Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-01-06
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
Letter from the Hon. A. f. owen.
WASHINGTON, December 20, 1851.

WASHINGTON december ~, 1901,
Messrs. GALES s. SEAToN Win you do me the
favor to allow me, through the medium of your
extensively circulated journal, to make an expo
sition purely of a personal character? | am
aware that such matters are usually uninterest-
ing and not unfrequently quite distasteful to an
intelligent public. But in this instance | feel
that have right to ask a hearing even without
an apology.
In my conduct as late Consul for Havana
have been harshly assaied and bitterly denounced,
not to say grossly misrepresented and shamefully
traduced before the American people. OF the
character of those who were the most efficient
actors in this conspiracy against my good name
and reputation, or their objects motives, have
no intention at this time or in this way to speak.
If my cause cannot stand upon its own merits
before. the tribunal of an impartial and right
thinking people, / am willing that and it may
be consigned to that reprobation which both
would so richly deserve, if | were such man as
haTcbeen represented to be. My object there
fore, in asking of you the favor is not to use the
medium of your paper for the purpose of assail-
ing any one, not even my calumniators, but only
to defend myself. feel that have been most
unjustly dealt by. Whether others, who have
not the same interest in the matter, shall be of
the same opinion, will depend upon their judg
ment upon what have to say.
brought against me? Not having seen any pre-
sented in any regular form, shall have to allude
to them as have seen them stated in the news
papers at different times. And, to begin with the
most prominent:
1st. 1t has been said, in substance, that re-
fused to take any steps, on the morning of the
10th of August last to arrest the proceedings
which resulted in the condemnation and sentence
of death pronounced against my unfortunate
countrymen who were taken in the l-fated Lopez
expedition, who were that day executed by the
authorities in the Island of Cuba; and not only
this, but that | refused to see them or to bear
any messages from them to their friends, or to
do anything manifesting any commisseration for
them in their miserable condition
To this have simply to say that it is not true
that refused to take any steps to arrest the pro-
ceedings which resulted in the order for their
execution. 1t is not true. that | knew of their
capture until after their condemnation. AS
have stated on former occasion, they were con-
demned before heard Of their capture; so that
| had no time to act, or to do anything to prevent
their sentence, if | had had the power to do So
Again: 1t is not true that refused to see them
after their condemnation. Nor is it true that any
desire was expressed by any one Of them to see
me that was made known to me. On the con-
trary, did express a desire to see them, for the
liver to me to be borne to their friends: And
was informed Mr.. Costa, of New Orleans, known
personally to some of them, had been sent for,
and had attended to such matters. And ask
that all fair men will bear in mind that had no
more power or authority from my official position
to act in the matter than any other American citi-
zen who happened to be there, as will hereafter
be fully shown. But it is not true that even
faited to do my utmost as an iadiUidual to avert
Il fat Of fhn pr
and melancholy circumstances of their situation.
As soon as | arrived at my Office, little after ten
o'clock, in the morning, and heard of their SEN
tence and approaching doom, | addressed n note
to the Governor and Captain Of the
Island. This did not do in my official character
because, apart from my knowledge Of the full
extent of my official powers had, in an interview
with the Captain-Gen the day before touching
the course intended to be pursued by him in case
any of the men invading the island should be cap
tured, been informed by him that he would not
allow any Interference either official or personal,
by any Consul in their behalf, let them belong to
whatever nation they might. | therefore, on
reaching my Office, fearing personal interview
might be denied me, wrote and delivered in per-
son to the private secretary of the Captain Gener
al the note which follows, purely as an act of hui
manity The note and the reply the public can
Judge of for themselves.
COMMERCIAL AGENCY OF THE U. STATES,
HaUana, August 16, 1851.
SIR: / have just arrived in the city, and
heard of the capture of about fifty of the men
who came with Lopez, and that they have been
condemned to be shot very soon Under these
embarrassing circumstances, | regard it as my
solemn duty to make an appeal to your Excellen-
cy in behalf of these unfortunate men; and L
trust that this will not be considered as an m
reference, either official or PERSONAL on my part
earnestly beseech that the hUes of the prisoners
no more shall be taken than are deemed to be GJ-
sol,ttcly necessary; and if neither of these peti
tious can be granted, that your Excellency will
not permit the prisoners to be executed imme-
dately, but allow them all the time possible in
their dreadful condition. viii your Excellency
allow me On interview at onceg
have the honor to be your Excellency's obe-
dent servant, A. +. OWEN.
His Exc'y Sr. d. JOSE DE la CoNCHA,
Governor and Captain. General Of the
Island of Cuba.
[Seal Of tie Government ofhe Island Of Cuba.
OFFICE OF THE PoLrTIcAL SECRETARY.
have Just received the communication that
you have been pleased to address me, interesting
yourself that shall spare the lives of all or some
of the fifty prisoners, that the penalty OF death
upon them should at least be suspended. 1t is
impossible for me to accede to any one Of the
three extremes that your letter contains. The
fifty captured men are not American citizens, or
citizens of any other nation. They are pirates,
acknowledged and declared as such by the Span
sh government, long before they had attempted
the criminal undertaking that they accomplished;
and no otherwise can be considered those who,
without any acknowledged flag, assemble, arm
themselves, embark, invade, and spill the blood
of the defenders of n quiet country, that is in
full peace and friendship with the nation of which
they call themselves citizens. The American
government itself thus considered them also,
when in such solemn and public documents as