SOUTH AMERICA. 



185 



pressed. A pair of soldiers happening to be near, 

 interferred^ rescued the seaman, and at his request car- 

 ried him to the admiral of the port. The officers 

 without knowing where they were taking him to, fol- 

 lowed close after, in order that they might be able to 

 report the circumstance, satisfactorily to their comman- 

 der. As the subsequent part of this affair is explained 

 in the correspondence, with which the commodore has 

 politely furnished me, to this I shall refer the reader, 

 simply observing, that the commodore's letter was 

 drawn forth by a request on the part of our minister, 

 to be informed of the particulars. The first letter it 

 will be seen, is from the Portuguese minister of state, 

 to Mr. Sumpter. 



February Sd, 1818. 



The undersigned. 



Has received orders from the king, his 

 master, to communicate to the minister of the United 

 States, the irregular and offensive conduct, with which, 

 on the 2d of this month, two officers and two midship- 

 men of the frigate Congress, now lying at anchor in 

 this port, proceeded to attempt to carry on board of the 

 said frigate, a Portuguese sailor, who had left her to 

 enter into the service of his own king in this capital. 

 In the prosecution of their object, they forced the dwel- 

 ling house of the major-general of the royal marines, 

 the vice-admiral Ignacia da Corta Quintilla, pretend- 

 ing to retake and conduct him on board by force, 

 which, however, they did not succeed in doing, in con- 

 sequence of the prudent exertions used by this general 

 officer. Such an insult cannot fail to deserve a serious 

 reprehension, and a satisfaction snch as ought to be 

 VOL. r. 24^ 



