The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-11

Two MoRE OF THE ExPEDITIoNIsTs.-Two more
of the members of the late expedition against Cuba,
Robert II. Brecken ridge and Ransom Beach, both
of Kentucky, have been picked up at sea, twenty
miles from land, by Spanish coaster. When
brought to Havana, the Captain General was about
to send them TO Spain to be tried participants in
the invasion but Captain Plat, of the United
States ship Albany, and Mr.. Owen, the American
Consul, interposed to prevent such summary
disposition of citizens taken the high seas. A
communication upon the subject from the Ameri-
can Consul to the Captain General having remain
ed some hours unanswered, Captain Plat asked an
interview, which granted.
The Havana correspondent of the New York
Courier and Enquirer says:
"He represented to his excellency in strong
terms the injustice Of condemning, without hear
ing, men taken in such manner, and called his
attention particularly to the fact that they were
ia ken the high seas, out of the jurisdiction of
Spain, and that the condemnation without trial of
men taken in such manner alike at variance
with due sense of right and with the law of ma.
| tons The Captain General admitted, in some de-
gree, the force of the representation but met it
with the assertion that the men themselves, upon
a legal examination, had admitted that they were
of Lopez's party. Captain Plat pleaded that this
should not ofrght be to their prejudice, a filan
should be proved guilty by other evidence than
confession extorted from him perhaps by threats
Unfortunately, however, for this plea, confession
is here ample grounds for conviction; the whole
| criminal practice being that the accused shall
prove himself innocent, not that he shall be proved
| guilty. But the result of the interview was that
| the men were Immediately ordered 10 be kept in
Havana to await their trial. instead of going 10
| Spain the next morning in chains for ten years
A few minutes' conversation produced highly inn
portant results to them.
"His excellency expressed his regret TO Captain
Plat that they had so unwisely inculpated them
selves, and said that he hoped that they might be
able to escape condemnation upon trial. adding
that he would do all in his power, consistent with
his duty. TO their release. Captain Platt
took these steps, Commodore Parker was not in
port the Saranac having been a short cruise to
Matanzas. She returned on the afternoon of the
Goth of September, and 1t is thought that CoTnmo-
dore Parker will make peremptory demand for
the men as American citizens taken beyond the
limits Of Spanish jurisdiction"
The New York Times, says:
GAS their case will undoubtedly have been decided
this we feel at liberty to state that they were
members Of Captain Elliss company, and fought
most CALAMITY in all the engagements. After the
final rout they fled 10 the mountains where they
subsistcd forty days upon snails and roots Thence
they made their way to the seashore in half
starved condition. Here they discovered Spanish
coasting schooner lying at anchor half mile from
shore. Laying concealed until after dark Beach
out to this vessel, loosened the yawl from her
stern, secured the oars almost from beneath the
feet of the sleeping anchor watch, provsioned his
little craft from the galley, reached the shore in
safety with his prize, took board his partner in
adventure, and Immediately put to sea. On the
day following when twenty miles from shore they
were picked up and carried into Havana as already
stated"
Nearly all Of the members of the ILL fated exs
petition have now been accounted for. in the pub
shod lists Of the dead the prisoners transported to
Spain, and the invalids in hospital.