Virginia Argus

The Little Belt.-The account from Halifax, when opposed to the official statement of Com. Rodgers, discloses several important facts, and if we take it as the statement of Capt. Bingham, we must believe him destitute of the candor of a man and the honor of a soldier :He states the Little Belt to be 100 miles to the East of the Chesapeake ; Com. Rodgers from 40 to 45--altho' the distance has considerable bearing on the case, inasmuch as it shows the object, yet we will lay no stress on it, and suppose it arose from an ignorance of our coast he admits that he first gave chase, and at one discovered her to be a frigate, steering East, with a Commodore's blue pendant at the main, and the conclusion drawn was, that she was an American ship. At half past 6 she hove to, "at which time the stars [so we see they had some light on the subject] in the frigate's pendant were perfectly visible." That he asked twice what ship it was-" the answer to the first enquiry was a repetition of the question—to the second a broadside of round and grape shot." -Now oppose the statement of Com. Rodgers to this, and see what is the conclusion? Put the statement of our officer out of the question and what will common sense dictate? " The action continued full three quarters of an hour." This shows the Briton was ashamed of the feeble resistance he made, r shed to extol his own bravery at the expense of truth -the engagement was scarce of ten minutes continuance. " The frigate ceased firing; filled her sails and sheered off:" Now taking this statement as correct, it amounts to this-that he knew her to be an American, that he asked her the first question knowing her to be such, which was needless if not impertinent-and that he gave the first fire - that too after the President had "sheered off."Is this consistent with the honor and veracity of a British Soldier ?

' No greatness is equal to that of concession where greatness of power remains''The American frigate, had " sheered off." "In the morning she bore down upon the Little Belt and asked her permission to send a boat to her, which was granted." The language of Com. Rodgers is," I sent a boat with Lieut. Creighton, to ascertain her name and that of her commander, the damages," &c.-We have no doubt that on this occasion Commodore Rodgers acted with the politeness of a gentleman ; but not with the condescension of an offending inferior.

The Federal Republican of Baltimore, after giving the account from Halifax, adds- " Viewing all the circumstances of this transaction, we cannot see any thing to justify the conduct of Com. Rodgers, but consider it as lawless, unprincipled, and cowardly in the extreme."—ib.