Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-26
From the Republic.
THE FATE OF THE CUBAN PRISON
Frs

A circular, on behalf of the prisoners of the
late Cuban expedition, has been sent to us for
publication. We cannot annex it without enter
ing our disclaimer of any intention to vouch for
its contents. Not having the pleasure of any
further acquaintance with the writer than we de-
rive from the letter itself, we cannot be so unjust
to Mr. Owen as to give circulation to its injuri-
GUS implications, without stating that the authori-
ty, as far as are concerned is to all intents as
If it were entirely anonymous. We apprehend,
at all events, that there must have been a serious
misunderstanding by the prisoners of the Ian
guaga of Mr.. Owen, or that the writer in trans
scribing their report of it has fallen into an mac
curate version. We cannot well believe that a
gentleman intelligent as Mr.. Owen could
have drawn tine differences attributed to him from
the Proofs maon of the President, or have sought
to excuse any seeming inaction or inability on
his part, by the terms or tenor of that document,
with reference to the time of its appearance,
and the purposes for which it was written.
The Proclamation was issued with the view of
lettering the inconsiderate, unrefectng, and
misguided from embarking in an unlawful enter
PRISE Tothis end it denounced such enterprises
as expeditions of robbery and plumber and warned
all who should engage in them that they would
thereby "forfe their claim TO the protection of
this Government or any interference on their be.
half no matter to what extremities they may he
reduced in consequence of their illegal conduct"
This was the nece ssary and proper language of
such a document. 1t would have been idle to
issue it without in terms excluding the conclu-
sion that, if any one should embark in such an
enterprise, he would still remain under the pro-
lection of his government, and that his country
would interfere on his behalf.
After the illegal Enterprise, however, had been
consummated, and when American citizens were
IN prison in foreign country, charged with hav-
ing been engaged in it, very different state of
things had arisen. Were they all guilty because
they were accused? And if taken all in fla
grdnh dehcto were they cut off from the sympa-
ines and the parioning power of their Govern
nen'! Is not government, like an individual,
frequently called upon to interfere in behalf of
offenders who have forfeited all claim upon So
cIety? Did not the President himself make i'm
mediate application to the Spanish government
for the exercise of their leniency and clemency
TO the prisoners srrestedin this lawless invasion?
Could he have made any other appeal, under the
law of nations?
1t is obvious, therefore, that Mr. Owen could
not have assigned the apology ascribed to him
for emitting or delaying the rendition of any of
the services or obligations OF humanity to the un-
fortunate prisoners within his consulate. If they
were without the pale of the law, they were not
beyond the pale of pity, of sympathy, OF earnest
ylgIlant, and anxious solicitation IN their behalf
We do not believe that Mr. Owen has construed
The Proclamation in the manner indicated by the
remark alleged to have been made by the pris-
oners to Mr., Thrasher, OF employed any ssch
excuse tor emitting TO interest himself in minis
terlng to their wants and iRterceding for their
pardon. We annex the letter of Mr. Thrasher: