SOUTH AMERICA. - 189 



merly belonging to Spain, and whose inhabitants have 

 become citizens of the United States by treaty; it tliere- 

 fore does not follow as a necessary consequence, that 

 such are not Americans. From the circumstance of this 

 ship having been stationed in that quarter, and hav- 

 ing recruited a number of men resident in the ceded 

 territory before mentioned, some of whom speak the 

 Spanish and Portuguese, I am under the impression 

 that the seaman in question is of that description. All 

 I know with certainty is, that he enlisted as an Ame- 

 rican, and I shall feel myself bound to consider him 

 as such, until satisfied of the contrary, of which no evi- 

 dence has been exhibited to me, and from his speaking 

 our language without the slightest foreign accent, I 

 am induced to believe that if not a native of the United 

 States, he is at least a native of Louisianna. 



The man was taken on shore by some of the oflScers 

 of the ship, to serve them as interpreter, from whom 

 he strayed off, and as he stated to my officers, who af» 

 towards accidentally met him in the street, had been 

 intoxicated. By our laws he could not be regarded 

 as a deserter, not having been absent a sufficient length 

 of time for that purpose — he was considered as a de- 

 linquent from duty, and as such was ordered to the 

 I boat. To this order he at first submitted and was pro- 

 ceeding on his way, the officers before mentioned con- 

 sidering it their duty to bring him on board, when he 

 was forcibly taken from them in the manner above 

 stated. 



I cannot admit that my authority over my own men, 

 who have voluntarily enlisted in the service, and re- 

 ceived the bounty of my government, ceases while on 

 shore on the duty of the ship. Tf under the necessity 



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