The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-12-17
oI1rnIr;E on TYE pa5MErHEu.

this subject few days ago. Since that time,
we have been placed in possession OF the ''h ""
ing letter from Henry Churchill, Captain u
III, steamer pronethcus which we have
no doubt gives an accurate statement Oh Tic ."
cumstances as they occurred.
This is perhaps one Of the most bold, iiagrant
and unjustiiable assaults upon the An'ercan
flag, in time Of profound peace and without
any apparcnt cause, which has ever diSsraced
the British service If the circumstances are
as stated by Capt. Churchill, the conduct OF tif
British Naval officer was disgraceiul base ana
cowarlly, and it is to be deeply regretted, 'ha'
there had not happened along there, about til
time of this ditficulty,an American nan-of-war'
and severely chas.ised the insoence OF tins
officer Ifsuch wanton outragcs upon all law,
treaty stipulations, dccency and common couf
| tcsy, arc allowed to pass unnot'ccd and unfc-
| bnkcd, the American, flag winch is the only pr"
T., ton the American citizen has when in for
eiyn port, or on the high seas, can be no longer
regarded as imparting TO the citizen any 'ccur'-
tv He NAV have ten thousand flags Heating
I
the utter vanity and imbccility of a government
which deals in rags as both the symbol and the
substance of a principle. The slircst guarantee
| for nations peace, is never 10 be backward IN
punishing wrongs inflicted upon it by other ma
tons. To submit quietly to one wrong is to
rive license for the commission of another,
and to encourage the violence of oppression =
To neglect to seek redress until after endurance
has became absolutely insuffcrabl", only stimu
lates the opprcssor to still further and more fln
grant acts of injustice, until finally anations lib
critics are violentlyw rested from it.
| This high handed usurpation of power was Tic
doubt the result of bare knon!edge, that an
order had been issued from the British and
French Governments for portion of their yes
sells of war to cruise on our southern coast, and
examine American vessels leaving ports of tho
United States, under the pretcxt Of protection tt
Cuba. This seems to be the most natural in
ference we can draw.
! But Whatever might have been the motive fo
this officers conduct, it is plain, that cithel
through Ignorance or impudcncc, he transendet
all bounds of propricty, justice and law, ant
should be punished severely for his rashness.
lit proper satisfaction be speedily demanded
The letter of Capt Churchill here follows
STEAMSHIP PHoMErHsCs,
S,S JUAN, Friday, Nov q. 1851.
In order to correct any misstatcmcnt that
may be made Of the circumstances If the
English hriy Of war Express firm. into thcProm
/ rthcns, beg nf ynn to give the following state
mcnt mn insertion in yonr paper:
i At2P. ~. proceeded to get my ship nndel
weigh 70 proceed to sea, having but Just recc;v.
e the last ofour passengers from the Pacific
steamer, numbering in all about 800. At this
moment the city authorities Of Grcytown, con.
s'i:ntcd, as they stated, by the authority Of the
| Mnsketo king, came on board the ship with .
police fnrcr, AVID served process of attachments
on the ship and myself for the amount Of $l23
claimed by the authorities for present and arc
arare port dues charged on the ship. which We
supposed to be illegally demanded, and had
consequently refused to pay them, as did in
the present instance,
The port dues are made up from the weigh
of anchorage in the harbor, Captain of the
Ports fees and pl"ta.r @
hove up my anchor and dropped down the
harbor with the current, heaving alongside one
of the river steamers, receiving from her the
haycasc Of the passengers. The English brig
of war laying a slr, distance from us, immcdia-
{ " got undciw 'i.h ma e 81 for Us, and when
within quarter o: mile from us, fired a round
shot over our fnrecastl,, not clearing the wheel
| house over ton feet. In n few nomenst anoth
or shot was fired, which passed over the sterr
so near that the f,rce of the ball was distinctly
felt by several Of the passengers. 1 sent boat
on board the brig 10 inquire the cause OF the
firing into u.s.. ea ~
The Captain stated it was to protect thy
authorities Of Grcytown in their demands; and
| it we did not Immediately anchor he would fire
n bomb shell into us, and ordered his guns load
cd with grape and canister shot; at the same
time, our small steamer left us, and proceeded
under steam hack to our anchorage, and anchor
ed. The brig stood up the harbor, and anchor
ed very near us; sent boat on board of us will
orders that our fires should be put out, and that
an officer would he sent to that the fires
were extingu,slncd. The shore authorities ther
came on board, and, under the circumstances O
the c,se the amount demanded was paid under
protest, and We were permitted to proceed to sea
by the Captain of the brig.
1 Respectfully, vonr obcdirnt srrvant
| HENRY CHURCHlLL,9
| Captain Of Steamship Prometheus.