, 1868-03-24

To the Editor Of the "St. CrOix Avis"

49, SsNN0
late you upon the suspicious event of the
suspension of the action for high crime,
that the Government had so "reluctanhy"
Instituted against you'll hope and trust
that this suspension, under the cream
stances, is tantamount to the action dying
a natural death and that we have heard
the last of it, But before we, however,
take q last farewell Of this rather vexatlous
action, permit me 10 state d fact, which
| believe has not yet been given to the
public, and which, on q comparison being
drawn between its adjuncts, and the cir
cumstances of the prosecution which was
entered against you, will show a strange
parallel in their facts, that must either ex-
Onerate you altogether or exhibit the
Government as being wonderfully dlllgent
and active in your case, whilst it has been
surprisingly the diverse in the other.
But, to my narrative By the Kings open
letter Of the 25th October 1867 The inhab-
itants of ST. Thomas and st. Johns were
made acquainted with the royal resolve
of ceding the said Islands to the United
States of America, making that important
measure, however, conditional of, and de-
pendant on the free voting of the popula-
ton. The inhabitants were also informed
that by positive stipulations entered In
the convention of the %cession, they were
secured the free exercise of their liberty,
religion, rights of property, and other pri-
vate rights /; but it had not pleased the
King TO insure TO them, and namely to
the inhabitants of ST. Thomas, certain
rights, which were considered by them to
be of paramount, and vital Importance,
without which the privileges secured to
them were as nought in comparison ;-ln
fact that those rights, not guaranteed to
them, involved a question of life and death,
for on them depended their very existence
and welfare as a community namely, the
"unshakled freedom, as heretofore, Of the
part of ST. Thomas, and it's commerce"
In this, what was considered by them,
critical situation Of their interests, the
majority of the merchants, and other intlu-
entail persons got up an address 10 the
Kings extraordinary Commissioner, for
preparing the cession ofthe Islands; Cham
berlain Christensen, K. ID. and ID. NJ; to
whom they presented it on the 4th Deem
Der 1867, and in which they, after repre-
senting, in pathetic and moving terms, how
the Island of St. Thomas was fit for moth
ing else but free deprived of
which, fortunes would fall, properties Oe
deprecated in their value, merchants
fail, and homesteads be ruined, "-and how
the question of a continuation of that
freedom of commerce, addressed itself to
the two most powerful passions of the hu-
man heart-interest and fear ;''-how it
applied itself to the strongest principles of
human ~action-proft and loss spray
and solicit of the Kings extraordinary
Commissioner, as aforesaid, "AT THE SEAT
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, TO EsPoUsE AND AID
locate 'THEIR" CAUsE,-"THEIR' ExIs-
N AND WELFARE" AND THAT HE
WOULD" E~NDEAvOUR, N STRIVE TO OBJ
TAIN-J not perpetuaNy, get for as many
gears as possibIe-those ~immunitieS, and pri-
riLeges Of this port and its commerce !; which
1t has hitherto possessed, and enjoyed under
the Danish Government" e let accompa-