Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-11-17

ing for wind for their return voyage
still lying in the friendly waters of Moxi-
CO, still under the flag of their own eoun-
try, whose shelter they had thus refused
to quit--they are pounced upon by the
Spanish war-steamer Pizarro seized in
contempt of their flag and deck. and
treated with the EXTREMIST personal out
rage and cruelty, to the extent of driving
Crazy at least one Of their number, inclu-
aing such acts as placing one of them un-
der yard-"rm, with halter rugged for
his murder. Alike. their protestations that
they were American citizens who had re-
fused to Join the expedition to which they
had been invited. and that they were CON.
sequently on their way home to the Buited
States, and. still further. the proof OF the
truth of these protestations, contained in
the hundreds of letters back, of which
they were the bearers. are disregarded
and trampled upon; and they are carried,
vessels and all into Havana; fortunately
for the Spaniards, unhappily for the priso-
ners, eluding an United States man-of-
war, which under the prompting of our
gallant Consul, Campbell, made an at
tempt to intercept them, for the purpose
of compelling the surrender of the Ame-
rican vessels and citizens, whose capture
was equally an outrage upon the law of
nations, as it was an insult 10 the flag Of
their own. -
Well, what follows? Are they at once
liberated and restored with satisfactory
apology and compensation? Is their cap
ture ascribed 10 a venial mistake of zeal
on the part of a naval officer. excusable
under the exciting circumstances of the
day, provided it should be promptly fol-
lowed by disavowal and atonement ade-
quate to the occasion? Was this the So
luton of the case? Had it been, we
should have had nothing to say against it,
Such was the proper course TO have been
pursued by the Spaniards; the only proper
one to have been tolerated by our govern
ment. But no nothing of the kind
The act is adopted. maintained, justified,
persisted in. The vessels are forfeited,
and one is suld, and the other sent homo
as triumphant trophy TO Spain. The
prisoners are kept for months on board
Spanish hulk in the harbor of Havana,
suffering under the burning sun of tropic
midsummer above, and the more burning
shame of their outraged nationality with
in; to say nothing of the personal indig-
mites and sufferings to which they are
subjected, and the anxiety about their
fate, with which their feelings are daily
narrowed. They are subjected TO Span
ish trial. The bulk Of them are acquit-
ted, and thcreupon released. Three are
made exceptions, are sentenced and sent
to the galleys in Spain. Finally they are
pardoaed. as an act of oiemeney on the
part of the Spanish queen. As for tho
vessels, we hear nothing further Of them.
though we know that their owners inado
early application for indemnifcation, for
this piratical robbery of il by the Spanish
government, and this pusillanimous per
mission of it by our own. r-
Well then, may some readers, perhaps
answer, our government must have con-
CURED with tho Spaniards in their con-
ception Of their rightful authority in the
case /; il recognized these vessels and pri-
soners as lawful capture. il admitted that
the Spanish courts had legitimate and
proper jurisdiction over them, and that
the acquittal of the bulk of the men, and
the eventual merciful pardon OF those
who were scntencedt and whose sentence
was in part executed. constituted a salts
factory conclusion of the affair. Unfor-
tunately, no. Would that IL Ind been so.
Then, the worst imputaiion that 1uld re-
suit would have been that our adnIinistra-
ton had been mistaken; that il had mis-
Judged the facts Of the case that IL had
not rightly understood the matter; that
> il did not perceive how the great princi-
pie of the sanctity OF the shelter Of tho
American flag on the high seas, or in ncu-
trail jurisdiction had been violated in a
word, that il it had been kicked by the
insolent Spaniard, it had not felt il and
! did not know il. Poor as il would have
been, even this excuse for our pusillani-
nous failure in national duty, dignity,
and honor, would have been something u
little better than the fact as il did occur.
} Inconsistencies Of insult that is pery ma
nifest and palpable may be genuine. though
at best suspicious but recognition Of II,
r efforts TO induce its withdrawal, finally
; winding up with quiet and even thankful
submission 10 it, as proceeding oi O
somewhat different complexion. And
such, unhappily, has been the sum and
, substance Of the proceedings in this Con
toy case.
The second late instance of this truck
ling yielding to the presuming insolence OF
the Spanish despots of Cuba, is in refer
ence TO the Atares Massacre. This hor-
rid butchery was Of about fifty American
citizens, who had been captured. unarmed.
and Of course, unresisting, in boats on the
coast of Cuba. Even granting Spain'S
right 10 put them to death eventually AZ
ter fair trial, fair trial they were en-
titled to under the treaty OF 1875. with
opportunity for defence, communication
with counsel, DC. Who can say what
Il l.