New-York daily tribune., 1854-07-11
CALIFORNIA.
CASE OF TIE MAzATLAN PRISONERS.

The Cllian bark Patrita sailed from san Francisco on
the 18th of February last, bound for tuGyana'. one
that Mr. Gadsdon had negotiated treaty By which, aGos
oe territory the State Sonora had become part OF
possessions The passengers on board were mo''y
Americans citizens of California
TIey we're composed OF merchants, mechanics mlhefs
ard others of useful pursuits and occupations VINO IN INC
spirit of enterprise and progress instinct wn our eopl, %
acquired territory They went there with peaceahe nten'
ons and with no arms except those which would ieVeoo
b resources of the country by cutvating IFS SOIL erect
inc comfortable babitaons and engaging IN such other
useful employment would better their own conditions
and elevate their homes in the scale OF civilization
Tie Patrita arrived Guaymas the lth OF March WAS
Immediately boarded by the captain of the port the
evening the ships boat was taken away by an officer oi
tie Mexican schooner Suare, that ~ one OF the
p.rons bO0rd could get ashore On the next day the
9TH of March the few passengers who had passports were
permitted To land while the Captain of the bark made
prisoner and sent ashore TheneX day about twen;ynine
Of the passengers taken from the bark and put on
board the Mexican schooner On the ih the following
day. they taken from the schooner and removed 10
ttre shadeless Island in the bay On the night Of the
seme day. while most of those remaining on board the
Parita asleep that vessel was boarded 10y numbcr
of cd soldiers who strictly searched ell the passengers
taking fr1n them their pockeknives and pistols, and
removed them the schooner Suare. On the 9TH, this
oler portion of the passengers orcby taken 20 the
Island Upon this Island without shade from the burning
sun during the day. with covering TO protect them from
the intense dews at night and with hardly food or water to
sustain lie, they kept until the llh of March, when
they were again removed TO the bark Patriia When
board one by searched. and ever. thns taken,
TO their Letters papers, and from soe OF tem Their
money All this may be regarded as the excess Of cruelty
wrong barbarsbut the continuation IS the refinement
of al these They then taken into the hold of the
vesse-a bark of about hundred and eighty unsaud
aokltd to long, heavy iron bars riyet o which had
large head and the others fastened with two strong iron
"rvets, crossing each other at right ongle- lle words
between quotation marks true extracts from the deca-
ration mnde before Mr.. Cation, noble Consul here
1t will be that these Americans were not ordinarily
Tontd manaced as maefaetors are with locks, which
in cases of necessity be quickly removed, but their
Etris yrer riy q
been lost by any accident all hope Of deiNerunce was
shat ont from them Tortyonr persons were thus chain
than five days in the filthy hold OF small vessel breath
ing pestlental amoslh here, infected with disease and
to perform the requirements of nature as they
were thus hGckled. In this condition fed on disgusting
and offensive food, end treated roughly and brutay by
beaal sodieTy, these unfortunate men arrived prisoners
In MGzaan the 2-d Of March. For iOr!.eght hours
after their arrival here they kept still shdc hod aud
maIacd and ii moi until after the most earnest ap
peos and indignant protests OF r. T. Cation, Esd our es
tcemed and energetic Consul and of all the ioreign Con-
suls that the boon granted to permit hve backsnS
with hammers and chises 10 cut the rvets oil thST
shacls Here they remained, compelled TO sleep Ia me
f,thv hold of the bark in this tropical climate, each day
expectng lie sent 70 San Bias y sea- ana IRON thence
BY foot TO the City OF Iexico The appeals, solicitations
and carnest efforts of Consul dregarded with
almost cOntemptuous indifference. lie urged mat The
Americans were not guilty OF any cfense; that II they
were he demanded tie clarges-hat under the Mexican
law even the murderer entitled to copy Of tho
charges alleged against him in three score hours after his
anot that every days conineme, hazarded their hves
and that this cruel and uncertain Impeachment was
barrier their prospects in life or might forever blast
them. The ergiversatng replies ana hoo" promises ol
Mexican officials 10 these representations were but me
aggravaton Of deliberate acts OF nsensbhly peeuirt
and proverbial of Mexican ofci5l oharacier and Mr.
Cation hopeless without assistance, OF being able TO rem
der service 10 his imprisoned counymen had well nigh
determined TO simply refer the matter to the government
and await it's action
Portsmouth on the 18th Of April, however, changed the
whole and complexion Of things. C-It DoInn,
upon lis arrival knew nothing o nc case oi Iese pms
oners lie Lad accidentally dropped ia here on his way to
Acapulco, where the presence oil ms ship was llueh
peeded. He Immediately, with promptude for which
he is oharao .erizod and with high sense OF duty worthy
OF bis position in the Navy selected lis anchorage and
moored lis ship indicating TO the authorities that hc hal
taken position would hold until his counIryen were
et fee His ret duty visit the prisoners on board
the bark which lay anchored lar within the haTbor and
INQUIRE into their condition, aud il possible at least alne.
ora,e their Immediately THIS was effected and
they permitted to sleep on deck instead "t e es-
lental hole vch they had so long been compeedo M
hale a fetid atmosphere. He next addressed manly AMI
dqnfei letter to Gen. Valdez, Governor OF s DEPART
mont in which he related in plain English the outrage
which had been lced by the Mexican authorities ci So
nora and demanded the release OF the imprisoned Auer
CAM To this courteous but amt bguous ply made,
setting forth that IL not IN the powe OF the oyornor
of Snaoa 20 hbera,e the prisoners but that lie would
transmit the lote Of Capt. DOrnn " 20 the Ministry for
the purpose Of obtaining from the Prosdea'Genera
| "Quick answer.
1he night Of the day this note adez wri;'on, in
the mid hour the Paa boarded by ~. erll armed
boats and The prisoners removed silently TO the military
riso, on lorc Tie Governor was fearful that Captain
poun would the ship out and take from her by force
O.; the people iEearcera!ed we do not know what
the intentions Of the captain Of the Portsmouth but
VIC Go know that Tor three days and nights aer, General
Valdez with some eight hundred soldiers under arms
fearful Of attack. The captain of the Portsmouth, With
mos. ccmmendable prudence, did not however, oyh con-
duct give the slightest cause Of alarm to The authorities
lest in the eccentrioi.y Of Mexican Imagination the prison.
eIs would be marched of in the night 10 the interior where
Heightened imprisonment could well be expected, aud
where moans Of protection uad succor could not so
yeI,ny reich them. Pursuing tti- j1dicious policy
and iJrcssg daily upon the Governor the enornty Of
the outage under Which counr.men were sulerng
Valdez finally agreed 70 lberae the al Oh The I'D of May
without fail The day after this promise wss made Cou
rier Extraordinary arrived from ho city Of Mexico with
order for their immediate release which took place OF the
Oh and by early daylight the mex; morning al were safe
on board tie Portsmouth under the protection Of the Sag
| Of the United States.
The T. S. Revenue Schooner William l.. Marcy, com
Iaanded by Capt Stephen Cornell arrived here on the
18th, afer TeInarkaby quick passage ron san Fran
cisco. She brings board es passenger, Maze Roman
our Dev appointed Consul c Guaynas 70. which place
She will leave the At an iniiinstion frUm
Cant Dorrn CcYt. Cornell with great inconvenience TO
himself took from the Portsmouth tlriyS ot the lber
aied tuorcans 10 convey them to San trancisco. The
alacrity with which that gallant old sailor came 10 the
relief OF these men, aud the warmth with which Ae rehsvcd
Capt Donn, whose vessel bound south cn service n.
rortnnt 10 our commerce from the inevitable eGIberass
| paent be would labor under with 50 RAny on board
,sruus of going home is deserving OF all praise and
mendsiiop This noble act OF generosity will be apPre-
ciaed by the san Francisco community wlth whom he
is 10 reside for the next three years and VIII 10 doubt be
sppruded by the Department Of when DC so eLc-eni
an Cficer.
IT, b. NJ ship Dido, Capt. Nasty, arrived here Sen.
day the 2ls, direct from Galyau,es eLe tr91eht down
sye pe.s5ns who had been detained G1Gyslss per.
Of 'hc coDpany 0f the bark Psl4@, . l-- .e'l 'I..
rs.s.r, ss Mate, Glrrtr ors ~ - erGe-si s-. a.