The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-08-26


coast, ''and was requested 10 ask of the CAP
8 TAIN GENERAL an order to visit the prisoners,
: that he might know what to communicate to
: their friends and to whom; but he declined
this act of humanity Oh the ground that II was
not his duty. He, however, consented to
write note, which was OF course unattended
: to, when his personal demand would have been
: respected" correspondent Of the New
York Herald gives substantially the same state
ment He says that Mr.. OWEN was called
upon by an American gentleman resident IN
Havana, to ascertain whether or not he had
made an effort to see those Of his countrymen
who were to be shot, and that Mr.. OWEN took
the ground that they had been declared outlaws
by Mr. FILLMORE, and that he should not In
terfere. He further states that, after some
conversation, Mr.. OWEN concluded that he
would write to the CAPTAIN GENERAL, request
ing an interview, and he wrote accordingly;
but had received no answer some hours after
the execution.
In the absence Of the public knowledge OF
any interview alleged to have been held with
the CAPTAIN GENERAL, by our consul or OF any
interference on his part to postpone the fate OF
the prisoners, or to procure deliberate trial OF
their offence, these statements of the anony-
nous correspondents of the Herald and Tribune
will probably be received as substantially accu-
rate We observe that they have been adopted
and acted upon by the recent meeting OF sym
pathizers in the Park, of New York., who
passed among other the following resolutions:
"Resolred, That the conduct of MIR. A. f. Owen,
{ the American consul Mt Havana, was dastardly
and heartless in the extreme, and unworthy of
9 the American character, and that it meets the
lust indi gnaton Of the whole country and that of
the civilized world.
"Resolued, That it is the duty of the American
Government TO recall Mr.. Owen from the office
which he has SO shamefully disgraced, and that
his place be at once filled by more suitable
preventative of the American character and the
American people"
If the statements Of the Tribune and Herald
are accurate, it would indeed appear that Mr..
OWEN had interpreted his duty altogether too
narrowly We should suppose that any Anne
rican citizen of consideration, who happened TO
be in a foreign port under such circumstances,
in the absence of diplomatic agent, would
have sought the interview which 1t is alleged
that Mr. OWEN declined. Common human
ity-mere pity for the unfortunate men whose
offences had brought them into the miserable
situation of these prisoners-would have in
duced him at least to make the experiment
upon the humanity of the CAPTAIN GENERAL.
But as a consul of the United States, with
official though not diplomatic powers, it be-
came his duty TO intercede promptly and
vigorously for permission TO visit these pris-
oners, to learn their own story from their
own lips, to insist upon fair trial for their al
legged crimes, and to act as their counsel, pro-
tecor, and friend in the sad extremties to
which they were reduced. There would
have been nothing, certainly, in such conduct
inconsistent with Mr.. OVENS duties as Anne
rican consul True it is that the PRESIDENT
in his proclamation of April, denounced the
crime with which these men were charged as an
adventure of robbery and plumber; but it was not
the part of any American functionary to assume
that they were guilty because they were ac-
cused or at all events to omit to see and advise
with them, and to bear their last dying mes
sages to thea countrymen and friends.
| . But we must claim for Mr.. OWEN the same
consideration which is claimed for the executed
captives. We object to his condemnation with
out hearing. Nothing is officially known
that tends to implicate him in any neglect of
his official duty. The charge against him rests
on no responsible authority. He is probably
able to explain his acts, or his omission to act,
to the satisfaction of his country. Let us wait
for his own explanations of his conduct, before
we find him guilty of want of energy, or of
insensibility to the calls of humanity.