The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-19
SOUTHERN PRESS.
WASHINGTON CITY.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1861.
The ThraSher Case.

possession of the following additional nforma-
ton relative to this case, which has excited such
general interest and indignation in the minds of
our citizens The sympathies of all who read
these extracts must be most warmly excited in
behalf of the sufferers, both in and outside of
the prison cell, to which the jealous fears of
suspicious government have crually consigned
an American citizen. 1t is cruel case in all its
aspects. The Picayuns says: ....,..
We have received several letters from Havana
in reference to Mr.. J. s. Thrasher's arrest and
imprisonment. Want of space will not permit
us to publish them entire, and we are therefore
obliged to confins ourselves to the following ex.
tracls. The first, speaking of Mr.. Thrasher's
mother says: b." 1.....-.. ...... ~.
~ have seen the good old lady, Mrs Thrash
er, who looks the right mother for such son.
She lives at Regia, and came over to ask per.
mission of the captain.general to see her son,
but he would not see her, because il was not
the fixed day of receptions. She is no woman
to weep over this Spanish enormity. She has
faith in her son-in his honor-and that COM
forts her aged heart. Mr.. Thrasher is to be
tried by sort of court marshal but the sentence
was passed before he was arrested, and nothing
remains but few formalites to conform the
proof to the accusation, in accordance with the
order of the supreme authorities" '...' :
Another letter, dated November lst, says that
Mr. BENZ. F. Thrasher, brother of the gentleman
now in the Punta Castle, had been arrested and
his papers seized. These consisted only of let
ters from his school companions Of years back
and few business notes. The writer says:
"Benj. Franklin Thrasher brother Of John s.
VNbrosh will Mt -,
as his, whole life has been unmixed with any
sort Of trouble, life ofuntiring industry to sus
tain himself and his aged parents, who depend
upon his labor for their daily living. The ia
ther Of these young men was citizens of Port
land, Me-, Qhey were born there,) and came to
this island eighteen or twenty years since to es.
tablish bakery, and the family have lived in
quiet industry and the exercise of a kindly
charity towards the unfortunate of their own
land, Strangers here, as well as ministerng to the
afflicted of their temporary home. The father
is paralytic, and may be considered as on his
death-bed; and the mother is Incompetent, from
her age and sex, to manage the business, 80
that much distress follows even few days de.
tention of the son from his duties =
We are in hopes that Com. Parker
will be here soon with the Saranac, which will
be of some service, perhaps, to check farther
outrages upon American citizens, although it
will probably be too late for the case of John s.
Thrasher 1t may induce the prompt consider
alton of his brothers case and his release, how
ever" ,...
We have also been permitted to make the
following extract from private letter, received
by gentleman in this city from friend in Ha-
vana, whose position is such as to give great
weight to his opinions. Speaking ofMr. Thrash.
er, he says:
81 am very fearful for our poor friend. He has
been confined upwards of eight days, incon,,lni-
cddo, SOLITARY confnement) understand that
he has made himself bitterly obnoxious to this
government, who are fearful that if they send
him out of the island, his extensive knowledge
OF the country and people would make him
formidable enemy. They have, therefore, de-
termined to deal with him in such manner as TO
\ il out of his power to do them any harm.
one of his best friends alarmed me very much
last night by declaring that tho government had
determined to bring him before the military
commission, probably next week, and that they
would use every endeaver to inflict upon him
the extreme penalty of the law limiting at he
garrote! ! cannot credit that these people will
go to such extremes, but have no doubt that
he will be sent TO preside at Ceuta for ten years
The feeling entertained in New Orleans in
relation to the bsrbarous treatment of one
whose only alleged offence was of a political
character, may be judged from the indignant CON-
ments of the papers from which we have Just
quoted. Weappend those comments, since they
give very clear exposition of the real merits Of
the case:
J. s. Treaty betpsen The United
States and Sp1in.-The arbitrary and vndictive
conduct Of the Spanish authorities towards MI.
J. D. Thrasher, has attracted the notice of the
American government, as il has excited the in
dignation Of the American people. This gentle
man has resided in Cuba for nearly twenty wears,
and during a large portion Of that time, has bee
the editor Of the Faro Industrial, a paper Of
good standing and profitable as an investment
In the conduct and management Of that journal
he could not have offended the Spanish author.
tiles, inasmuch as the censorship Of the press in
the island is such that nothing Objectionable to
the government can find place in paper pub.
lished in Cuba. The gro> upon which he
was arrested, without Al accusation, and
latterly thrown into .eeon without having
been apprised Of Y rye upon which he was,
seized, does not to his character of Jour.
nalist. II was something else than what
appears to the pk,,ic; and what that something
else is, neither Mr.. Thrssher nor his friends can
say, as the authorities have not deigned 10 give
Mr. Thrasher clue TO the reason Of his deten.
ton, nor have any Of his friends been allowed
knowledge of the proceedings upon which he
was arrested.
IL is probable, indeed it must be, that Mr..
Thrasher was taken in custody from suspicious
which the Spanish government entertsins Of
every American residing in Cuba, who does not
discard from his mind all sense of national feel.
ing, and suppress within him the sympathies
which belong to bis birth. These ieaiousies,
always active enough, have been rendered more
intense and vicious by the recent attempt to
reyolutionize the Island. II is not impossible
that some Of Mr. Thrasher's rivals in business
have taken advantage Of the temper Of the au.
thorties to get rid Of him and for this reason
have watched and waylaid him, to find ground
Of impeachment against him and 10 this ignoble
calling, have magnifed acts of humanity towards
his countrymen in the throes Of death into
reasonable practices against the authorities.
However this may be, whether the jealousies
Of rivals have contributed 10 bis overthrow, or