Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-06-29
The American Prisoner i'm
Havana.

BY the arrival At New Orleans last Monday
the steamer Falcon, some further, hut not MOI
definite, teRs, has been received from Havan.
relative to those unfortunate men. They wer
still in close confinement. The correspondent
Of the Picayune, under date Of the 10th June
says:
"RApmor says that the Consul yesterday de
manded from the Spanish Government the ship
and n1en, and met a fiat refusal. If so, the I'D
vices thereof has gone last evening per steame
Isabel, to Charleston, and will be in Washing
ton on Saturday morning."
Now, the steamer Georgia arrived in Havans
the day before, and it ia presumed that such q
demand by MI. Campbell, our Consul, after re-
peatediy being refused to speak with, or to see
the prisoners, was done through instructions
from this Government. The apswe that he
received, was immediately transmitted by the
Isabel via Charleston, to Washington, and ere
this Gen. Taylor has taken a stand in the mat
ter that will doubtless meet the views of every
patriotic and feeling citizen throughout the
Union. We await his action upon this intelii-
gence with the greatest interest and we feel
perfectly assured that we speak with truth
when we assert that his warmest friends, as
we'll as his dires, opponents, will uphold him in
nothing less than q direct demand Of the prison
ers at the cannon's mouth. Hard thoughts
among friends, and hard words among enemies,
have already been INDUCED in towards the old
chief, for the manner in which he has conducted
the affairs Of this Government in connection
with Cuba, and those who went to revolution
ize her. Some thought it an unprecedented
act, sending our men-of-war into Spanish wa
tens to intercept suspicious vessels, or those
containing troops or munitions Of war for the
purpose above expressed; and ~latterly, his
course is decidedly condemned for drawing off
from Cuba, at this particular ~juncture of affairs,
every one of our vessels of wal.
We must admit, with candor, that such acts
are not calculated to enhance the popularity of
the old General; Notwithstanding, we are firm
in the belief that he knocs ,chat he is about, and
that he will yet shine as brilliantly as a meteor
in this dark and ugly business. He has mani
tested to Spain, to the world, and to his pas
sionate and impulsive countrymen, that he is
determined to exert every legal measure, even
to the length Of going beyond it, to preserve
the peace Of this country, and to keep sacred
the honor of its treaties. From this principle
our feet was ordered to the coast of Cuba
We can now readily perceive a plausible mo-
why he suddenly Withdrew that fleet from
it, waters, at q time when American honor and
were at stake. That motive was doubt
less this-As President of the United States,
he had a grave demand to make of Spain thro'
the Captain General of Cuba, which was to lib
American freeman, taken upon the seas,
and confined in her dungeons. Gen. Taylor is
3 sensitive and . feeling man, and his whole
character as = military leader has proved his
to brayado in any form, audit is through
this principle that we believe that our men-of-
war was ordered of, that Gen. Campbell should
make ths demand be was directed TO do, With
in sight to strengthen that demand,
but the stars and stripes that waved above his
residence! That demand has been made, and
the fiat refusal has been thrown into our teeth,
and before the world. . p
We care not on whist grounds that refusal
was made-whether the Captain General done
it upon his own authority whether he wiahed
to show 10 the Spanish Minister At Washington
that he disregarded his authority OF views in
this matter-whether he chose to refer the mat
VI TO the Queen of Spain, Or whether he was
bolstsrsd up with the impression that the Ma
rins General had = right to try the prisoners as
snd that thst trial must inevitably take
ray, We care not for any or .all of
these excuses or reasons for refusing to relin-
quish the prisoners into the hands Of this Gov
eminent, It il enough that the refusal has been
made after . formal demand, and no longer
delay or procrastination on the part Of the Prs
sidsnt will Be expected BY the people of this
country. They. can well see the meaning Of
delays Of excuses on the part Of the Cuban au-
thorities, when tho yellow fsyer is already de-
cimating Eve understand) the poor fellows who
lay in irons in her tyrant huiks. Afraid openly
apply the garote, they yet will effect the same
in Z mildsr way. BY the time that Ill these
rules and formalities are complied with, death
will hnve fnishad h;a task and tha laaf nf fhn