The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-04-16

Outrage on the .7mefican Flag al Huranna.
The New York Mercantile Advertiser
contains the following statement oi CAPT.
Harper, Of the brig Abpona
On the l+lA of February arrived THE
port OF HAVANA, on voyage from tins
port, IN the brig Altoona under my com.
mand, with An assorted cargo add essrd 10
Sundries. After handing in ny manifest vi
cargo AS the law directs, my vessel was
seized by the Commissioners of the Gus
TOMS, on suspicion of my having on board
merchandise not entered on my manifest,
and was accordingly hauled ny TO the
wharf and discharged. However far tue
Information led wh.reupon TIT sp Cnm-
missloners may have grounded their sns.
piclons, or the laws of the land authorised
their proceedings, ither the one or the
other could IN Justice, sanction or protect
them IN the wiful and designed destruction
at my property, theft of cargo and person.
Al ahlf"' that was commenced. cOnntenan'
ced and encouraged the matches of my
vessel were broken open by -crow-bars, the
cargo torn out Of the hold aud hauled upon
the wharf without regard to package Orl
contents, and all my remonstrances only
duct neither my mate nor myself had the /
least control over the ship or crew, and on
suprlicailons were in vain. and having mol
representative of my country To apply io1
for redress, had IL sufr in silence. The 4
laboring men employed by the comms'
sioners, robbed rnc of 80 lbs beef, hams
barrel cider, dnz. do. ! do porter, bh''
corn. 4 bnshel onions, 8 bhis. potatoes, anu
snndi y Other articles. will not say whe
Their the robbery WAS committed by the III
hrrent vice of the laborers, or Al the lns'l'
CATION of the commissioners the one
equally rs probable as the other. lnde
pendent Of al this, ihave sunk cons'dera
bic portion of my outward freight, ~ con
sequence of broken packages and danIetn
contents, from :he rough manner ID VIZ
my cargo WAS delivered and receh'u
this unlawful commission, at The n'"u
which ranks Don Fernando B rra2e'"'t' v
the highly respectable firm oil barfd" ~
and Mang0o "A. The latter gfni'eh'"
know nothing Of bnt the former COZ stu,
a base wretch, and feel il duty o"'
myself and cnuntrymen 10 state iha'
slder him unworthy the friendship N"'
tiun nr counter, nee of every h"n'S' w
attribute the hole of my disastrous ".
oSe to this unprntiplrd fellow. MY '",s
was discharged, and with the rXc'p''on
the articles that were robbed rom I ~"
correspond, in marks and numbers WV,
my original manifest, hut it appearFu
inspectiun of 7 tierces manifested p" n,""
that they contained amongst the
some shoes. This was u case rxe'a''
attached to that article II master al ~.
sci signs his bills Of lading "r"ld''''
known :" the tirrces did not sup"
delivered the parkage agretah'y II, "n. =,
| manifest, Tor " hich | had slgnrd o'"
lading, aud The savage treatment nav nav,
cei,ed urges me to make the clrc'iln''
known to the world. -Sincr hdn "'
ready for sea have Teen detained III
| sequence Of this fellow Barraz 'e'
nine days and incurred an expense ~ ~
wards of three hundred dullars. n"' '.
| dent Of the expenses of my vessel W."
| may he counted $40 more. No ""
but IN thu Havana would such u thing