The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-12-23

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haye been the fact Il is not unfrequenty the tina
tyrants at sycophants shore. Men believed
temperate may be suddenly found ntemperae asis illus
trated IN the law case OF Copeland Us. the New England
Insurance Company already quoted; and insanity itself
must have beginning. Culprts have suffered on the
galiows whose regulations were sPoiess prior to the
commission oil the crimes which were expiated in their
blood; and consuls, like judges and ues must be gov
ened by the evidence before them, when that evidence
stands unimpeached, and is believed to be unimpeach-
able
The second and last case mentioned by the New York
memoriasls is that OF ae
1 The "Yyon"
The ship Xylon reached Rio Janeiro, bound for Cali
torna, in March last and on the 3oth Of that month
lengthy memorial signed and sworn TO by eighy-three
passengers presented to Consul Parks, representing
the outrages they had experienced at the hands Of Capt
Brown, and demanding an investigation into his conduct
OF the thityodd dispositions taken in this case is
thought unnecessary to give extracts from more than two
Dr. Il ii Ayrss surgeon Of the xylon testified before
| the consul as follows
Having PLACED on board Of The ship By be,
duties and obligations that me- and from the regard
90 ss
that the course OF by Capt Brown
suting and oppressive. that doubt, il he
suffered e pursue the voyage a. eomman , q me
sstance 10 oppression and resentment insult bold and
port OF destination therefore think the removal Of
Capt Brown is advisable and highly necessary and i'm
portant to all concerned" a44t ,#g #nHsa YfE
John ODonnell (who produced his authority to act as
agent Of the absent supercargo) testified as follows
II acting board the ship Xylon, in the capacity Of
from the eonduc, Of A. Brown. captain, am cohsain.
ed from sense OF duty, to request your interference To
axs @ IL saa sp e b
regard my own lie and the safety Of the large amount OF
naste and mates now on the ship as violent resistance
their inhuman conduct in my opinion Unavoidable
OF the treatment received by the passengers slight
idea may be formed by the selection OF instances 1t
by several dispositions that Mr. Pratt cabin pas
senger, became intoxicated quG sold TO him by one
Of the inferior officers of the ship Theeupon the cap
tain told Pratt he was "aways drunk, when the latter
rejoined by telling the former that he "hed and then
took place what related follows by the agent OF the
supercargo:
II John oDonnel, being duly the Holy Evan
gcss Of Almighty God, do testify that about the 9th
February saw Mr. Charles Pratt cabin passenger on
ship Xylon, struck and knocked down by Capt Brown,
and choked and put in irons After having put Mr. Pra,t
rons he caused him % be taken TO the cabn and while
Brown until he famed Mr. Pratt was then put in his
BERTH and kept there in irons Tor about wenyfour hours
By the following deposition 1t will be that the pas
sengers were compelled TO drink which had been
caught upon the decks when they covered with filth.
such soap hog manure, chicken dung SC, &C.,
there being at the same time, as is established by other
dispositions, an abundance Of pure water on board
Archer Hays Janeu testified that
There quantity Of rain water caught and put u
the hogheads when the decks were in the hest condi-
together with hog manure, chicken dung grease and filth
and 1h hs water s out e us %
This water produced violent darrh9i on several Of the
passengers"
move the OF the Xylon the application OF the
agent OF the supercago aud OF the confidential agent oil
the owners who was also surgeon OF the ship, without
regard TO the which gave rise to the application,
lDrObably does admit OF q deal oil doubt,
| In the second volume OF the Merchants Magazine,
February sio page l59 there is reported the case Of
the schooner Industry, which sailed from Quebec fos
Montego bay Al the latter place the supercargo dis
charged the master In suit for the recovery OF the
insurance, point made by the underwriters was, that
the supercargo had no right 10 discharge the original
master II by mutual consent referred 10 Chancellor
Kent Of New York, and Sir j. Campbell, the Queens
Attorney General, and the opinion given BY each was,
the owners OF the vessel, TO change the master.
But 10 leave room for doubt, Mr.. Parks entered
into thorough investigation OF the facts in the presence
OF the American minister from whom he received the
following advice:
"LKoArIos UsrTkD STATES,
I" Rio de Janero, April 2, 1919
"SR have as requested been present at aud parici
pated in OF the complaints OF the passen
gers Of the ship xylon agans. Captain Brown. and IN
you remove him from his command.
sensible that the power you are called upon to on.
ercse Ia this instance Is delicate aud calls Tor great
elaboration and sound discrimination Believing, as 1 do,
however, that the lives of those on boad would be put Ia
jeopardy III suffered proceed on
under tie command OF Captain Brown painful the task
may be to you TO remove him from his command, youv
fdsty, in my opinion, compels you 70 do 20.
| "RespccnnIy, your obedient servant, mon,
| tits unnecessary TO add that Brown was removed.
The passengers Of the Pacific and the Xyon not
from the pauper houses Of Europe They were not sent
abroad BY charitable societies them from star
vaiion their country from repleon in its popula-
ton. No; they were men whose highest glory was To
claim the title OF American citizens. They formed
poren OF the band who left their home, and all IFS ten
oil the Pacific The most OF them were OF the very bone
and snew OF the landpatrotc, energetic, and resolute
The ers OF the SOIL each profession and almost every
branch OF the mechanic and fine arts bad their represent
atves aboard those ships The passage money they had
paid in advance, and which gave them vested interest
in the ships until they reached their destination,
was sufficient TO purchase each farm in any Of the
States OF territories OF the West Few brought funds
with them from the United States, and probably most OF
them had exhausted their available means in procuring
their outfits and paying the very large sum required for
Scarcely had these free born citizens Of the United
States reached the high before they were treated as
degradation, threats, violence were beaped upon them
The passengers demonstrated, but in vain. The hall
owner OF the Pacific demonstrated, but In vain The sur
geoa OF the Xyon and the agent Of the supercago emon
sraied, but in vain The petty tyrant who had 20 long
enjoyed the privilege OF fogging and natreatng Their
ference between the sailor and the passenger when once
as they imagined, beyond the reach OF law The ships
reached Rio de Janeiro The passengers found them.
selves six thousand miles from home, and twice six thou
sand from their point OF destination They had thus far
withheld from resort to force and appeal to their
natural rights, in the hope Of having their grievances re-
dressed BY the consul Of the United States at Ro and
officer ~ had been