Washington sentinel., 1854-07-13
me American prisoners at slaratlan.

capture, treatment, and release OF the hity
American prisoners consisting Of merchants,
mechanics, and others, from San Francisco, in
letter to the San Francisco Herald, dated,
"ss' MAzArLAs, May "a, 1854.
A. 4 t
The Chilian barque Patrita sailed from San
Francisco on the 18th of February last, bound
for Guaymas. She sailed at the period when
it was believed or anticipated that Mr.. Gads-
den had negotiated treaty by which, among
other territory, the State Of Sonora had become
a. part of our possessions The passengers on
board were mostly Americans, citizens OF Cali
fornia. aaam N &
They were composed Of merchants, mechan-
les, miners, and others OF useful pursuits ana
occupations, who. in the spirit Of enterprise and
progress instinct with our people, took the hrst
opportunity to locate in the presumed newly
acauired territory. They went there with
peaceable intentions, and with no arms except
those which would develope the resources OF
the country, by cultivating the soil, erecting
comfortable habtations, and engaging In such
other useful employment as would better their
own conditions and elevate their new homes in
the scale of civilizations. The Patrita arrived
in Guaymas on the 4th of March; was immel
diately boarded by the captain Of the port; the
same evening the ships boat was taken away
by an officer Of the Mexican war schooner
Suarte, SO that no one of the persons on board
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
barque was made prisoner and sent ashore,
The next day about twenty-nine OF the passen-
gers were taken from the barque and put on
board the Mexican schooner. On the 7th, the
following day, theywere taken from the schooner
and removed to q sterile, shadeess island in the
bay. On the night Of the same day, whilst
most of those remaining on board the Patrita
were asleep, that vessel was boarded by Q num-
Der of armed soldiers, who strictly searched all
the passengers, taking from them their pocket
knives and pistols, and removed them to the
schooner Suarte.
On the 9th, this other portion Of the passen-
gers were forcibly taken to the island. Upon
this island, without shade from the burning sun
during the day, with no covering to protect
them from the intense dews at night, and with
hardly food or water to sustain life, they were
kept until the 18th of March, when they were
again removed to the bark Patrita. When Oh
board, one by one was searched, and every
thing taken, even to their letters, papers, and,
from some of them, their money. They were
then taken into the hold of the yessel-s bark
of about one hundred and eighty tons--and
shackled to long, heavy iron bars, one rivet
of which had large head, and the others
fastened with two strong iron ryets, crossing
each other at right angles"
II will be seen that these American citizens
were not ordinarily ironed or manacled as male
factors are with locks, which, in cases Of ne
cessity can be quickly removed, but their limbs
were riveted to iron bars, so that had the vessel
been lost by any accident, all hope OF deliver
ance was shut from them. Fortyfour persons
were thus chained in this cruel, savage, and de-
grading manner, for more than tiye days, an
the filthy hold of small vessel, breathing
pestilential atmosphere, injected with disease,
and compelled to perform the requirements OF
nature as they were thus shackled. In tins
condition, fed on disgusting and offensive food,
and treated roughly and brutaly by beastial
soldiery, these unfortunate men arrived prison
ers in Mazatlan on the 22d of March.
For forty-eight hours after their arrival here,
they were kept still shackled and manacled
and it was not until after the most earnest ap-
peals and indignant protests OF X. +. Cation,
esq.,, our esteemed and energetic consul, and
of all the foreign consuls, that the boon was
granted to permit FIVE backsmiths with ham
mers and chissels to cut the rivets OF their
shackles Here they remained, compelled to
cal climate, each day expecting to be sent to
San Bias by sea, and from thence by foot to
the city of Mexico. The appeals, solicitations,
and earnest efforts OF our consul were disre-
garded with almost contemptuous indifference.
He urged that the Americans were not guilty
Of any offence that if they were, he demanded
the charge that under the Mexican law, even
the murderer was entitled to n copy of the
charges alleged against him in three score
hours after his arrest that every days con-
inement hazarded their lives; that they were
all young men, to whom time was money; and,
that this cruel and uncertain imprisonment
was barrier to their prospects in life, or might
forever blast them. The tergiversating replies
and hollow promises of the Mexican officials TO
these representations, were but the aggrava-
ton Of deliberate acts Of nsensibility peculiar
to and proverbial of Mexican official character;
and Mr.. Cation, hopeless, without assistance,
of being able 10 render service TO bis imprisoned
countrymen, had well nigh determined 10
simply refer the matter to the government, and
await its action.
The opportune arrival of the United States
sloop-ofwar Portsmouth on the 18th Of April,
however, changed the whole manner and com
plexion of things. Captain Dornin, upon his
arrival, knew nothing Of the case Of these pris-
oners; he had accidentally dropped in here on
his way to Acapulco, where tho presence Of his
ship was much needed. He Immediately, with
promptitude for which he is characterized,
and with high sense Of duty worthy Of his
position Ia the navy, selected his anchorage
and moored his ship, indicating to the authoi-
ties that he had taken position and would hold
IL until his countrymen were set free. His first
duty was TO visit the prisoners on board the
bsrque, which lay anchored far within the har
Dor, and inquire into their condition, and If
possible, at least ameliorate their treatment
Immediately. This was effected, and they we're
permitted to sleep on deck instead Of the pes
iilential hole in which they had so long been
compelled to inhale fetid atmosphere. He
next addressed manly and digni6ed letter to
General Valdez, governor Of this department,
in which he related, in plain English, the out
rage which had been enacted by the Mexican
authorities Of Sonora, and demanded the release
Of the imprisoned Americans. To this q cour
teous but ambiguous reply was made, setting
forth that it was not in the power OF the gov
ernor Of Sinaloa to iberate the prisoners, but
that be would transmit the note Of Captain