Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-18
CASE OF THE BLACK WARRIOR.

merely touching for supplies for other purposes
should report said cargo her manifest as in tran
sa but instead of doing the Black Warrior reported
in ballast and entered and cleared under such report at
the thus subecting vessel and cargo to
forfeiture, which forfeiture the Cuban authorities have
enforced If this oil Of the case it is very evident
we have no just of complaint; for however harsh
rigid may be the laws Of any country have
no right to exact any exemption from their operation in
favor Of citizens who bound to know the laws of
country with which they trade and either abstain
from trading with such countries or conform to their
regulations But the Of the Black Warrior state
further that not only their vessel but other American
steamers which have been in the habit of touching Ha
their outward and homeward voyages, have, with
the full knowledge and consent Of the Cuban authorities
always entered and cleared in the as on the
present OCCASION under precisely similar circumstances
to cargo actually board If this is So and the Gu
ban authorities have without previous notice ofa change
not Of the aw but Of their practice under it. seized and
confscated this vessel and cargo it is just of
complaint and for satisfactory redress to the injured par
ties. 1t will be for the Spanish authorities satisfy the
American Government that the practice under the law
has been uniformly the under similar circumstances
with other American and British steamers and vessels
stopping at the Havana has been observed the pre-
occasion with the Black Warrior If they do So
of course claim upon them falls to the ground how
may complain of the undue severity of the law
but if the contrary they cannot prove that such has
been their uniform proceeding, then redress ample and
satisfactory should be demanded and enforced for it
would be on act of oppression and great injustice
Thus far however, we have but side of the state
ment and that from the interested and injured party
and is hardly necessary to say how the best among US
have their judgment biased and perverted by self
Common justice should induce to wait and hear what
their conduct; and them when both parties have made
their statements investigation be made fully into
the facts Of the CASE and decision the proper
action in the premises be had adyisedly.
In some respects the revenue laws the United States
harsh and unjust those of any other country
Cuba not excepted. What, for instance, be
unjust than the provision that smuggling goods to
the amount of $500 involves the forfeiture of vessel
probably worth 100000 though the owners officers and
entirely ignorant Of the transaction, and the
guilty party had no connection with either in any way
Under this provision Of laws two of the Gu
nard steamers seized at different periods within the
last years at Boston, brought into court and their
forfeiture decreed The had the option of either
having them sold by the marshal giving bond for
their value abide the final decision of the Treasury
Department the application for remission of the for
FIXTURE They gave the required bonds in the of
$3.50 900 or $780, 900 each OCCASION and they were
allowed to proceed their return trips As satisacto-
ry proof produced that the agents. officers and
entirely ignorant of the transaction the bonds
subsequently cancelled though not without heavy fine
being exacted, warning to strict preventive
measures in future the part of the officers Of these
vessels BY the statement of the parties themselves
appears that the Spanish authorities made the offer
in the present to release the Black Warrior under
bond to abide the final decision but this offer decln
ed by the consignees
We should also recolec that our own collectors have
on various committed gross wrong upon
the property of foreigners under the color of enforcing
our revenue laws. doubt if the conduct of the first
collector at San Francisco find any parallel for in
justice and oppression. Under the most frivolous and
ridiculous pretences and in many without any pre-
tence he seized foreign vessels and cargoes to the value
of not less than million of dollars taking possession
of them without the least form of legal proceedings and
sacrificed their cgoes by private and public sale at
half or onethd their real value. The whole proceed
ngs were Of the wanton and arbitrary nature he
acting as Selling officer, judge, jury, and marshal
Had any nation acted towards vessels and citizens
in similar the whole country would have blaz-
ed with excitement; but the French Government, upon
whose subjects the great weight Of these illegal seizures
FELL came forward with calmness and dignity with the
complaints and statements of the sufferers, relying on
the honor justice of the United States redress the
wrongs which had been thus wantonly inflicted. The
Executive of course poweress to grant the relief
without the authority of Congress to draw the necessary
amount from the Treasury; but that authority was
promptly granted and under it indemnity has been made
in oil which have been presented and supported by
proper proof.
make these remarks and state the above facts Messrs
Editors not with any view to justify to palliate
the conduct Of the Cuban authorities if 1t has been such
as represented but las we that similar acts have
been perpetrated by our subordinates, which the
Government have dsavowed and redressed merely de-
precae any rash premature action until the matter
can be more fully understood and investigated, and until
full and fair opportunity has been afforded to settle the
affair in an amicable mode.
There other for pursuing temperate
in this matter intimately connected with own nte
rest to which have not time space now to allude,
though may give them in another communication
JUSTICE.
on Wednesday, in the suit by Henry Carton against the
returned verdict for plaintiff of $3.50 Mr.. c. was
of the company While the locomotive one morning
on his way to the cars the boiler exploded and his left
arm was badly fractured 1t was said on his part but
denied that the boiler defective and the attention of
the Superintendent had been called to the fact.
wosAN's RIdHrs.--In the Of an exhibition Of
deaf and dumb pupils at Albany Friday last one of