The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-11-25
GEJRA.
TIE CRESCENT CITY AFFAIR.
Views from Washington.

The steamship ''Black Farror'' has arrived
at New York, with adyices from Havana as late
as the ltth. The Crescent City difficulty has
been re7,sod. The Captain General aflirms tina t
the agreement with Judge Conkling was in ref
erence % oaly one voyage; and that Spanish
war-stear1er was cruising of the Moro for the
purpose Ct preventing the Crescent City from
entfiug }he port OF Havana. Il is also stated
that regulation exists, which forbiIs any yes
SCI to en5ef the port of Havana after uightfall
and before u certain hour in tie morning and
thai. iFgjjaske duty Of the conBandins- Officer to
FIRE upon any vessel that shall attempt to violate
this rule. It acas violated on the 18Th ult., by
the Crescent City" and this notwithstanding
she was hailed three times, and required to de-
sist. The sentinels neglected to fire, and they
have since beenimprisoned for their rcmissness.
Under all the circumstances Of the case, the
Crescent City people appear to us, to have been
entirely IN the wrong. They seem anxious 10
provoke trouble at any and every hazard. The
following paragraph from leading article in
the Washington Republic, doubt smbody the
views Of the Administration. The doctrines in
culcated are sound and TO the purpose
If Purser Smith availed himself of the visits
of tho Crescent City to Havana to obtain infOr-
NATION which he communicated to parties in
New York, who afterwards used it to the preiu-
dice Of the Havana authorities, they committed
ne offence against our rights or honor when they
prohibited his return. They did what the Gov
ernment of the United States or of any other
nation, would have done in similar circumstan-
ccs. Ee do not say that Smith did what he is
alleged to have done ; we are willing to believe
that he did not, after what Lieutenant Porter
has sail upon the subject but SO long the
authorities of Havana consider that their grounds
Of suspicion against him are valid, neither he
we can complain.
Gkcy are to be satisfied of his innocence and
he must abide by the consequences of the sus-
picion until the evidence adduced be sufficient
to remove it. They now ask for his own dis
clamer the only proof required and we
cannot but think that Passed Midshpman Da-
venport vas needlessly punctillous when, ON the
last visit, he refused TO allow Smith to comply
with the demand. The testimo my Of the supe-
rior officer should be enough but the Captain
General having decided otherwise, we are at q
loss to perceive how the national honor could
have been compromised by humoring his dignity
Passed lHdshipman Davenport may claim to
fix the character of the tribunal which should
administer justice in Smiths case, with as much
reason rs he claims to decide that The written
disayowal Of Smith is not necessary to meet the
requirements OF the Havana law. Such n claim
, If acceaed to- would reduce the soyereicnty of
nations to n nonentity.
Hhether the Captain General exceeded his
powers in excluding the Crescent City because
the obnoxious individual was on board, is Il
question on which we do not propose to enter.
But this We do say, that the exclusion violated
the spirit if not the letter of the treaty existing
between Spain and the United States. The
course uniformly pursued by Mr.. Fillmore's
Administration-its efforts to rigidly enforce
, treaty obligations and to preserve relations of
peace-should have restrained the Captain Gen
er.,l from the uniriendly manifestation involved
in the refusal to permit the landing Of the mails
ami passengers. That was act which admits
oi Justification. 1t was offensive to the Gov
erament OF this country, and calculated only to
excite "A retaiiatory temper on the part of the
American people. AS matter of policy, it was