the life of horatio lord nelson-第6章

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the　Americans　had　made　themselves　foreigners　with　regard　to　England；　they　had　disregarded　the　ties　of　blood　and　language　when　they　acquired　the　independence　which　they　had　been　led　on　to　claim；　unhappily　for　themselves　before　they　were　fit　for　it；　and　he　was　resolved　that　they　should　derive　no　profit　from　those　ties　now。　Foreigners　they　had　made　themselves；　and　as　foreigners　they　were　to　be　treated。　〃If　once；〃　said　he；　〃they　are　admitted　to　any　kind　of　intercourse　with　our　islands；　the　views　of　the　loyalists；　in　settling　at　Nova　Scotia；　are　entirely　done　away；　and　when　we　are　again　embroiled　in　a　French　war；　the　Americans　will　first　become　the　carriers　of　these　colonies；　and　then　have　possession　of　them。　Here　they　come；　sell　their　cargoes　for　ready　money；　go　to　Martinico；　buy　molasses；　and　so　round　and　round。　The　loyalist　cannot　do　this；　and　consequently　must　sell　a　little　dearer。　The　residents　here　are　Americans　by　connection　and　by　interest；　and　are　inimical　to　Great　Britain。　They　are　as　great　rebels　as　ever　were　in　America；　had　they　the　power　to　show　it。〃　In　November；　when　the　squadron；　having　arrived　at　Barbadoes；　was　to　separate；　with　no　other　orders　than　those　for　examining　anchorages；　and　the　usual　inquiries　concerning　wood　and　water；　Nelson　asked　his　friend　Collingwood；　then　captain　of　the　MEDIATOR；　whose　opinions　he　knew　upon　the　subject；　to　accompany　him　to　the　commander…in…chief；　whom　he　then　respectfully　asked；　whether　they　were　not　to　attend　to　the　commerce　of　the　country；　and　see　that　the　Navigation　Act　was　respectedthat　appearing　to　him　to　be　the　intent　of　keeping　men…of…war　upon　this　station　in　time　of　peace？　Sir　Richard　Hughes　replied；　he　had　no　particular　orders；　neither　had　the　Admiralty　sent　him　any　Acts　of　Parliament。　But　Nelson　made　answer；　that　the　Navigation　Act　was　included　in　the　statutes　of　the　Admiralty；　with　which　every　captain　was　furnished；　and　that　Act　was　directed　to　admirals；　captains；　&c。；　to　see　it　carried　into　execution。　Sir　Richard　said　he　had　never　seen　the　book。　Upon　this　Nelson　produced　the　statutes；　read　the　words　of　the　Act；　and　apparently　convinced　the　commander…in…chief；　that　men…of…war；　as　he　said；　〃were　sent　abroad　for　some　other　purpose　than　to　be　made　a　show　of。〃　Accordingly　orders　were　given　to　enforce　the　Navigation　Act。

Major…General　Sir　Thomas　Shirley　was　at　this　time　governor　of　the　Leeward　Islands；　and　when　Nelson　waited　on　him；　to　inform　him　how　he　intended　to　act；　and　upon　what　grounds；　he　replied；　that　〃old　generals　were　not　in　the　habit　of　taking　advice　from　young　gentlemen。〃　〃Sir；〃　said　the　young　officer；　with　that　confidence　in　himself　which　never　carried　him　too　far；　and　always　was　equal　to　the　occasion；〃I　am　as　old　as　the　prime　minister　of　England；　and　I　think　myself　as　capable　of　commanding　one　of　his　Majesty's　ships　as　that　minister　is　of　governing　the　state。〃　He　was　resolved　to　do　his　duty；　whatever　might　be　the　opinion　or　conduct　of　others；　and　when　he　arrived　upon　his　station　at　St。　Kitt's；　he　sent　away　all　the　Americans；　not　choosing　to　seize　them　before　they　had　been　well　apprised　that　the　Act　would　be　carried　into　effect；　lest　it　might　seem　as　if　a　trap　had　been　laid　for　them。　The　Americans；　though　they　prudently　decamped　from　St。　Kitt's；　were　emboldened　by　the　support　they　met　with；　and　resolved　to　resist　his　orders；　alleging　that　king's　ships　had　no　legal　power　to　seize　them　without　having　deputations　from　the　customs。　The　planters　were　to　a　man　against　him；　the　governors　and　the　presidents　of　the　different　islands；　with　only　a　single　exception；　gave　him　no　support；　and　the　admiral；　afraid　to　act　on　either　side；　yet　wishing　to　oblige　the　planters；　sent　him　a　note；　advising　him　to　be　guided　by　the　wishes　of　the　president　of　the　council。　There　was　no　danger　in　disregarding　this；　as　it　came　unofficially；　and　in　the　form　of　advice。　But　scarcely　a　month　after　he　had　shown　Sir　Richard　Hughes　the　law；　and；　as　he　supposed；　satisfied　him　concerning　it；　he　received　an　order　from　him；　stating　that　he　had　now　obtained　good　advice　upon　the　point；　and　the　Americans　were　not　to　be　hindered　from　coming；　and　having　free　egress　and　regress；　if　the　governor　chose　to　permit　them。　An　order　to　the　same　purport　had　been　sent　round　to　the　different　governors　and　presidents；　and　General　Shirley　and　others　informed　him；　in　an　authoritative　manner；　that　they　chose　to　admit　American　ships；　as　the　commander…in…chief　had　left　the　decision　to　them。　These　persons；　in　his　own　words；　he　soon　〃trimmed　up；　and　silenced；〃　but　it　was　a　more　delicate　business　to　deal　with　the　admiral：　〃I　must　either；〃　said　he；　〃disobey　my　orders；　or　disobey　Acts　of　Parliament。　I　determined　upon　the　former；　trusting　to　the　uprightness　of　my　intentions；　and　believing　that　my　country　would　not　let　me　be　ruined　for　protecting　her　commerce。〃　With　this　determination　he　wrote　to　Sir　Richard；　appealed　again　to　the　plain；　literal；　unequivocal　sense　of　the　Navigation　Act；　and　in　respectful　language　told　him；　he　felt　it　his　duty　to　decline　obeying　these　orders　till　he　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　and　conversing　with　him。　Sir　Richard's　first　feeling　was　that　of　anger；　and　he　was　about　to　supersede　Nelson；　but　having　mentioned　the　affair　to　his　captain；　that　officer　told　him　he　believed　all　the　squadron　thought　the　orders　illegal；　and　therefore　did　not　know　how　far　they　were　bound　to　obey　them。　It　was　impossible；　therefore；　to　bring　Nelson　to　a　court…martial；　composed　of　men　who　agreed　with　him　in　opinion　upon　the　point　in　dispute；　and　luckily；　though　the　admiral　wanted　vigour　of　mind　to　decide　upon　what　was　right；　he　was　not　obstinate　in　wrong；　and　had　even　generosity　enough　in　his　nature　to　thank　Nelson　afterwards　for　having　shown　him　his　error。

Collingwood　in　the　MEDIATOR；　and　his　brother；　Wilfred　Collingwood；　in　the　RATTLER；　actively　co…operated　with　Nelson。　The　custom…houses　were　informed　that　after　a　certain　day　all　foreign　vessels　found　in　the　ports　would　be　seized；　and　many　were；　in　consequence；　seized；　and　condemned　in　the　Admiralty　Court。　When　the　BOREAS　arrived　at　Nevis；　she　found　four　American　vessels　deeply　laden；　and　what　are　called　the　island　colours　flyingwhite；　with　a　red　cross。　They　were　ordered　to　hoist　their　proper　flag；　and　depart　within　48　hours；　but　they　refused　to　obey；　denying　that　they　were　Americans。　Some　of　their　crews　were　then　examined　in　Nelson's　cabin；　where　the　Judge　of　Admiralty　happened　to　be　present。　The　case　was　plain；　they　confessed　that　they　were　Americans；　and　that　the　ships；　hull　and　cargo；　were　wholly　American　property；　upon　which　he　seized　them。　This　raised　a　storm：　the　planters；　the　custom…house；　and　the　governor；　were　all　against　him。　Subscriptions　were　opened；　and　presently　filled；　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　on　the　cause　in　behalf　of　the　American　captains；　and　the　admiral；　whose　flag　was　at　that　time　in　the　roads；　stood　neutral。　But　the　Americans　and　their　abettors　were　not　content　with　defensive　law。　The　marines；　whom　he　had　sent　to　secure　the　ships；　had　prevented　some　of　the　masters　from　going　ashore；　and　those　persons；　by　whose　depositions　it　appeared　that　the　vessels　and　cargoes　were　American　property；　declared　that　they　had　given　their　testimony　under　bodily　fear；　for　that　a　man　with　a　drawn　sword　in　his　hand　had　stood　over　them　the　whole　time。　A　rascally　lawyer；　whom　the　party　employed；　suggested　this　story；　and　as　the　sentry　at　the　cabin　door　was　a　man　with　a　drawn　sword；　the　Americans　made　no　scruple　of　swearing　to　this　ridiculous　falsehood；　and　commencing　prosecutions　against　him　accordingly。　They　laid　their　damages　at　the　enormous　amount　of　L40；000；　and　Nelson　was　obliged　to　keep　close　on　board　his　own　ship；　lest　he　should　be　arrested　for　a　sum　for　which　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　find　bail。　The　marshal　frequently　came　on　board　to　arrest　him；　but　was　always　prevented　by　the　address　of　the　first　lieutenant；　Mr。　Wallis。　Had　he　been　taken；　such　was　the　temper　of　the　people　that　it　was　certain　he　would　have　been　cast　for　the　whole　sum。　One　of　his　officers；　one　day；　in　speaking　of　the　restraint　which　he　was　thus　compelled　to　suffer；　happened　to　use　the　word　PITY！　〃Pity！〃　exclaimed　Nelson：　〃Pity！　did　you　say？　I　shall　live；　sir；　to　be　envied！　and　to　that　point　I　shall　always　direct　my　course。〃　Eight　weeks　remained　in　this　state　of　duresse。　During　that　time　the　trial　respecting　the　detained　ships　came　on　in　the　court　of　Admiralty。　He　went　on　shore　under　a　protection　for　the　day　from　the　judge；　but；　notwithstanding　this；　the　marshal　was　called　upon　to　take　that　opportunity　of　arresting　him；　and　the　merchants　promised　to　indemnify　him　for　so　doing。　The　judge；　however；　did　his　duty；　and　threatened　to　send　the　marshal　to　prison　if　he　attempted　to　violate　the　protection　of　the　court。　Mr。　Herbert；　the　president　of　Nevis；　behaved　with　singular　generosity　upon　this　occasion。　Though　no　man　was　a　greater　sufferer　by　the　measures　which　Nelson　had　pursued；　he　offered　in　court　to　become　his　bail　for　L10；000　if　he　chose　to　suffer　the　arrest。　The　lawyer　whom　he　had　chosen　proved　to　be　an　able　as　well　as　an　honest　man；　and　notwithstanding　the　opinions　and　pleadings　of　most　of　the　counsel　of　the　different　islands；　who　maintained　that　ships　of　war　were　not　justified　in　seizing　American　vessels　without　a　deputation　from　the　customs；　the　law　was　so　explicit；　the　case　so　clear；　and　Nelson　pleaded　his　own　cause　so　well；　that　the　four　ships　were　condemned。　During　the　progress　of　this　business　he　sent　a　memorial　home　to　the　king；　in　consequence　of　which　orders　were　issued　that　he　should　be　defended　at　the　expense　of　the　crown。　And　upon　the　representation　which　he　made　at　the　same　time　to　the　Secretary　of　State；　and　the　suggestions　with　which　he　accompanied　it；　the　Register　Act　was　framed。　The　sanction　of　Government；　and　the　approbation　of　his　conduct　which　it　implied；　were　highly　gratifying　to　him；　but　he　was　offended；　and　not　without　just　cause；　that　the　Treasury　should　have　transmitted　thanks　to　the　commander…in…chief　for　his　activity　and　zeal　in　protecting　the　commerce　of　Great　Britain。　〃Had　they　known　all；〃　said　he；　〃I　do　not　think　they　would　have　bestowed　thanks　in　that　quarter；　and　neglected　me。　I　feel　much　hurt　that；　after　the　loss　of　health　and　risk　of　fortune；　another　should　be　thanked　for　what　I　did　against　his　orders。　I　either　deserved　to　be　sent　out　of　the　service；　or　at　least　to　have　had　some　little　notice　taken　of　what　I　had　done。　They　have　thought　it　worthy　of　notice；　and　yet　have　neglected　me。　If　this　is　the　reward　for　a　faithful　discharge　of　my　duty；　I　shall　be　careful；　and　never　stand　forward　again。　But　I　have　done　my　duty；　and　have　nothing　to　accuse　myself　of。〃

The　anxiety　which　he　had　suffered　from　the　harassing　uncertainties　of　law　is　apparent　from　these　expressions。　He　had；　however；　something　to　console　him；　for　he　was　at　this　time　wooing　the　niece　of　his　friend　the　president；　then　in　her　eighteenth　year；　the　widow　of　Dr。　Nisbet；　a　physician。　She　had　one　child；　a　son；　by　name　Josiah；　who　was　three　years　old。　One　day　Mr。　Herbert；　who　had　hastened　half…dressed　to　receive　Nelson；　exclaimed；　on　returning　to　his　dressing…room；　〃Good　God！　if　I　did　not　find　that　great　little　man；　of　whom　everybody　is　so　afraid；　playing　in　the　next　room；　under　the　dining…　table；　with　Mrs。　Nisbet's　child！〃