Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-03

cree carried out to receive and TO recognise the aoresa
Mr. Allen F. Owen in the capacity OF Consul OF the I'M
ted States at Havana the form prescribed by the
ordinance of the twentyf of March, one Thousand
eight hundred and twenty mine, and to permit him .
enjoy and 10 exercise his functions; IN doing which he
not 70 exercise any act OF jurisdiction oeg only aoWe'
to nterpose his arbitration in controversies which ma,
occur between merchants and seataring people. with
view Of reconcng them and OF settling their differences
Under which condition. and none other, grant HIM th
my royal authority TO perform the functions OF SAID oihce
and to this effect order that he may be allowed TO ex
ercse the privileges and to receive the emouments apper
tanning the same and that he may ENJOY the exemp
tons prerogatives and mmunities compatible with the
special law which is in force in that colony
Given in Madrid, the 18th OF August one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-one
(Countersig ned. The QUEEN.
THE MARQUIS MfRAFLoREs.
This is the usual form of the powers allowed by Spain
to all Consus in her transmarne dependencies And from
this will be that had power to act in the
matter under consideration than any other citizen of the
United States in Havana at that time no more than any
one of our naval officers within the range Of whose guns
the execution took place II any Of all the American
citizens then there either with without any official
nexon with Government did more than did, or even
as much have yet to learn it, But, to proceed:
ID 1t has said that after the surrender and capture
ofthose who under the of the Governor
and Captain General of the oath August and
see Them or to do any thing for Them to make any
tercession for them One of these prisoners Capt Kelly
has published under his hand since his this
country statement which has had extensive crcula
ton through the medium of the presses of the country
making this charge, and other charges also, which shall
not degn to notice 1t is due that the public how
ever should know the facts; and shall not far
promt my own selfrespect to ask the public to judge
between me and him But that Capt Kelly may see him
self how far he is sustained by Capt Plat and Lieut.
Taylor of the United States sloopowar Albany, to whom
he referred in part of his statement subon their joint
letter to me-
UNITED STATES SHIP ALBANY,
Haeand, December A, 1851.
SIR Your of this date in reference to letter
published by Capt Kelly of the late Lopez expedition
has been received, and take great pleasure in comply
ing with your request.
We have no hesitation in saying that Capt Kelly has
made great mistake in that portion of his statement
ferring to ourselves to wit
When Capt Plat of the soop-ofwar Albany visited
u.s. sent to Mr. Owen by him, and he again refused to
Then Lieut. Taylor of the Albany, said he would
make him come and the next morning Mr. Owen paid
q visit with Capt Platt'
The facts simply these Before proceeded TO the
Punta the 30th August we called at your office, and
you then desired to to the prisoners confined there
for taking part in the invasion Of Cuba that they wished
to you you would pay them visit although you could
do nothing for them in your official capacity. This mes
sage delivered them and they said that they would
be glad to have you Your visit TO them, in
pany with Capt Plat made in compliance with their
acceptance Of your offer.
The inference be drawn from the above quotation
from Capt Kelly's letter is that Lieut. Taylor the
prisoners time subsequent to Capt Platts first visit
TO them. Lieut. Taylor them, except in
pany with Capt Patt the occasion mentioned Neither
Of heard any complaint from them that time of any
neglect or indifference your part towards them.
Very respectfully, your obedent servants,
CHARLES 7. PLATT,
WM. ROGERS TAYLOR.
A. F. OWEN, Esq, U. S Consul, Havana.
Now the facts are that these men, Of them
least brought the city Of Havana and committed
to prison the 18th and Goth of August On the 3oth
addressed the following communication to the Governor
and Captain General
COMMERCIAL AGENCY THE UNITED STATES,
HdpdRa IugUSt 80, 1851.
SIR: desire 10 invite your Excelencys attention to
the subject of the American prisoners belonging to the
expedition Of Lopez Some Of them have been captured
Others have surrendered and others still win be captured
surrender under the proclamation which your Excelency
was good enough to issue on the oath instant
The invasion being ended by the capture and dispersion
Of the men, and the leader of it being the power Of the
Government it is not sure desired, either by your
Exceency the Supreme Government that the unortu
nate and misguided men who engaged in it shall
needlessly suffer longer.
1t is doubtless knswn your Excelency that these men
have already suffered much. Without shelter from the
storm, without food, the wild fruit which chance
threw in their way almost destitute of clothing they have
FOR many days wandered in the mountains pursued and
hunted down by the very who, they were told
up IN arms and revolutionizng this Government.
In view Of all these things the misrepresentation of
ne designing by whom these unfortunate men have been
Induced to invade this island and the suerngs they have
enuureu resp ctfully request that the chains
- I'm the limbs Of the prisoners, and that
No. y created with all the kindness consistent with
.41e-keeping
trust that your Excellency will permit the prisoners
be visited by such Of their countrymen are here or
may come here during their confinement, and who may
desire them and that they may be allowed such
things in the way Of diet clothing and the like as may
conduce their comfort which it is desired to afford
them.
desire to see your Exceency as soon as an interview
granted present views for your Exceency
consideration relative the liberation Of all these unfortu
nate men many Of them are husbands and have depend
wives and helpless children of them have fathers
mothers and sisters who will be in the deepest distress
their capture and Imprisonment when IL shall become
known to them.
Hoping for the most favorable results, and believing
that your Excellency will embrace the opportunity of
showing kindness and humanity TO the prisoners, have
the honor TO be your Excelency's obedient servant
A. +. OWEN.
His Excellency Sr D. JOSH DE L.. CoScHA
Governor and Captain General of the Island Of Cuba
The same day that this letter addressed the Cap
tain General Capt Plat and Lieut. Taylor called to
their way the prison. They had previously OBJ
tanned written permit from the Captain General to visit
the prisoners word by these officers to the pri-
soners that would visit them and do what could for
them, If they desired it. At the time that they
might not be mistaken as the extent Of my powers
sent them word that could do nothing for them in my
official character How far my sympahies enlisted
in their behalf NAV indeed of by the character Of