Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

By the Post.

From the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.

GUN-BOAT TYRANNY.

We have read the following statement of facts with no ordinary emotions. The oppressive system, by which the citizens of America are now governed, must be speedily arrested, or the rights, and liberties of the people will be lost forever.

MR. LEWIS,

Let those who may read (as I trust they will with abhorrence and detestation) the following statement of a few of the most wanton acts of cruelty inflicted by a petty tyrpling in command, who "feels power and forgets right" upon one of our own citizens in the peaceable pursuit of his lawful business, within a few miles of his own door, now answer the plain question, whether they are yet satisfied with the present Embargo and Gun-Boat policy of our administration. I am informed that divers other acts of wanton abuse as well as cruelty also ensued, which are not detailed in captain Petty's protest, as irrelevant to his purposes.

For myself, I want language to express my regret that such acts of oppression can with impunity be practiced upon our fellow-citizens, without a speedy, and adequate resistance. I trust, however, that in this instance, but one voice will be heard, and one general wish be expressed, that the culprit will without delay, be removed from office, and that the abused captain Petty will speedily be remunerated with ample damages by the verdict of a jury of his country, which I think he may safely appeal.

A CITIZEN.

By this Public Instrument and Declaration of Protest be it known and made manifest to all whom it doth or may concern, That on this second day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight, before me George W. Strong, a public notary in and for the State of New York, duly commissioned and sworn, residing in the city of New-York, personally came and appeared David Petty master and commander of the schooner Speedy of Brookhaven, who being by me duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelist did depose, protest and say, That on the nineteenth day of August last past, he was sailing in the said schooner on the south side of Long Island, bound from New-York to Moriches in Brookhaven, and when opposite Gilgo Gut he was fired at and brought too by Gun-Boat No. 40. commanded by James Renshaw, who sent a barge on board the Deponent's schooner, and after examining her permitted her to proceed on her voyage. That after she had proceeded about one mile to the windward he was again fired at and compelled to bear away and come under the lee of the gun boat, when the commander demanded the deponent to come on board and pilot him into Fire Island inlet. which the deponent consented to do for ten dollars; to which the commander replied that "he would be damned if he would give him ten cents," and added that if the deponent did not obey his schooner should not be permitted to leave the gun-boat. — Whereupon the deponent persisted in his refusal the said commander cut his barge on board the schooner, with orders to take by force the deponent or one of his men out of the schooner and bring him on board the gun-boat. That the deponent was thereby compelled without his consent, to leave his own vessel and go on board the gun-boat where he was kept and detained three days. That not being able to beat up to Fire Inlet, they were obliged to go into Gilgo Gut, with the navigation of which the deponent was totally unacquainted and on his mentioning that circumstance to the commander, was told by him "that if he, the deponent run the gun boat aground he should be shot." That having passed the gut in safety, and the gun-boat anchored in the Bay, the deponent was on the following day, by the orders of the said commander put in irons with handcuffs on his wrists and shackles on his legs, and kept so in irons for one whole day and night, during which time he had very little refreshments and was treated with much abuse by the said commander. And the deponent did further protest and swear that he knows of no reason for such treatment from the said commander, except his wishes to detain the deponent on board until such time as he should see fit to go to sea, and require the deponent's aid in navigating the Gun-Boat out of the Gut; That on Sunday the twenty-first day of the aforesaid month of August about noon, some persons were coming on board the said Gun-Boat while lying at anchor in the Bay, and before they reached her, the said commander ordered the irons to be taken off the deponent: That in the afternoon of the same day the said Commander, wished to go on board of a brig that lay at no great distance on the beach, the Deponent requested and obtained leave to go with him: That after visiting her, he was ordered by the Commander to return on board the Gun-Boat, which the Deponent refused to do -whereupon the Commander presented a sharp pointed cane at the Deponent's breast, and thrust the same at him several times, in order to compel him to go. He then ordered two of his men to seize the deponent and tie him and take him on board the gun boat. That they did seize and throw him down; whereupon a person belonging to the said brig interfered, and took up a large maul with which he threatened to strike them unless they would release the deponent; that they then let up the deponent; after which the commander abused him with very insolent and profane language, threatening that he would cut him into mince meat, and destroy his schooner. He then ordered one of his men to stand by the deponent with a loaded musket, and to shoot him through in case he offered to stir, while he, the Commander, could go on board the gun-boat and get a reinforcement of men, in order to compel the Deponent to go on board: That shortly thereafter he went with his men on board the Gun-Boat, taking the said Sentinel with him, and while he was gone the Deponent procured two men of his acquaintance from the said brig to carry him in a boat on board his own vessel, then lying at Fire Island, about twelve miles to the Eastward, and so eluded the said Commander.

Whereupon I the said Notary, at the request of the said David Petty, did protest, and by these presents do publicly and solemnly protest against the unjust and unlawful detention of the said David Petty, and the oppressive and tyrannical conduct of the said James Renshaw, and all damages, loss and injuries which thereupon ensued In testimony whereof as well the said Deponent as I said notary have subscribed our respective names to these Presents, and I have hereunto set my seal of office the day and year first above written.

(Signed)
GEORGE W. STRONG,
Notary Public.
DAVID PETTY