Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-12-13
I Mr. Derrick; to Commodore Parz;er.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,


WASHINGTON AUGUST 90, 1851
SIR: This Department has been officially informed by
the Consul of the United States Havana that fifty
sons taken from boats off the of Cuba were brought
that CITY the nigh of the 10Th instant and were the
nextmornng tried and shit Information derived from other
renders it probable that many of them citi
of the United States This is sufficient to warrant
and require immediate Inquiry into the facts and cir
cunstances attending summary and sangunary pun
ishment The President consequently directs that you
will proceed at to Havana the vessel under your
command On arriving there youwi obtain an audience
of the Governor and Captain General of Cuba, and will
then express him the regret of Ae President that the
persons referred should have been deemed guilty of
offence requiring in the Judgment Of the Spanish author
ties, SO severe punishment. You viii also inform him
that it is expected that if citizens Of the United States
among the persons shot, the offence with which they
charged satisfactorily proved You will accord
ngy request of him copy of the proceedings of the
which sentenced the prisoners It is presumed that
those proceedings will show the Of the accused the
countries where they were bon to which they owed
allegiance; the position of the boats the time when
they captured; the they were taking, and
whether the persons board of them armed. If
however, these facts should not be stated you should
not obtain copy of the proceedings you will endeavor to
ascertain the same facts from other sources.
Mr. Owen also apprzes the Department that the United
States mail steamer Falcon, Lieut. Rogers commanding
vas several times fired by Spanish steamer, and
boarded her last voyage from Chagres to Havana Al
hough the Captain General expressed regret for this
currence and promised that it should not be repeated it
seems somewhat doubtful whether the captain Of the
steamer not obeyng the orders of some supe
rior officer in the course which he pursued You will en-
leavor ascertain the truth in relation to this and also
whether not the flag of the Falcon hosted at the
ime the firing took place
You will assure the Captain General that every thing
within the power of this Government has been and will
continue 70 be done towards dschargng the obligations Of
the United States to Spain. You will also assure him
il hereafter unhappiy citizens Of the United States
should be forgetul Of their obligations Of obedience Of
tsiawcf their country and Of regard the rights
of SPAIN to be engaged in hostile expeditions agans
island of Cuba, the President earnestly desires tina
thy will be punished except upon the clearest proofs
of guilt and without obvious necessity. contrary
crse the part of the Spanish authorities will be sure
to increase the difficulties in the performance Of the du
t Of the United States friendly neutral Power and
render the discharge of those duties
The Department will expect to receive from you full
eport upon the subjects of this instruction.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedent servant
w. s. DERRICK, Acting Secretary
ITO Commodore FoxHALL A. PARKER SC.