Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-12-27

ther myself nor my legal advisers had been con-
suited for proper defence. | sent this to the
president of the military commission that night,
who refused to receive it, saying that it could only
be admitted by the Captain General. The Anne
rican Consul, Mr.. Owen, soon as informed of
this proceeded to the palace and protested against
sentence being pronounced, as | had not been
heard in defence. In the morning my nominal de-
fender came to my prison to inform me that he
had been allowed by the court only twenty -four
hours to prepare my defence; that he had been
occupied till that moment examining the proceed
ings, which are voluminous, and that within an
hour he must return them to the fiscal. On the
18th was taken before court martial, compris-
ed of a Brigadier General and six officers of the
army. The testimony and ndNproceedings were read
before was brought into court, which is contrary
to law and to custom; and when brought III | was
asked what [ had to say to the charges against
me. / replied that | had not been furnished with
a copy of the charges-that had been denied ac-
cess to the proceedings and testimony-that my
nominal defender had neither consulted with me
nor my counsel, and that l asked that my
protest and petition for stay of proceedings should
be admitted [ was told by the president of the
court that it should be considered. was remand
ed to my dungeon, and heard nothing more of the
proceedings until to-day, when l have been for
mallY notified that [ have been sentenced to egh
years labor in chains at Centa in Africa, with pay
ment of costs.
1t is unnecessary for me to enlarge upon the i'm
propriety of bringing me before court martial II
a time of profound peace ; on the injustice Of
sentencing me without a hearing on the uttel
contempt of international law, civil rights anc
treaty stipulations in my trial, upon the wllfu
disregard in the manner of proceeding of the con
stution and rules of the very court which assumed
jurisdiction over me without right, has tried M
without a crime, and has sentenced me without de
fence.
The Government that has the power and th,
will to commit these acts is beyond the reach o
reason, and my only resource is to appeal to thu
physica power of our own Government for tha
protection which its moral power has not beer
able to extend over me, and 70 ask from my fellow
countrymen such countenance as will encourag
the Executive in the manifestation of frmness ant
carry some appreciation of national rights and ma
/ tional duties to the hearts of the unscrupulou
rulers of Cuba.
solemnly affirm that l have never had an
connection with the parties which have invad
ed this island, and that the only grounds for ha
tired to me on the part of the Government and Span
ish portion of the population here, that | an
an American that | refused to ablure my nation
ality one year since when required by this Govern
ment to do so or TO abandon the business | wa
engaged in; that | succored, so far as was able
those of my unfortunate countrymen who wer
captives here and that in the court [ had the in
dependent spirit (they call it audacity) to rely up
on my innocence and my rights as an American
citizen.
Having been denied justice, now ask at tn
hands of the American Government and the Amer
lean people that liberty of which | am iniquitous
! " deprived. All the horrors of the Spanish ga
leys arc before me, and my only hopes are in th
sympathies of my countrymen and the prompt ac
ton of our National Government.
Il J. S. THRASHER.