Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-04-08
OUTRAGE ON THE AMERICAN FLAG
HAVANA,

=
AT HAVANA.
The New York Mercantile ddUerts
ser contains ,he following OF
Capt. Harper. Of the brig Altoona.
On the l4,h Of February arrived at
the port of Havana, on a voyage from
this port, in the brig Altoona uuder my
command, with an assorted cargo ad.
dressed 20 suudries: after hand NJ
in my manifest Of cargo, my vessel
was slezed by the Comm ss'ooers OF
the Cu.,ons, on suspicion Of my having
on board merchs ndise not entered on
nv manifest, and was accordingly haul
eli up to the wharf and discharged
However far the Information Ted,
whereupoD these commissioners may
have grounded their suspicious, or the
laws of the land authorised their pro-
ceeding, neither the ono nor the other
could, in justice, SANCTION or protect
them IN the wilful and designed des-
truct,on of my properly, theft OF cargo,
and psrsonal abuse that was commsn'
ced, countsnenred, & encouraged the
matches OF my vessel we're broken open
by crowbars, the cargo torn out o. the
hold and nauted Upon the wharf with.
ont regard 10 package or contenis, ana
all my circumstances only encouraged
their wanton AMI unlawful conuuct i.
neither my mate nor myself had the
,eas, control over The ship or crew, ano
our supp.cati"ns we're in vain, ano nav
ia2 40 representative OF my country 20
apply 70 for redress, ! had to suffer IN
s:lence The lsboring meu employed
by the CON missioner, robbed col ieo
los. beef, 4 hams I Dbl cider. ] dozen
do. / do p,r,er ! Dbl. corn, busne' Q
mons, ) D bis. potatoes, and suDdry ''h'
ar articles / wili not say whether the
..obery vas e, "a nir,ed Oy the inheren
ri.e 4 the ! buurers, or at the ibstiga-
tlon Of the commj ,sioners the one IL e.
aually as probable A. the other lnde-
oenden of this, have sunk large
proportion of ny outward freight, IN
consequence of broseo packages and
damaged eoutents. from the ugh man-
ner IN which ny cargo was delivered
and received oy tins lawful commits
siou, at the heso Of which ranks Don
Fernando Basrazeluee, of The highly
respesta BILE frm Of Bar aze!uce & Man
COCOA. The later gentleman ! know
nothing Of, %, the former l consider a
base wretch; spd l feel 1t duty l owe
to myself aud coun'rymen to STATE that
I consider him unworthy the friendship,
projection or couDtenan"e Of every he.
nest man. attribute he whole of my
disastrous voyage to TINS unPr'"eiPied
fellow. My cargo was discharged and
with the exception Of he articles that
were robbed from me, corrcsponded In
marks and numbers with my orisinsl
.,anifest; bu, it appeared, on inspection
of z tierces, manifested "beans." tina!
they contsined amongst the beans. snme
shoes. This was case exclusively at-
taohed 70 thai article; a master Of q YES.
sel sigus his billie of lsdiEg '.con,ents
unknowD:" the tierces did no suspect.
l delivered the package agreesbly to
my manifest, for which ] had signed
bills Of lading. & the savage treatment
| have received urges the to make the
circumstance known 10 the world
Since l have been ready for sea have
been detained in consequence OF this
fellow, Barrszeluce, for nine days, and
incurred an expense Of upwards Of three
hundred dollars. independent Of The
expenses OF my vessel, which may be
counted $50 more. No whore but
in the Havona would such thing
have been permi ed-n where else
could such cruel UGH villa no 3 con.
due, be countenareed, and 'n,il the
government of ,hs United States has an
A gent in that country, acknowledged
by the public authorities to protect
the righ,s and honor Of her citizens, A
mericaos and American commerce will
always be abused.