1834.] FALKLAND ISLANDS.' 507 
with his country said, " such conduct would not have been practised 
by respectable nations, as England and France : it could only have 
taken place by an ignoble abuse on the part of the powerful 
against the weak, or among barbarous people, Avho know no law 
but the dictates of their passions, nor resort to other means of 
obtaining reparation of real or feigned wrongs than those of a 
bhnd and ferocious vengeance." To complete the catalogue of 
Duncan's offences—" he had the audacity to address an official 
note to the minister in an uncivil and impolite manner." The 
consul was complained of " for occupying himself in extempo- 
raneous and unresonaable matters greatly above his authority— and 
of adopting a tone which did not comport with the respect and 
modesty with which the government of a sovereign stale ought 
to be addressed. Disorder, therefore ' (says the minister), injus- 
tice, insult, and violence, have been on the side of Messrs. Slacum 
andDuncan, but especially on that of the latter, he having carried 
his turpitude and ferocity to the last extremity— destroying, with 
unspeakable inhumanity and perfidy, the Falkland Island colony. 
They have openly contemned, depressed, and outraged the dignity 
of the Argentine people — with a manifest stain upon their own 
nation and government." The minister then proceeded to de- 
mand, " before any thing else, prompt and complete satisfaction, 
reparation, and indemnification for these outrages, not only for the 
Argentine Repi;bhc, but Commandante Vernet and the colonists 
—and until such satisfaction, reparation, and indemnification were 
obtained, he assured the charge that the government would not 
enter on the discussion of any of the points comprehended in his 
notes—" and, in the meantime, would exercise their rights in such 
manner as they might esteem convenient." 
In reply to this communication, our charge, on the eighteenth 
of August, sent a short and emphatic note to the minister.* 
* " Legation of the United States of America, ) 
" Buenos Ayres, August 18th, 1832. ^ 
" The -undersigned has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note of his 
excellency the provisional minister of foreign affairs, dated the fourteenth instant. 
» A communication, addressed to his excellency, appearing to be a memorial of 
Louis Vernet, is returned. 
" Having no authority to stipulate that reparation shall be made to Louis Vernet, 
or to the Argentine Republic, for the acts of the commander of the Lexington at 
the Falkland Islands, and being expressly directed, by his own government to justify 
