Ixxvi 



PREFACE. 



nation of his majesty^ s government^ was altogether 

 null and void. 



I have the honour to be, 

 &c. &c. 



(Signed.) Alexander Cochrane, 



Vice-Admiral, ^c. 



General Mason, 7 

 Agent General, ^c. ^c* S 



The preceding letter was without date in the 

 original. It was postmarked, Savannah, March 

 1 1th, 1815. — Yet, notwithstanding this unequivocal 

 contradiction of the charge so publicly made, and 

 officially announced to the officers of the British 

 navy, and to the world, neither the British govern- 

 ment, nor its agents, have ever had the justice to 

 give it a formal denial, or to make amends for a 

 public calumny, by publicly disavowing it. On 

 the contrary, it is known to the author, that the 

 diplomatic agents of England, have taken upon 

 themselves to assure those of another country, that 

 he still remained under the stigma of a violation of 

 his parole. In amicable conversations with more 

 dian one captain of the British navy, he has also 

 been assured, that no order or general notice has 

 been issued, to their knowledge, from the British 

 admiralty, by which they could possibly know, that 

 Captain Porter was not still liable, if taken in 

 arms, to be hung up as a felon. Such conduct in 

 the British government, does not surprise the author, 

 as it corresponds, in all its features of honour and 

 humanity, with all the past experience, and future 

 anticipations, of himself and his country. 



Washington, March, 1822. 



