The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-28
NEWS BY APH.
INTERESTING FROM WASHINGTON.
THE CRESCENT CITY AFFAIR.
Correspondence between Mr. Secretary Conrad
and Mr.. George Law,
30. SO. 30.
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 81, 1852
The Republic of this morning contains semi official
article relative to the Crescent City affair 1t pretends
to take high American ground in the matter and states
that Capt Porter has been ordered to the Georgia at his
own request But you will see the article
There has been correspondence between Mr.. George
Law, Of your city, aud Mr. O. Conrad the Acting So
cretary OF State relative to the treatment of the ships
the steamship company and Of the Crescent City in par
ticuar have obtained copies Of the letters They
peculiarly interesting
UNITED STATES NJ ALL SrEA AMsIip COMPANY.
NEW YoRK, October g. 1852 !
Hon. c. NJ CONRAD, Acting Secretary of State
SI have the honor to state to you that learn by
telegraph from New Orleans this afternoon that the u
s. mail steamship Crescent City, Captain Porter u S. N
on her arrival at Havana, from this port, whence she
sailed the 9th ut with mails passengers and freight
peremptoriy expeledfro the harbor without being
allowed to have any communication with the Shore to
deliver her mails discharge her freight to land her
passengers designed for that port and that the protest Of
her commander was treated with She accord
ipgy compelled to proceed with her mails, passengers
and freight, to New Orleans
This s not the first instance in which the ships Of this
company and the American flag have been subjected to
injury and insult by the Cuban authorities The Ohio,
commanded by officer of the United States Navy and
conveying the government mails ordered without
prevocaon and against the protest of her
guns Of the Moro Castle forthwith leave the harbor
without being permitted to land her mails freight,
to obtain her usual supply Of coal The Falcon also
commanded by American naval officer, aud conveying
the mails was fired upon and boarded on the high seas
by Spanish vessel Of The Philadelphia also hay
ing on board the United States mails entered the port of
Havana Cher usual place Of coaling and obtaining sup
pes in Distress destitute Of Goals and provisions su
cient to pursue her voyage with many passen
gers sick after being ordered quarantine and having
proceeded thther she ordered several miles outside
and then peremptoriy driven from her anchorage with
ol1n tnayA harr
visions then alongside for the want of which her
gers would be subjected to suffering and
compelled to 60 to sea to the imminent danger and
safety Of the ship and with fatal consequences to many
Of the persons on board
folowedout by expeing the Crescent City, in the
vice of the OF the United States and command
ed by American naval officer from the harbor of Ha
denying to her all uncaton with the Ameri
consul with her consgnees land her mails
passengers, or freight
The conduct Of the Cuban authorities In their repeat.
ed ard wanton acts Of aggression, not only
rious interruption to the delivery Of the mails bat great
pecunary loss to this company in disturbing its busi
and contract arrangements with the government;
and is harasing and highly injurious to American citi-
zens passengers shippers and consgnees annoying and
prejudcial to the trade and Of the United
States. and calculated if designed to disturb the
amicabe relations existing between the two govern
Ments More than this, we cannot but regard it as
gross inust to the American flag, derogaory to the
national character and in violation Of the faith of
ties and Of our national rights.
Tho pretext which this last outrage has been perpe
ated s the allegation that the puiser Of the Crescent
City made publication in an American newspaper of
some OF IT, statements of which the Cuban authorities
complain The allegation is uDfounded but IL it
true, We know of no right on the part of foreign gov
ernment to dictate to an American citizen, in his own
country what he shall utter, or abstain tiom utsrng
through the American journals.
II has been the aim of this company to avoid the
semblaDce of anything that could give offence to the
Spanish authorities OF the Island Of Cuba Its com
manders and all persons in its employment have been
uniformly instructed to abstain from all interference in
the affairs of that government, and have
think that these instructions have not been fully COM
Piled with.
have forborne call the attention of our govern
ment beyond the reports of the commanders of the
steamers to the insults by Cuban officials to which the
ships of this company and the American flag have been
heretofore subjected from desire to avoid erythng
that might lead to irritation between the two govern
ments and from belief that knowledge Of this un-
founded nature Of the allegations on which they pre-
tended to act would prevent their repetition But
feel 1t due not less to the public interests confded to
charge than to our own interests, and the inter
ests Of American citizens engaged in peaceful
and lawful commerce, to bring these facts to the
sdeIstion Of the American government and to ask
whether, whilst the steamers of other nations al
lowed freely to enter the port Of Havana and to main
tsn their commercial relations and business intercourse
unmolested the Cuban authorities authorized
cudo or forcby eject American vessels aud especially
thoee employed in the postal service Of the United
States upon protest or idle ass umption without con-
travenng the treaty and postal arrangements between
the two governments and the maritime rights Of our
citizens For If such be the state of things com
merce with the Spanish possessions this continent
is altogether at the mercy of any caprice prejudice
or arbitrary dctum of the colonial authorities And
also to folclt American citizens in the
vice Of the government and required by it to deliver
Its mails, protection and redress to be allowed
redress the grievance and repe the insult to
tional flag, with such MEANS and in such manner
we shall deem equal and due to self protection,
have the honor to be, with high respect, your obe
by order Of the United States Mail Steamship Com
pany, M. o. ROBERTS, Agent.
OFFICE OF THE U. s. MAIL STEAMSHIP CoMrANy
New York, October %, 1852 J
Hos. C. NJ CoSRap, Acting Secretary Of State.
.I..lA
9th instant in relation to the of the authorities of
the Island of Cuba towards the steamships of this con
pany and especially in relation to the Crescent City
await your reply to this communication to determine
the Of the company The 9th instant being the
sailing day of the next steamer for New Orleans ria ia
are daily inquired Of whether mails and passen-
gers can be alo we'd to land and whether the Cuban
authorities to be permitted TO continue the
wards the ships Of this company, of which the govern
ment Of the United States have been heretofore appred
have the honor TO be, very respectfully your obedient
servant GEORGE LAW, President
DEPARTMENT STATE
WASHINGTON, October 25, 1852 J
10 GEORGE Law, Esq, New York
siRyour letter of the Cd instant has been received
As no intelligence has reached this Department from
Cuba since that which was brought by your steamer it
has of knowing the intention Of the authorities
the isand other than what you possess yourself
cannot therefore, inform you whether mails passengers
will he permitted TO land there or not It nav however
be inferred from the past proceedings of the authorities
that mails and conveyed in the steamer Cres
cent City will not be permitted to land there in the
individual named VIM Smith should remain board of
her.
am sir, very respectfully. your obedient servant
(Signed) q. NJ. CONRAD, Acting Secretary.
From the Washington Eepubrc, Oct. 81
THE ADMINISTRATIONS AND TUE CRESCENT CITY
AFFAIR.
We publish the following Geographic despatch Just
ceved from New Orleans, to show tho ana mis-
chievous fasehoods which hnd their way thrcagh the
press and telegraph at this lime The object Is trsnsps
rent IL Is to mislead an name ts public mind and
by wanton misrepresentation affect t1e election
at hsnd -
NEW CpLEANs. October 26.