“’In the Schuylkill, arrived lately at Philadelphia, came passenger our esteemed fellow-citizen Captain Miles Wallingford”—­in 1804, everybody had not got to be ‘esquires,’ even the editors not yet assuming that title of gentility ex officio.  “This gentleman’s wrongs have already been laid before our readers.  From his own mouth we learn the following outline of the vile and illegal manner in which he has been treated by an English man-of-war called the Speedy, commanded by a sprig of nobility y’clepped Lord”—­I have left a blank for the name—­“an account which will awaken in the bosom of every true-hearted American sentiments of horror and feelings of indignation, at this new instance of British faith and British insolence on the high-seas.  It will be seen by this account, that not satisfied with impressing all his crew, and in otherwise maltreating them, this scion of aristocracy has violated every article of the treaty between the two countries, as respects Captain Wallingford himself, and otherwise trodden on every principle of honour; in a word—­set at naught all the commandments of God.  We trust there will be found no man, or set of men in the country, to defend such outrageous conduct, and that even the minions of England, employed around the Federal presses of our country, will be ready to join with us, on this occasion, in denouncing British aggression and British usurpation.’  There, sir, I trust that is quite to your liking.”

“It is a little ex parte, Colonel, as I have quite as much complaint to make of French as of English aggression, having been twice captured, once by an English frigate, and again by a French privateer.  I prefer to tell the whole story, if I am to tell any of it.”

“Certainly, sir; we wish to relate all the enormities of which these arrogant English were guilty.”

“I believe that, in capturing my ship, the English commander did me an act of great injustice, and was the cause of my ruin—­”

“Stop, sir, if you please,” interrupted Colonel Warbler writing with rapidity and zeal, “and thus caused the ruin of an industrious and honest man; ay, that ends a period beautifully—­well, sir, proceed.”

“But, I have no personal ill treatment to complain of; and, the act of the French was of precisely the same character; perhaps, worse, as I had got rid of the English prize-crew, when the Frenchman captured us in his turn, and prevented our obtaining shelter and a new crew in France.”  Colonel Warbler listened with cold indifference.  Not a line would he write against the French, belonging to a very extensive school of disseminators of news who fancy it is a part of their high vocation to tell just as much, or just as little, of any transaction, as may happen to suit their own purposes.  I pressed the injuries I had received from the French, on my visitor, so much the more warmly, on account of the reluctance he manifested to publish it; but all to no purpose.