Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-06-11

their property--and distributed among dier-
eUt prisons.
in congress from the Missouri, laid their ease
before the department OF state, and demau-
ded the inierposition OF the American govern
mcnt.
This application seems TO have been unat-
tended To b, the American government until
the Sth day OF February, 1917 /; possibly be-
cause III the interim Don Luis de Onis, whose
interference alone would have awaited ANY
thiiig, was not acknov ledgel as Spanish mi
MISTER. and Joseph Bouaparle's minister who
WAS acknowledged ms such, had no power 10
do any thing in Mexico.
On The aforesaid Sth day of Feb. Mr.. Mon.
roe addresNcda letter to Don Luis in behalf OF
tue prisoners.
On the 18th OF the same month Den Luis
answered, that he wouid transmit the appllca-
ton 10 the viceroy OF Mexico - tcith request
that he UOuid e.rcIt kiS authority IL cause the
dmcricGn citizens 10 be liberated. prorided NO
s.ycient cause Of detca;iJa appeared against
then."
On ihs 29th December following, nothing
having been heard in the meantime in favor
OF the prisoners, MIR. Scott delegate in Con-
gress from the Missouri territory, addressed
Mr.. Adams, Secretary OF State, formal note
in their behalf.
On the 9Th Jan. following UsIs) Mr.. Adams
forwarded a copy OF MIR. SCOTS letter TO Den
Luis de Onis, with request in the name OF the
President of the United States, that the citi
zens might be released, and furnished with
On the 18th Jan. Don Luis answers that
he had not received information OF the effect
OF his application to the viceroy Of Mexico,
made 18th Feb. 1917. That he had that
day (l2th JAM again addressed the viceroy,
stating 10 him that the object OF the American
citizens IN going 10 Santa Fee helm. purely
aud simply commercial IL was hoped that he.
the vceroy, would Immediately give orders
for their release
On the 18th April, ISIS the case of the p ison.
erS, and that Of MesSrs. Chouteau amt de NJ un
robbed by the Spamiards Oh the Arkansas in
1917 ana carried prisoners 10 Santa Fee, was
brought before the House of Repn esentatives
Ivy resolution calling for intor nation on those
subjects; and from the department of state
was communicated the letters and documents
above stated
Ne particular measure was adopted i'm Con-
greSs in behalf OF the prisoners.
IN The month of November following, MIR.
scott, delegate III congress from the Missouri
TERRITORY, applied TO the Secretary OF state for
The further intelligence which his department
might coBtain. He received from MIN the
copy of letter from Don Luis de Osis, dated
10Th June 1918, covering the copy CT another
from The viceroy dpotiaca, dated al the city of
ueAlco 9th April ISIS, IN which tie viceroy
declares that he had directed an immediate
! enquiry TO be made into the OF The pri-
soueiS, and that tie mast Jarorabie decision
r0utd De Sicen tChch 'rGs compatible Nth the LIARS
u,d orders Of has SOrtIeign."
Nothing further has been heard of the pri-
soDcrs since the date OF the viceroys letter.
Now The question Is-why UaS their release
nor prortded torby an article Of the late treaty!
Seven years have elapsed since these unap-
py men have been placed In the dungeons OF
New Mexico; six since their first application
TO the American government; two since the
spanish minister was applied 20; and twelve
Inuht'lS since The Ylceroy ipodGca says that he
had given orders for immediate enquiry aud
tie most favorable decision which the laws
aud orders OF tue Spanish king would admit OF
| Now Santa Fee is but eight hundred nlleS from
lln Hrr,u.a .ar1a
| thirty days enough for the prisoners to arrive
! al home If released from Bondage. Yet they
| have not come nor been heard of and
treaty of AmHy is signed between their country
and their OPprcSsOrS without containing one
word III mitigation of THEN tate.
lie time was when the citiZens CT "a Repub-
lLc commanded the respect OF the world wheh
the cry, aina Roman citizen, would burst the
letters OF The bound stay the hand OF the eX-
ecutioner, aud make the kings OF the earth
turn pale. That time has passed away. A
Republic yet exists, hut the spirit of Rome is
not Ill II. American citizens, seized, bound
| fettered, scourged and treated as dogs, in
| vain invoke the spirit of their country Let
| tiers are written from Secretary TO an Am.
bassador; they have The honor to subscribe
| themselves, with great consideration, each
| others humble servants.-In the meantime
| years roll away, The captives pine III dungeons,
! and treaty OF friendship is signed with the
/ power which deprives them of light. And by
whom is this done? Read American citizens,
| Mr.. lie Mun and Chouteau's treatment at SAM
| la Fee in 1917 and let your Indignant blood
| boil Tor the coming of the time when high
| minded statesmen shall WELD the destines Of
| this Republic, and cause your name to be res
| pected all over the world.
Tn the FIRST OF June we were conducted
! into Santa Fee. l was first introduced to
the Governor, who inquired in IA very angry
manner WHY had not obeyed him when or
| dercd TO go out of the Spanish doman3 |
| replied that his orders were obeyed as soon as
| received that we were taken on the Ameri-
| can territory where our governor had given us
Incense 10 20. AT this lie got into violent
rage, saying that we should pay for our own
| and our Governors ignorance usiug all the
| time very abusive language, repeating several
times that lie would have our braiHs blown
| out that we we're fortunate that he had not
come after us himself for lie would not
| lave taken us alive. We were then IrOned
| aad put into separate dungeons. After for.
| ty-ionr days Imprisonment we were placed
| before a court martial, composed of six mem
| bers ana President, who was the Governor
! himself. Only one of The six appeared to have
| some information, the Others not knowing e
| ven how TO sign their names. Many cues
h3ns were asked us, but more particularly
! Why we had staid so long in the Spanish do
| minlonst answered, that being on the WA
| teTs of the Arkansas, we did not consider our
| selves IN the domains OF Spain, as we had a
| license 10 go as Tar as the head waters of that
| IlHer. Tie President denied that orr govern
| meni had d right TO grant such a license and
tel inio such rage, that il preven,ed him
| from sprah ug, and he cOutentej himself with
| striking his het several times Oh the table,
| saying, gent enfn 'rr must hare this nan shot"
| ~ snch conduct OF the President l did not
! think much Of my life, for all the other menu
| bciS were terrified IN his presence and unwil-
| lID- TO resist INN, on the contrary were ready
| to d. any thing 10 please him. He (Ihe Cover.
| nor aud PreSdent) Talked much Of d big river
which was the bonndaty line between the two
| countries but dlt uOi know its ndme.-W hen
| mention was made OF the Mississippi he iump-
! ed up, saying that vas the river lie meant
! hat Spain had never coded the west side of
1 1 alA.L. L.. a. IL.