Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1853-10-20

ter anxiously considering the case pre-
sented to him at Smyrna, he determined
that he ought TO effect the release of
Koszta. and. if unavoidable, resort to
force to accomplish it.
1t has excited some surprise here that,
after a consideration of the circumstances,
an impression should be entertained IN
any quarter that Captain Ingra ham either
p, nm; tted or meditated hostility towards
Austria on t,s:at occasion. He believed
that Koszta had been seized without au
thority. tina, he was lie ss5lly Imprisoned
and that he ought at once to ee set al
liberty.
The most aggressive act in the caSs
was the seizure OF Koszta at Smyrna.
TRAN functionaries-the first improper
use of national ship, the Imprisonment
of Koszta therein. was made by the com
mander OF the Austrian brig Hussar.-
Tha, ship was converted into prison
for the illegal detention of person cloth
ed with the nationality of the United
States. and consequently entitled TO their
protection. If Austria upholGs, as it APP
pears she does. the conduct Of the COM
mander Of the Hussar. she is i'll fact the
first aggfessor. This act of the comman-
der of the Hussar led to series of other
acts which constitute the ground Of COM
plant against the United States. The
aIledged authority of Austria, under trea-
ties, being set aside. no one would have
questioned Captain Ingrsh ms right, had
he been present. TO urrest the proceedings
of the kidnap pers in the streets of Smyrna.
and rescue KosZta from their hands
They were acting without, and against.
the civil authority Of the place, they
were committing ali atrocious outrage
upon person invested with the nation
atty of the United States. If he could
have property interfersd in the first stage
Of this lawless transaction. he might do
SO in the last The &C, was. in all its
stages, continuous wrong, and the char
acter Of the actors. though there was d
succession of persons. was the anne; they
were all wrong doors; and if they chanc-
ed to have the possession of a national
ship. and converted it into prison for
the purpose of consumating this wrong.
thai ship. thus desccrated was not emit
tied to the privileges Of sanctuary
Those who had the right to claim, and
the power to release the prisoner illegally
confined therein. light treat it as pris
on, and while it was degraded 10 such all
ignoble purpose might forget. and be ex
cused for forgetting, that itw nation
al ship.
There is consideration. probably not
brought TO the notice of Austria, and not
sufficiently regarded by others, which
places the acts OF Captain lngraham in
true light. and iepels the inference OF in
tended hostile demonstrations towards
Austria. 1t was the understanding Of
the parties that Koszta shcull be retain
ed at Smyrna while the question of his
nationality was pending. Captain In
graham received Sc .isfactory evidence of
a design. on the part Of the Austrian
functionar:es a, Smyrna ana Constantine
pie, TO disregard this arrangement, and
remove him clandestincly from the Hus
sar on board of steamer. for the purpose
of taking him 10 Trieste. The informa
ton vas suchas did not permit the Captain
to doubt that the commander of the Hus
sar concurred in thus design. AMI intend
ed TO aid in carrying it into effect. By
this evidence OF the want of good faith
on the part Of the Austrian functionaries
III which the Captain of the Hussar was
implicated. the Captain of the st. Louis
placed in the perplexing alternative of
surrendering the captive, without further
efforts. to the sad fate which awaited
him, or to demand his immediate release.
and in case of refusal to enforce il. The
government OF the United States exceed
lngly regrets that he was reduced 10 this
Alternative; but it cannot find. after a
full consideration Of all the circumstan-
ces. any good reasons for disappearing
the course he pursued. 1t is not just TO
Captain lngrahs to look at the affair as
1t Was at the precise point CT time when
The demand for the release Of koszta was
made. The aniecedent events qualify
and lesalize that act. The Austrian
functionaries had obtained possession OF
the person OF Koszta. not in fair or al
owablr way. but BY violating the civil
laws of Turkey and the rights Of humani.
ty. Under these circumstances their Gus
tOdy @! him was entitled TO no respect
from the agent of the government which,
by virtue of his nationality. had a right
TO protect him. Had oil the circum
stances as they were. except change of
plsce-insiead of being taken from the
territory OF the Ottoman Porte. had he
been taken from that Of the United States
could a question have been raised as
to the propriety of Captain lograham's
conduct? If the conclusions heretofore
arrived at are correct, the Austrian agents
had no more right to take koszta from
the soil of the Turkish domnions than
from the territory of The United States,
and Captain Ingraham had the sa me right
10 demand and enforce bis release as he