The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-08-14
From the N. Y. Times.
CONSUL TRIST.

From tae NJ. " Times.
CONSUL TRIsT.
Pursuant TO notice, one OF The largest and most re.
spectacle meetings OF shpmasiers ever assembled In
this city, met on Thursday evening, at the Second
Ward Hotel, for the purpose Of consultation, and OF
Trist, and the shipmasters aud seamen abandoned
and oppressed BY the said consul at Havana.
Captain Edward Rossiter was called TO the Chair;
Captains }. Hilman, Henry Russell, and Jas w.
Low, were appointed yice-Presidenis; and Cap
tains s. Glover and B, Richie were appointed Sc
crelaries.
The objects of the meeting being stated by the
President, Captain Rossiier, the following preamble
and resolutions weie offered by Captain s. Z. Clio
yer:
Whereas, II is the bounden duty Of every United
States ministerial or consular agent abroad and es-
peciay the peculiar province OF consuls and eonsu-
lar agents, yiganily TO watch over and carefully to
protect and guard the interests Of American CON-
merce and seamen from foreign aggression, as well
as 10 prevent harsh treatn emf OF crews by shpmas-
iers and to put down and punish mutinous insurrec-
Mons, or other difficulties occurring board of all
vessels IN foreign ports: And whereas such auihen-
Tic iacs have been presented this meeting as prove
eonclusiyey that Nicholas r. Iris, the consul at
havana, has been guilty OF secretly melting the
spanish authorities 10 the unlawful condemnation
and imprisonment OF American captains and sea
men ior alleged and aHfonnded offences produced by
him against them and, when circumstances were
presented 70 the said 1ria against his high handed
cS in Dy oas hundred and fttyfre respectable
snipmasiefs and citizens of Havana, comprising
nearly all that reside there and that the said remon
STRANGE, when laid before him by Commander Rah.
OIL, OF uniled States sloop Of war Boston, then in
pon ne, .ne sara consul treated the with con-
empluous scorn, and SO misrepresented his proceed
ings, as fully to establish, by his own admissions
the truth Of his admissions against him. Therefore
be II
Resolved, as the sense of this meeting, That the
m mt nffh a r.sI fDr.at Il {.
cal, unlawful. and unjust, and highly injurious and
offensive TO our profession,
Resolved, That the proceedings Of the said Con-
sui, IN encouraging the Spanish authorities to bring
% uhiawiui trial, on exaggerated charges The crew
OF the American ship /" Hliliam Eags" and causing
them 10 be condemned without counsel or trial by
Jury, and sentenced like common feons t. chains
and hard labor, in breaking stones under Spanish
task masters is enough TO stamp the name OF Trist
with infar0y and TO prove him totally unworthy 10
hold his high and, what ought 10 be, honorable sta
ton.
Resolved, That the tyrannical, illegal, and unjust
Imprisonment Of Captain Abraham Wendell IT.. of
The brig kremin, Of this port, during protracted
period OF hye months. and his continuance under
bonds for an additional period of three months on
the false accusations brought by said Trist against
Captain Wendell in the Spanish Courts. and which
he failed in any instance 10 sustain is another evil
dence OF the tyrannica and malignant spirit of per-
secuion which has constantly marked The conduct
Resolved, That in our opinion, the letter which
has been subsequently, written BY said Trist and re-
Gently published in The New Orleans Courier and
subsequently in the Globe and other papers
ing the interference Of Commander Rabbit, and in
which letter, he the said Trist denounced his aeon
sers, meaning thereby nearly all Americans in Ha.
vana, as a set Of the vilest and most notorious
wreches," as dirty, sneaking knaves,n and g. cha.
racters Of the deepest nfamy," is by the gross and
oill,ngsgate ePilhes i employs corroborave proof
III r,..t, H.. L. -.
siye evidence that he Is unfit for The digniGed oee
he dsgraces as he Is destitute Of the feelings OF an
American, and unworthy the name OF a gentleman.
Resolved, That the confession made BY him in
the said letter that he had been convinc ed that the
| captain of the VIM. Engs" should have been made
10 break stones in place Of his crew is an additional
proof of his guilt in forcing that crew 10 prison
through the agency Of the Spanish tribnnals-show-
ing also, when too late, mean attempt at suber-
fuge, and to win over al the expense Of base and
uDfounded aspersion upon the captain-the good
opinion Of the crew upoa whom he had been in
strumental in the commission OF most hagrant
outrage.
Resolved, That the calumnious nsinuaions
thrown out in the aforesaid letter Of the said Tria
upon the American shipmasters and residents Of Fla
vana, that he could have bought their good opinion
with dinners and other couriesies Is worthy Of the
author who uttered IT, as no other individual but one
possessing his hostile feelings towards his country
men. could have measured The integrity and inde-
peDQenCe OF American ClllZenS Dy Standard SOr-
did and corruptble.
Resolved. That the great body Of Americans
shinmasters and citizens Of Havana, whose names
were attached TO the memorial presented to CAPITA in
Rabbit well as the names Of those who attend this
meeting ding back these reproachful expressions Of
Consul Trst, and warn him to clear up his charac-
ter FIRST and especially the charges embraced in the
documents printed by the British minister, incnl-
pating the aforesaid Trst, as participant in the
slave trade, before he has the efrontery to accuse
others Of being bIbed by the courtesies any other
favor he can bestow.
Resolved, That we respectfully urge ,,pon the
seamen and shipmasers Of every city in the Union,
to cooperate in the adoption Of such measures as
may bring to speedy recall the aforesaid Nicholas
P. Tris for his oppression illegal and violent out
RACES upon American citizens, that he may be sum
moned to trial 10 atone for conduct which is only
disgraceful 10 him ndiridaal, but is dishonor-
able TO our country in foreign land.
Resolved, That memorial be presented to the
proper authorities for the removal Of the aforesaid
Consul Trst, and that committee be appointed to
prepare and superinlend the same :--whereupon the
following captains were appointed upon said CON-
miltee: Captains Hilman, Russell, Low, R. Z.
Glover, Atkins; and Captains S. E. Glover and
Richie as secretaries.
Resolved, That the unblushns attempt Of The said
consul TO vndicate himself and to challenge his ac-
cusers to the pr0of while he reerates offensive cpl
,hets upon the heads Of respectable American ship
masters and citizens residing IN or trading to aa-
yana Is another additional evidence of the effect Of
the intoxcalion Of Office upon the mind of person,
whose recreant conduct proves him to be BY nature
prone to acts of the most lagitious description
Resolved, That In consideration of the extreme
severity and harsh treatment received by Captain
Wendell at the bands Of the aforesaid Trisi, and in
consequence OF the suferings and privat'ons expe-
renced during his confinement, bya numerous fami-
". consisting Of a wife and FIVE daughters, we do
cheerfuly agree 10 raise fund t. sustain Captain
Wendell in civil suit in the Courts Of the United
States against the said Consul Tris and we do
therefore recommend that subscription papers be
opened for this purpose.
Resolved, That the proceedings OF the meeting be
signed by the President, Vice Presidents and Secre-
,aries of this meeting and that all the papers in the
city be and they hereby requested TO publish the
same.
Capt. EDWARD ROsSITER, President