The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-17
From the Portland (Maine) Argus
ANOTHER CUBAN OUTRAGE.


tend its odious system the citizens Of other nations
seems especially anxious visit upon American commerce
the hatred which ii feels towards American institutions
history says Mr. Balou) Of the commercial intercourse
of our citizens with the island would DC history of petty
and also serious and grievances to which they
have been subjected series years by the Spanish Of
Gals increasing in magnitude the latter have witnessed
the forbearauce and magnanimy government Not
an American merchant captain, who has had dealings
with Cuba but could furnish his list of insults and cut,
RACES some the shape OF illegal extorous and DELAYS
Others merely gratutous ebnons OF spite aud malice
AS most striking Illustration OF this Spanish practice Of
insult and robbery we suboin the particulars of case
which has recently happened in eonnexon with vessel
from this port but which indicates much and
magnity and folly in the Cuban authorities that we
should almost deem incredible ii had received
knowledge of it from the reliable sources The
case is as follows:
About the middle of last February the barque G. b. Ham,
on of this port Thomas Means being master and part
owner arrived in Havana from New York, with genera!
cargo described in FoRrySSE bills of adng In due time
the captain prepared his manifest and delivered it TO the
boarding officer Upon going ashore however to the house
of his eonsgnee and comparing his bills of adng with his
freight list he found that in few particulars they dis
agreed and fearing that the might extend his
manifest and anxious to leave open possible chance Of
difficulty with the island officials he repaired the
customhouse and asked his manifest in order 10
correct it, if it wrong But The collector refused are
10 him and with the usual nsolence Of his class re-
fused also give him any for OBTAINING it, This
within THREE after the manifest had been de-
yered and the custom-house regulations of Cuba ex-
pressly provide that during the after hay-
ing delivered the manifest which commence from
six o'clock in the morning until ut night the cap
tain superclrgo consgnee make any altera-
ton he thinks proper necessary, aud for this pur-
pose he will call the collector, or in his absence
the commander Of the customhouse officers in SER
vic had dearly
brought himself He had called The collector; he
had stated his purpose he had asked for his manifest
But the collector would not give it to him. and he
had leave the cusomhouse without it, Tho afeelrs
hours however, did not expire until the day 10
o'clock and in the morning. with the clerk Of his con-
sgnee, he renewed his application the custom-house
The collector still refused him, until o'clock and hn
the manifest returned to him. Without leaving the
custom-house and in few minutes, he found the errors
he looked for and corrected Them but upon rendering
the corrected manifest the proper officer lie was told
that the cre hours had expired by t,cenfy mautes and
that it could not be received Thus after having made it
impossible for him alter his manifest until after the pre-
scribed time the official cooy took advantage Of his
wrong and left the captain to be victim of Cuban rau-
OF course the captain protested, but Of course his
protest did good and in order clear his vessel his
consignees actually obliged give hepy bonds
the payment of any claims which might legally be
adjudged against her. 1t believed, however that
from of such clear and manifest wrong the part
of the authorities there could result any serious
trouble to the owners, but that the whole matter proba-
bly, would be speedily and summarily dismissed To this
end proper statements prepared and transmitted to
the captan-genera and Captain Means has since made
voyage to Havana without hearing of it; but, by late
arrival the consgnees of the vessel essrs Drake Coy
have transmitted drafts Messrs. Jcnncss Chase Co..
her agents and part here for the Of
SAND EeHTy-sEvEN claims and THIRTEEN
expenses which they have been obliged to
deposit in Havana to await the further action of the Gu
ban courts and authorities on this case!
In this way the petty tyrants of Cuba seek to profit by
their rascay, and hope to extort from American
vessel means OF pnmperng their depraved tastes
and of paying the expenses of debauched arbitrary
government Here is transaction free from all suspicion
The MADDEN draughtng the manifest romroRry
They consisted of the omission of
ofpapc and few headings, (whee the shocks
TO which they belonged were rightly enered) and in mani
testing barrels of pitch rosin &C. than there
board The errors both tcaysior and against the
vesseland there was appearance whatever of fraud
The correction sought to be made the earliest pos
ble moment and according to Cuban rules but the
om-house would permit it until it was too late and
it seeks to punish innocent for delay which was
wholly occasioned by itself We cannot believe that this
attempt at exortion will be allowed TO succeed Yet who
tell what delay may not occur where the blow which
is struck in Cuba only be redresscd in Madrid and
where Spanish rapacty and Spanish nsoence long
riot with impunity? Awaiting the slow adjustment
Of this case the of the c. b. Hamilton obliged
to place beyond their reach and large amount of
money and this, of ITSELF might work serious injury to
persons less able than they in the command Of
To doubt that their money will eventually be returned
them would be to anticipate extent Of wrong in Cuba
and degree of American submission which we are not
prepared at present to believe in.
The AMERICAN FRAUDS IN ESGLAND--Thc effect of the
Schuyler and Kyle frauds, it supposed would prove