Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-11-29
The Case of MIR. Thrasher

The telegraph announces the trial and con-
vction of Mr.. Thrasher, on charge Of high
treason against the Spanish Government. 1t
also informs US that Mr. Owen, the U. s.
Consul at Havana, appeared in his behalf. 1t
states that the sentence pronounced against
Mr.. Thrasher was eight years condemnation
to the chain gang in Spain.
Judging from the lights before US, Mr..
Thrasher's trial and condemnation appear to
be mockery-a farce got up and enacted to
satisfy the requirements of the treaty of '95.
If there is not enough known to form correct
Judgment of the dealings of the Spanish au-
thorities in this case, the fault is with a Gov
ernment which conceals its proceedings from
the knowledge of the world, and suffered its
prisoner to languish in a dungeon in ignorance
of the cause of his arrest or the crime imputed
to him.
The case. as presented, is this: Mr.. Thrash
er was arrested and confined for some
hidden cause. He was locked up for more
than month in close, damp and noxious
dungeon !; during all of which time neither he
nor his friends were informed of the crime
charged against him.
The next we hear of him, he has been con-
victed of high treason and condemned to an ig
nominious punishment and that the U. 5.
Consul appeared in his behalf. 1t is not un-
derstood that time was allowed him, or oppor-
tunities granted him to bring forward evidence
in justification of his conduct, or in refutaton
of the witnesses against him. The Govern
ment took ample time, and employed abundant
means to have him accused but whilst these
preparations were going on against him, he
was a close prisoner, and himself and friends
studiously excluded from all knowledge of his
imputed offence and the nature of the proof
by which they were to be substantiated. This,
we contend, was gross violation OF the treaty
of 1895, a mere mockery Of law.
No man, however innocent, can escape con-
demnation, where any one is interested in his
removal, if he is to be arrested upon secret in
formation, and kept in close confinement un-
til brought forth to be arraigned and condemn
ed. No time was allowed him to prepare his
defence no opportunity to rebut evidence
none to explain his conduct, and none to weigh
the circumstances and proofs upon which the
Government relied to produce conviction.
Everything that has yet transpired combines to
stigmatize the proceedings in this case as in
uusitorial, arbitrary and in defiance of treaty
Obligations.
The next arrival from Havana may throw
some light upon this mysterious transaction.
But it should be remembered that the Govern
ment will permit nothing to appear in the pub
lie press in MIR. Thrashers behalf. We can
get nothing from that source which is not to
the taste and in justification Of the authorities
which condemned him. 1t is only through
private channels his justification will ever be
made known. All the avenues of public light
are closed to him. And such is the espionage
of the Cuban rulers that even his personal
friends may be indsposed to risk a similar
fate by volunteering anything in his behalf.
Up to the last dates from Washington, no CON-
plant had been laid before his own Govern
ment in his behalf. The American Cabinet
had no official knowledge of his arrest, or the
causes which led to it. Whatever was done
was undertaken upon the rumors of the day
There has been gross derclietion or deception
somewhere and the mortifcatien at the suspi-
cion that there should be any want of inter.
est manifested for him by the representative Of
his Government in Havana, is aggravated by
the fear that he may have fallen victim to
this Indifference If then the Spanish Govern.
ment desires to revive filibusterism in this
country, it is pursuing the most effective sys
tenn of propagandism it could adopt.