shore, and having made every signal (with my waistcoat, &c.) in my power, to the headlands which I had passed, I fancied I was The cascades are a kind of fall, or rapid descent driving into a bay, which, however, soon proved to in the river, over a rocky channel below: going be the termination of the lake, and the opening of the river, the current of which was carr.ng me radown is called by the French "Sauter," to leap or shove the cascades. For two miles below, the pidly along. I passed several small uninhabited islchannel continues in uproar, just like a storm at sea,ands, but the banks of the river appearing to be and I was frequently nearly washed off the barge I now entertained by the waves which rolled over. no hope whatever of escaping; and although I continued to exert myself to hold on, such was the state to which I was reduced by cold, that I wished

covered with houses, I again renewed my signals with my waistcoat, and a shirt which I took out of the trunk, hoping, as the river narrowed, they might be perceived; the distance was too great. The velocity with which I was going convinced me of my

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

[No. 24

ting to death the two individuals alluded to, as there had committed any act that rendered him amenable to punishment under any recognized provision was no sufficient evidence against either that he of the law of nations. And nothing could be more dangerous than to take away from the law of nзtions, (if law of nations it could then be called) all provisions to substitute the mere caprices of indi the security derivable from known and recognized viduals or of governments. With regard to the bent upon him to make a few observations, viewing ce sion of the Floridas by Spain to the U. States since the transactions alluded to, he felt it incum

near approach to the dreadful rapids of La Chine.-of nations which could in the least justify the putNight was drawing on, my destruction appeared certain, but did not disturb me very much; the idea of death had lost i's novelty, and became quite familiar. Finding signals in vain, I now set up a cry or howl, such as I thought best calculated to carry to a distance, and, being favored by the wind, it did, although at above a mile's distance, reach the cars of some people on the shore. ceived a it rowing towards me, which being very At last I persmall and white bottomed, I had for some time taken for a fowl with a white breast; and I was taken off the barge by capt. Johnstone, after being ten hours in the water. I found myself at the village of La Chine, 21 miles below where the accident hap-it as he did as a question of the greatest importance pened, and having been driven by the winding of the current a much greater distance. other injury than bruised knees and breast, with a I received no slight cold-the accident took some hold of my imagination, and for seven or eight succeeding nights, in my dreams, I was engaged in the dangers of the cascades, and surrounded by drowning men.

BRITISH VIEWS of OUR FLORIDA AFFAIRS

and SEMINOLE WAR.

From the London Courier of May 12.
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

to the interests of this country. It surely might have been expected, after all our expenditure in might have acquired influence enough in Europe the war in which we had been engaged, and which now pressed so heavily upon the country, that we to prevent Spain from ceding a part of her colonies, which was so important to the interests of this with Spain herself, after all that we had done for country, or that we might have influence enough her, to prevent such a cession, This, however, unhappily proved not to be the case, unless it was to be supposed that so important a question had House of Lords, Tuesday, May 11. been altogether overlooked by our diplomatists at Florida-Arbuthnot and Ambrister-The MARQUIS Vienna. The framers of the treaty of Utrecht, of LANSDOWN said he rose pursuant to notice, to much as that treaty had been blamed, had taken move for copies of all communications which had ceding any part of her colonies to another power, passed between the Prince Regent's government but no steps had been taken at the congress of care to insert a provision prohibiting Spain from and the government of the U. States of America, Vienna to renew this treaty with regard to the point respecting the conduct of the American force in alluded to. It had been asserted in another place, the Floridas, and more particularly respecting the by the noble secretary of state for foreign affairs, trial and execution of two British subjects by order that the treaty of Utrecht, with respect to that of the American general Jackson. In doing this, question, was renewed by the treaty of Seville, in he had no intention of imputing inhumanity or in- 1729, which latter treaty had become a part of the justice to the government of the United States, nor to the able and enlightened statesman who held the pened for this assertion, that previous. to the last first place in the constitution of that government, mentioned treaty, the Floridas had been ceded to common law of nations; but it unfortunately hapand whose merits there had been an opportunity of this country, and therefore this colony, which was appreciating here. Neither did he mean to im- of all others the most important with a view to our pute to the Prince Regent's ministers that they interests, did not at the period alluded to belong to had neglected to do what the circumstances of the Spain. That no provision therefore was made at transactions alluded to called for on their part, or that they had not made the requisite communica tions to the government of the United States. But all others what was most to be expected. Of the the congress of Vienna to prevent such a session, he felt it his duty to bring the subject before their injurious consequences of such a session to the iuwas the more deeply to be regretted, as it was of lordships, in order that a proper explanation might terests of this country there could be no doubt, as be given upon a question so essentially involving in the event of our embarking in a new war with the interests of humanity and justice; and he trust the U. States the whole trade of our W. India ed he should hear that the American government islands would be endangered. Gunboats and small had either disavowed, or intended to disavow, the craft might be fitted out from several ports in acts of barbarity committed by general Jackson. Florida. and might sweep away the far greater His lordship here detailed shortly the circumstances part of our trading vessels from the West India of the invasion of the Floridas by an American islands, but particularly from Jamaica. The posforce under gen. Jackson, and the seizure trial, and session of the Floridas also would give the Ameri execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, all which cans an opportunity of connecting themselves with have been already published. The noble marquis the black governments in the West Indies, in a strongly condemned the conduct of gen. Jackson manner that might prove essentially injurious to in putting to death these individuals, and particu- our interests. It was not now his intention to move larly in inflicting that punishment on Ambrister in for any papers respecting the cession of the Floriopposition to the sentence of the court marshal, das, but merely to call for explanation. Respectwhich was for punishment of an inferior degree; ining the transactions of the American force in the doing which Jackson acted in direct contradiction Floridas, he thought it of dangerous consequence to the provisions of an act of congress, which for that acts of barbarity like those already alluded to exciting powers or tribes to commit hostilities upon should be allowed to be committed under the prethe United States, only inflicted the punishment of tended sanction of the law of nations, and that it fine and imprisonment. In both cases he contend-was of great importance to prevent the Unit ed ed that the barbarity of Jackson could only excite States of America from resorting to a system so dehorror and disgust, there being nothing in the lawcidedly at variance with the institutions of the old

which retribution ought to be demanded. Now, their Lordships could not fail to recollect that the occasion which justified a demand of reparation ought to be one which rendered the right and the policy of such a course of proceeding unquestiona-. ble. If reparation were once asked, it became necessary to enforce it at all hazards. The demand once made, must be supported to the utmost ex

world. He concluded with moving an address to the Prince Regent, for copies of all communications between the government of the United States and his majesty's government, relative to the proceedings which took place on the invasion of the Floridas by the troops of the United States in 1818, and more particularly with reference to the trial, condemnation, and execution of British subjects. Earl BATHURST would not follow the noble mar.tremity. But before such a course was taken, their quis through all the particulars into which he had Lordships would doubtless pause and ask whether entered regarding the cession of Florida to the the case was one which would justify the involving United States He was certainly the less called the two countries in war. Above all, their Lordupon to reply to the noble marquis on that point ships would doubtless feel that this was, of all othas the papers for which he had thought fit to move ers, a most unfit time to embark this country in a contained no aliusion whatever to it. He could not, dispute for the protection of British subjects who however, refrain from noticing the notion of the might engage without the consent of their governnoble marquis, that to prevent the cession of the ment in the service of states at war with each other, Floridas was a duty to be expected from his ma but at peace with us. Any British subject who enjesty's ministers He would not go the length of|| gaged in such foreign service without permission, saying, that cases might not occur in which it would forfeited, he conceived the protection of his counbe proper for one government to oppose cessions try, and became liable to military punishment, if the by another: but how dangerous would it be to esta- party by whom he was taken chose to carry the blish it as a principle, that no state could make a rights of war to that cruel severity. This was a cession to another without becoming responsible to principle admitted by the laws of nations, and which this country. Nothing could be more inimical to in the policy of nations had been frequently adoptthe preservation of peace, than to lay it down as a ed. It was obvious, therefore, that if it were to be principle that the ministers of this government maintained that this country should hold out proshould go about from court to court with the pre-tection to every adventurer who entered into fotension of dictating or regulating all the arrange-reign service, the assertion of such a principle ments that might be allowed to take place between one country and another. With regard to what had been said on the subject of the treaty of Utrecht, he should only remark, that at the time that treaty was concluded, the Floridas were not in the possession of Spain. Leaving with this remark the subject of the cession of Florida, he should proceed to make a few observations on what had fallen from the noble marquis in support of the main object he had in view. The noble marquis had misunderstood what his noble friend (lord Li. verpool) stated at the commencement of the session. He did not say he would take an opportunity of restating all that had passed in the communications with the government of the United States: What he said was, that he would take an opportunity of stating the general principles which had guided his majesty's government in their communications with respect to the transaction to which the noble mar quis' notice referred. Their lordships were doubt less aware that what had passed in the communica- || tions between the two governments on this subjected to his Majesty's government. Whether or not was matter of great delicacy; and he was confident that their lordships would not think fit to call for a disclosure, unless they should be of opinion that the case was such as required this country to de mand from the United States reparation, by the punishment of the individual who had committed the offence. Now it appeared to him that there were sufficient grounds to induce tl.cir Lordships to adopt this opinion. It was true that two British subjects had, in the course of military operations, been taken on a neutral territory by the American troops, and tried and executed; but it was well known, not only that this act of violence and cruelty was not done by order of the American Government, but that it had been committed without any knowledge or participation whatever of that|| government. The act which had been committed formed, indeed, a charge brought on the part of the American government against their general; what might be result of that charge, it was not necessary to inquire; all that their Lordships were called up on to consider was, whether the case was one for

tes

would involve us in interminable warfare. With respect to Ambrister, it became a question on what appeared in evidence, whether he was not a person engaged in foreign service without the consent of his government; and whether, having thereby forfeited the protection of his own country, he could only claim that of the power which he served. That he had not received the permission of this government was certain: and however cruel and atrocious the conduct of those who condemned him might be, the whole merits of the case depended on his having borne arms against the United States. Of Ambrister he had no previous knowledge whatever; and the only knowledge he had of Arbuthnot was from his name appearing to a despatch of the Indian chiefs, but it appeared merely as tifying the accuracy of the transaction. The appli cation for arms, which was the subject of this de spatah, was made to governor of the Bahama Islands, who very properly refused any assistance whatever, observing, that the application ought to be addresshe had acted so as to forfeit the protection of this country, depended on the nature of the transac tions in which he had been engaged, and the proof of the facts In considering this question, it was to be recollected, that he states in his own correspondence, that he had armed a body of negroes against the United States. If the facts were made out, it would appear that the fate of these unfortunate men formed a question to be settled between the government of the United States and its commander, and not between the two nations. As to the conduct of general Jackson in setting as the noble marquis had said, the laws of the United States at defiance, that was an offence for which he was accountable to his own government. Such conduct in a military commander certainly would not be possed over in this country, nor did he supposc in any that pretended to freedom.

The case of Arbuthnot was in many respects different from that of Ambrister; but it had been much misunderstood. It appeared that the Indians had applied to the Spanish commander of St. Marks,