Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-10-04

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claims wholly inadmissable, OH account Of
remuneration Cor his services, and to Sc
cure their acquit.al, detained the Eugenia
for two or three days. In consequence Of
the energetic remonstrances OF M. Laval
lee; and the honorable Intervention Of the
consul Of the United States at Vera Cruz,
Commander Carpenter desisted from his
pretensions." Mr. Poussin proceeded TO
say that the minister Of foreign affairs Of
France requested him to address 10 the
cabinet at Washington the most serious
observations on the abuse Of authority COM
mi,ted BY this officer, in illegally OBTAINING
the ship Eugene. lie concluded his
note with the following remark: "Yon
will easily comprehend Mr. Secretary Of
State, how important il is that such oc-
cnrrences should not be repeated, and that
severe blame, a, least, should he laid on
those who thus considered themselves EN-
powered to substitute arbitrary measures
Tor Justice; and doub, not that you will,
without delay, give satisfaction to the just
complaints OF the French Republic"
This note, unaccompanied as it was by
any testimony to justify the charge against
Commander Carpenter, was promptly re-
ferred TO the Navy Department, for the
purpose Of ascertairing the facts on which
his condemnation was demanded. On the
Oath May the Secretary of the Navy, in
reply, transmitted to this Department all
the evidence in his possession, which
consisted only Of two letters from Com
mander Carpenter himself, dated the one
New Orleans, the 10Th November, l84S;
the other New York, the 18th May, l849.
In the absence Of any evidence Of conflict
ing facts, the President thought that the
character Of that officer made il incumbent
OH him to submit. TO the French minister
the explanation evenly Commander Car
pender, and 10 express, at the same time,
the hope ''that they would remove any
misapprehension which might exist on the
part OF the French Government relative to
his conduct on the occasion in question:
This note was respectful to the minister.
The explanation which accompanied it
showed that the commander, seeing the
French barque Eugene and her crew in
imminent peril, high up on the rocks at
Anton Lizardo, and being appealed to for
succor, fastened to her assistance, with
sea,nen from the Iris !; and that the captain
Of the French bark gave up the charge OF
his vessel on the reef, in order that the
American officer might take the command,
10 save her. AT a moment when nor
Their, SO formidable TO seamen on that coast,
was expected, the American commander
Iabored all night with his sailors, got the
French bark off the rock, and anchored
her in safety alongside the Iris. The COM
mander asked for compensation, in the ma
ture Of salvage, for his men who had saw
ed the bark and her crew from destruc-
ton. He was entitled TO compensation.
SO it was decided by Mr. Clifford, our
minister to Mexico, (late Attorney Gene
raj of the United S,ates, when the mat
ter was referred to him. Such also, we
understand, is the opinion Of Mr. johnson,
our present Attorney General. But al.
thong he asked and expected to receive
salvage, yet Ito use his own words,)
"rhir,y hours having elapsed without re-
ceiving an answer, he had already resolv-
ed to let the captain resume the charge oil
her, when he received note from the
consignee saying he could not act in the
matter, as the vessel was not yet in port;
and at the same moment, the captain Of
the Eugene coming on board, he returned
the vessel TO him" Ii was under these
circumstances that Mr. Poussin wrote
,he note of the 30lh Of May last, which
follows:
LEGATION OF FRANCS,
WAsHINGroN, May 80, l849,
Sir: received on the 18th of May the
note which you did me the honor TO adj
dress to me on the same day, in answer to
mine calling upon the Government Of the
United States TO disavow the conduct OF
Commander Carpenter, of the American
steamship Iris, towards the French ship
Eugene, of Havre, which had run upon
the bank of Rso: near the anchorage of
Anton Lizardo.
The explanations given by Commander
Carpenter are not of nature, Mr. Secre-
terry of State, such as to dispel the discon-
tent which his proceedings have caused to
my Government.
He considered, as he says, and lie still
considers, that the case was one Of SAL
wage; tina, the rights acquired Ivy him as
the saver Of the vessel saved, empowered
him TO keep possession Of her until his
extravagant pre,ensions were fully sat-
isted; but his opinions have little interest
in our eyes, when we have occasion TO
condemn his conduct.
call on the Cabinet at Washington, Mr.
Secretary Of State, in The name Of the
French Government, TO address severe
reproof to that officer of the American
navy, in order that the error which he
has committed, on point invoking the
dignity Of your national marine, might not
be repeated hereafter.
From your answer, Mr. secretary Of
State, am unfortunately induced TO be-
lieve that your Government subscribcs to
the strange doctrine protessed 10y Com
mandDr Carpenter, ofthe war steamer Iris;
and have only to protest, in the name Of
my Government, agains, these doctrines.
| have the honor to be, with distin-
guished consideration, your most obedient
servant, GuILLAuME TELL PoussIS.
y