The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-14

. surplus Of some ten millions Of grain for exporta.
ton.
Another Cuban Outrage.
llrom the Portland Argus, Aug 10.
The insoence and rapacity Of she Cuban govern
ment are getting TO be pas. endurance. Not salts
q. with expressing and plundering its own wretch
ed people, il dares to extend its odious system to
the citizens Of other nations and seems especially
anxious to visit upon American commerce the ha-
tired which i feels towards American institutions
"A history" says Mr. Balou, ''of the commercial
Intercourse of our citizens with the Island, would
be history Of petty, and also serious, annoyances
and grievances to whi;h they have been subjected
tor series Of years by the Spanish officials, ncreas
ing in magnitude as the latter have witnessed the
forbearance and msgnanimity of our government
Not an American merchant or captain, who has mad
dealings with Cuba, but could furnish his list of in
suits and outrages, some in the shape of illegal ex
tortioDs and delays, Others merely gratu tous ebu
litions of spite and malice" AS most striking
illustration of this Spanish practice Of insult and
robbery, we subjoin the particulars of case viii III
has recently happened in connection with vessel
from this port, but which indicates 80 much mean
ness and naGgnity and folly In the Cuban au.horl
ties, that we should almost deem it incredible il
we had not received our knowledge o. it from
the most reliable sources. The is as follows:-
About the middle Of last February, the bark G.
B. Hamilton, OF this port, Thomas Means being
master, and part owner arrived in Havana from
New York, with general cargo described in forty
nine bills VI ading. In due time, the captain pre-
pard his manifest, and delivered i. to the boarding
officer. Upon going ashore, however, to the house
Of his consi ynee, and comparing his bills Of lading
With his freight list, be found that in some few par
tculaIs they disagreed; and fearing that the errors
might extend " his manifest, and anxious to leave
open no possible chance Of difficulty with the Island
officials, he repaired at once to the Custom House,
and asked to see his manifest in order to correct
If 1t was wrong. But the Collector refused to give
it to him; AMI with the usual insolence of his class,
refused also, to give him any reason for OBTAINING
it. This was within three hours after the anfess
had been delivered; and the Custom House regula-
tons of Cuba expressly provide, that during the
twelve hours, after having delivered the manifest,
which are to commence from six clock in the morn
ing until seven at night, the captain, supercugo,
proper or necessary, and for this purpose he viii
call on the Cole tor, or, in his absence, on the
commander of the Custom House officers in SER
vice." Within this provision Captain Means had
clearly brought himself. He had called on the
Collectors be had stated his purpose; he had asked
for his manifest. But the Collector would not
give to n% AID hah t hour. he
did not expire until the next day at 10 o'clock !;
and in the morning, with the clerk Of his consgnee,
be renewed bis application at the Custem
House. The Collector still refused him, until ten
o'clock; and then, the NANTES st was retur ned 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 cor
rected manifest to the proper officer, he was told
tO8t Iuc Twelve UOurb DaQ exDlfeO Dy twenty MIN
utes. and that It could not be received Thus, 81.
ter having made II impossible for him to alter his
manifest, until after the PRESCRIBED time, the official
coolly took advantage Of bis wrong and left the
captain to be victim Of Cuban tyranny. Ofconrse
the captain protested but Of course his protest dill
NO coed and in order to clear his vessel, his con
sienees we're actually obliged to give heavy bond
to secure the payment Of any claims which nigh
legally be adjudged against her. II was believed,
however, that from case of su n clear and mani
fest wrong on the part Of the authorities, there
could never r. suit any serious trouble to the ow
ners; but that the whole matter, probably, would
be speedily and SUMMARY dismissed. To this end,
orer statements were epared and transmitted to
the Captain General and Captain Means has since
ma1e q voyage to Havana, without hearing of II.
But by late arrival, the consgnees Of the vessel,
(Mesns Drake Coz have trax smitted drafts
On Messrs. Jenness, Chase & Co., her agents, and
part owners here, for the sum of six Thousand and
eighty seven dollars, claims, and thirteen hundred
dollars, expenses, which they have been obliged to
depotie IN Havans, to await the further action Of
Cuban courts and authorities on this case
In this way the petty tyrants Of Caba seek TO
profit by their own rascalty, and hope to extort
from an American vessel, some new measures of
pamPeiirg their deTraved tastes and Of paying the
expenses OF debau, he'd and arbitrary government,
Here is transaction free from ali suspicion. The
errors were made 10 drafting the manifest from
forty.Dine bills Of ladiDg. They consisted Of the
omission OF some reams Of paper, ard few head.
iDgs, (wbere the shocks to which they belonged,
were rightly entered and in mantle sting more bar.
rels Of pitch, rosn, &C., than there were on board.
The errors were both ways-for and against the
vessel-and there was no appearance, whatever, Of
fraud The correction was sought to be made Mt the
earliest possible moment, and according to Cuban
rules but the Custom House would not permit until
It was too lae and II now seekst punish innocent
men for delay, which was wholly occasioned by
ITSELF We cannot believe that this attempt at extor-
ton will be allowed to succeed. Yet who can tell
what delay may not occur, where the blow which Ia
struck in Cuba, can only be redressed in Madrid,
and where Spanish rspacity and Spanish insolence
bave 30 long run riot with IMMUNITY? Awaiting
the slow adjustment OF this case the owners Of the
C. B. Hamilton are obliged to place beyond their
reach and use large amt unit Of money; and this,
Of itself might work serious injury to persons less
able than they are in the command of means. To
eoubt that their money will eventually be returned
to them would be to anticipate an extent Of wrong
In Cuba anda ,degre Of American submission which
we are not prepared at present to believe in.
We are no friends Of flibusteriDg movements or
lawless expeditions Of any kind; but surely every
right minded man would rejoice II the Cuban peo-
pie themselves would accomplish their independ.
eDce and drive out from among them the pampered
tyrants who now habitually Cypress and re b them.
IT, In addition, this gem OF the ocean could peace
fuIly become q pant Of our own Union, with all her
wondrous beauty and vast resources and could thus
be made to feel the action of our benefcent gov.
erImebt, great blessing would uDdou btedly be
accomplished both for her and for us. She would
be inspired and elevated by our freedoms and ne
should be enriched and strengthened by her fertility
and power.