The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-28
vIsiT or THE WABASH TO Syria.
Communicated from the Navy DEPARTMENT.
FLAG snp WABASH,


SIR I have the honor to report that the Wabash ar
rived at this port on the 10th OF October.
On the passage from Constantnople | communicated
with American representatives and Turkish authorities al
the islands of Rhodes and Cyprus nerchanging with
them national salutes.
Impressed by your instructions Of the 10th of May
last of the necessity of the early service of the squadron
this coast have permitted no delay in the outward
passage.
Until my arrival here / was led to believe that the
criminals who murdered Mr. Seinbeck, and committed
the arocous outages ut the house of Mr.. Dickson,
Ja had been convicted, and that the Turkish authori
ties declined to execute justice in their which is not
So -Four persons are in prison at this place who
have been examined by the court council and who by
the confession and other evidence of two of their num-
or all guilty of participation in the outra9es com
mitted at Dicksons house. while they all declare that
their fifth companion, who has not yet been arrested,
committed the murder of Steinbeck.
Upon their evidence and confession the court verbally
declared the guilt of the four prisoners yet it is dsin
cned to proceed further with the until the fifth
criminal shall have been arrested and brought to trial
When in the course of a prolonged interview that
had with the Pacha on the day OF my arrival, Insisted
that the case far these criminals concerned
should be pressed TO close he declared that would be
mtrary usage not to the law of Turkey TO pro-
ceel to the correction punishment of these four until
the fifth should be arrested, that according to their evil
dence the criminal still at large is the principal murder
err and that their testimony is necessary to convict him
when he shall be taken
The Pacha gave me to understand that the court or
council is court of inquiry that evidence is taken be
fore it, and opinion made up in the premises, which
with all the testimony in the case after being taken in
Arabic and in Turkish, is transmitted to the Sultan who
the sentence then urged that the opinion
of the court their verdict in the of these four
criminals might be made up and recorded here without
delay, TO be transmitted at TO Consantinople
thereby to aay the neasness in the minds of the Chris
tian population we'll those of countrymen
residing in Syria that their escape should not be supposed
TO be possible, and thereby give encouragement to SINH
lar acts of outrage After many objections and much
hesitation, he promised that he would direct it to be
lertalen Immediately but when this opinion and accom-
panyng rapers should be sent to the Sultan he should
solemny protest against the proceeding until the fifth
criminal, the greatest offender of ALL shall be TAKEN
contrary to the usages and laws of his country in such
responded that he had, of course, clear right to
protest that my desire was, these evidently
guilty, their punishment should be sure and speedy ;
that If this cause not to 90 to Constantnope until
the fifth offender should be arrested it might go
there at all, and these guilty would escape from
Justice that could not consent TO have their trial stop
here under the usages teohnicates of Turkish law
dependent upon contingency uncertain.
The court convened on the following day, and all
the writers attached to it called into requson to
record and translate the documents &c. preparatory to
the summing of this matter in the form of 'fnding
for the supreme authority at Constantnople. For a
week watched their movements closely, and, aided by
our efficient consul }. A. johnson, esq, who is also u
member of the council succeeded in obtaining the pa
pers, &C. They will be sent to the Sultan forthwith and
trust that his excellency, Mr. Williams minister at
Constantnope, will experience little delay in OBJ
tanning early action in the
The visit of the Wabash to this coast at this time
to have had good effect already in other respects Many
of the principal men OF the native and awess tribes who
nhab the mountains of the interior, hearing guns
when firing salutes and appscd, too, of the principal
object of visit, have down with their renues
and visited the ship They have evidently returned with
impression that the rights of American citizens who
reside in their districts cannot be dsrespected with mpu
nifty.
cannot speak in too high praise of consul at Bel
rut for his energy and decision in the prosecution of his
duties here
The Macedonian was at Smyrna week ago daily
expect her this coast and shall direct Captain Levy to
continue here and the coast long his provisions
will allow.
The Wabash will proceed along the coast of Syria, Pal
estinc, and Egypt
have the honor TO be, very respectfully, your ODE
dent servant f. A. f. LAVALLETfE,
Flag Officer, Sc, sc.
To Hon. ISAAC ToUcEY,
Secretary of the Navy,