Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-03-18
ANOTHER OUTRAGE AT HAVANA.

We inadvertently neglected, last week, to
give the details Of another outrage at Havana.
The honor and dignity of our flag has again
been %trampIed upon in this hot.bed of insults
and tyranny, and the rights and interests of
our citizens again wantonIy %disregarded.
1t appears that the steamship Black Warrior,
Capt. BULLcoH, plying between Mobile and
New York, and touching at Havana going and
coming, arrived at the latter port on the lst
inst, on her voyage to New York, and, as usu-
al, and customary hitherto by common consent
of parties, the captain handed in his manifest,
"no cargo, in ballast" meaning Of course that
he had no cargo for Havana, although he had
on board 1000 bales of cotton for New York.
This manner of sending in manifests by our
steamers had been sanctioned by the Havana
authorities for the reason that such vessels
might save the heavy tonnage duties, and in
consequence touch at Havana on their trips,
which they cou.d not do were those duties ex-
acted, as it would not pay; and the authori-
ties, as they had previously decided, could well
afford to allow this privilege, (none of the cars
60 being for I~iavana) for the benefit to the
city which accrued from the visits of those
steamers.
But in this instance it seems that the autho-
rites at Havana thought they had been honest
and peaceable long enough, and in defiance of
previous practice, of right, of every principle
of justice, and listening to no "Reminiscences.
the Captain was bluntly told that he had for
leited his vessel and cargo, and therefore they
proceeded to seize and take possession. Capt.
BULLocn very quietly gave up his vessel, and
with his crew proceeded on board the U. s..
steamship Futon, Lieut.. Com. WATSON, then
in port. This officer was highly incensed at
the proceedings which he witnessed, and told
Capt. BULLocH that he would take the Black
Warrior in tow out of the harbor, in spite of
them aud in the face of their forts. This would
have been a reckless proceeding, as the Span.
ish authorities would have been fool>hardy
enough to have sunk both vessels, which they
could have done in an instant without the pos
sibility of n doubt. The Captain, however, as
well as the agent, declined this gallant Offer
prefcrring that our Government should take
matter in hand.
Dispatches relative to the affair were then
prepared by the U. s. Consul, and the U. S.
steamship Coroin, Lieut.. Com. CRAVEN, also
in port at the time, was detailed to bring these
dispatches TO the United States. She imme.
diaiely got up steam for that purpose, tripped
her anchor, and got under way. There was
great excitement. As she proceeded out of
the harbor, ''the guns of the Moro Castle were
pointed at her, and the Lattlements bristled
with armed men,"
The above is the substance of the whole af.
fair. 1t is seen that it occurred on the lst.-
Nine days afterwards, as it will be seen by tel
egraphic despatch in another column, a resolu-
ton Was adopted calling upon the President
for information relative to the affair. This is
pretty expeditions.
The dispatches from our Consul represent
the affair as being an outrage of a very heinous
character.
Thursdays mail brings the intelligence that
the affair is creating great excitement at Wash.
ington, and we may hear of very active and
serious proceedings. Several meetings in the
Cabinet had taken place on the subject, and it
was rumored that the President would recon-.
mend the issuing Of Letters of Marque and
the suspension of the Neutrality Laws. If
this should occur, Spain loses her last foothold
upon this continent, without a doubt.