Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-07-28

terestlng correspondence between senior
Matilde Romero, Promoter Fiscal of the
district of Guerrero, Mexico, and Francis
w. Rice. u. S. Consul. at the port of
Acapulco. relative to the imprisonment Of
the latter.
The Promoter Fiscal is the highest
prosecuting officer of the Mexican govern
ment, his duties corresponding with those
of our u. S. District Attornies. He open
ed the correspondence by denying re-
port that he had advised the arrest of Mr..
Rice. or that the Mexican government
had ANYTHING DO with it. He says he IS
ignorant of the motives which actuated
the Judge in imprisoning Mr. Rice, but
ascribes it to private pique.
8 Mr.. Ricce, under date of June IL, re-
plies that he is also ignorant of the cause
Of his arrest and Imprisonment, and then
goes on to say:
Yesterday, at 81 A. NJ, a guard OF sol
diers, under the eopinsand Of a SERGEANT, surf
rounded my house. the SERGEANT inform
ing me that he had orders from the CONF
mandant TO take me 10 prison. / asked
him 70 produce his order, otherwise that
| should refuse to go but by force. He
replied in an insulting manner, thatif
did not come forthwith he would drag me
from my house had been sick, under
the care Of DraD inklage. for Eve days,
and, at the time OF my arrest. had scarce.
" strength 10 stand. While i was dress
sing the soldiers used the most Insulting
language towards me, saying, e Let us SO
in and drag him out Il he does not come
soon--he Is nothing but n did Yankee, ?"
and conducted themselves in sucha mona.
cling manner that my wife, who has also
been sick for week past, Was so much
frightened as to8seriously endangeF her
health, II not her life.sl 3,rss dgifw .s5ds
lwas marched to- the court house by
the guard ofabout fifteen soldiers; and dies
liyered over to- the Judge Of the hCourtiof
First Instance, who refused 20 receive me,
saying he knew nothing OF the matter..--
The SERGEANT of the guard then produced
an order from the Judge OF the District
Court for my arrest, without mentioning
any cause for the proceeding. Upon this
the Judge Of First Instance sent C. the
District Judge for instructions, and an
order came 10 imprison me in the prison
of the Juzgado, a little room, as you know
of not dozen feet square, whichis used
for drunken. men, and criminals of tho
lowest order which, has neither window
or light, and Is toe. filthy for. any man TO
exist long in. and which at that moment
had people in il that had been pickedup
beastly drunk in the streets. The jailor,
however said. he would not take the re-
sponsibility of continuing me, ia such a
place, but gave me the use of his own
room, II Il afss ,adia,..sie +, ,.Hii..7
have now been hero 81 hours as set
no charges have been made against me-
no food being given me, or bed TO sleep
upon, or light. The, soldiers have been
all night in the door of nay room, whist,
ling, singing, and talking, although am
now under the charge Of pr. Dipklnge,
as my physician, and am unable TO hear
the least noise Without pain, have
struck my fag1-the flag Of the United
States--closed my Office, and hereby mo-
tify the military power Of this division,
that shall not open II again until SO or
derei by the United States government.
The Promoter Fiscal replies 10 the
above letter of Mr. Rice, expressing his
regret at the outrage, and assuring him
that the Mexican Government would not
allow the conduct of the Judge to 80 un.
punished, He subsequently demanded
of the Judge, in a written protest The 70.
lease Of MIR. Rice
A statement Of the facts Of his arrest
WAS subsequently sent by Mr.. Rice tn
Com. Sloat, Of The Pacific Squadron, Who
replied that he was sorry for the situation
in which lie was placed, but lie had no
forces at his command tofclease him. Mr..
Iticos imprisonment, II viii be .rembered,
grew out of the salo Of tho steamer Com.
Stockton, and his threat TO shoot 4 man
who attempted to tear down notice in
relation TO the sale, which NJ. r. had pos.
ted upon his own Office. r59 .1fNl :