New-York tribune., 1869-03-05
THE AMER1cAN PRISoaEHo I.y rg~r",..

Do me EditOr OF The Tribune.
SIR: Our Imprisonment is rapidly exhaust
ing All the phases Of arbitrary treatment We have be-
come like bale of merchandise, passing from hand 10
hand from warehouse TO warehouse, with or without
care in great dispatch or none ALL After having ar
rested us by the Of pretended surrender Turkey
backed UP by England aud France if not nStgated by
these movers determined 10 keep by force and judge
rs according to the law OF the cOuntryas among modern
nations We are the first foreigners 10 whom they nave
ever had the opportunity OF applying their native inst
tutiOus-heTe where the only law Is the Koran ana us
only eXpOnnders the Muitis, hence perhaps inc Julcl
force enacted In the syrian capital, hence, certainly
cause for the very kind treatment shown rs at the close
of our stay m Damascus Iu letter 10 Mr. Johnson from
the Of the 18th OF November mne days
after the last attempt at examination he says: Je s
ers fqs ,tie elrier cef occasion Gis (sie) egrcis
ddrOir que les Americans ndte,t pnS rgai" c0Dct.
S".me ia Ss dge giye the above in Transcript from
the original begging not TO be held responsible for His
the proces rerae Of his Turkish Court which We are not
20 consider trial. any more than we are to consider our
selves prisoners, though fOur months under OaFOne
These proceedings made out IN Language which we Cgd
not read of court had formally dlsaYowed ana re-
Our chi n Col O'Rely, was at once shipped TO Con-
stantinople, and IN fortnight thereafter We followed
Hssteped through as far "a BeyTOut, VIC were there
placed under tic charge OF TuiianlY officer in the
guarlhOuse Of the sera until we could bring our c0nd
uOn TO the notice Of Mr. johnson, Consu[eeneIai On
the 81 Of December we were embarked apparently Tor
the capital but landed again. arbitrarily ana without
cause as the PashR has acknowledged AT the niue oWh
OF TrpO thrtyhve miles distant from Beyrout. Here
the Turkish authorities supposed We were far
enough from our own officials 70 be az least overlooked
by them for the time, were most strictly immured
again; here We now remain at the caprice
Of any petty officer who may be on guard,
In damp, unhealthy rooms, with unwholesome
food, sick and disprted, and here we would be
left until the day Of the dissolution OF the Ottoman En-
pre were we not foreigners cared for by our legations
An instance Will show the naggng system 70 which we
are submitted even In private AFFAIRS ON inc 80 OF NO
yember with the consent Of the Turkish authorities Col
oRe placed 70 our credit sums due to us in al amount
ing 10 about 5oO the Coonels untouched credit IN me
Beyeut Branch OF the Ottoman Bank we know 70 have
See1 over ti5ol The drafts were presented at once IN
uue O ana We were Kept IN hopes from day TO uay 10
receive their payment at that time necessary for us
Heat porn9h oi oar eiothng had Deen sLoen ny tno
1uIksh sOluers, and winter approaching one
month after this at BeyrOut, We met by chance
Won Haas tho Director OF the Bank, who came 70
see the Pasha at the time OF our interview with
the AN Interpreter He recognized us and in answer
70 y. 1a our M INQUIRIES stated We positively refuse
10 pay the blis definitely, do we promise to pay
uennile instructions soon" Col ROmer then asked
is the ottoman Bank government or private inst
si,o n y nloh tne DlrectOr refused dIect answer
49,, NV e "eI "a sheN were u government establishment
s shares IN the present rotten state Of the country
ae Johhpany u had no right to refuse orders on ac
kuo"iedged deposits In any case, why did 1t keep
SSn,stng US Tor month when within immediate tele
eiShIC communication with ConstaDtinOple and Pafls
e9nsuS are doinReverythng possible TO ameliorate
our condition. and thanks to them the Turks dare not
@ S ss hand a9d foot and abuse us as they do their
Avn Wtsouers sun we claim 10 be innocent men, and
~na as rights 70 be brought TO a speedy and fair
ula That the Turkish Government has only succeeded
Slter Tour months arrest with all the resources OF the
release or Judgment than at the time We were
Aen, tuhcieut proof Of their disposition 10 retard
neS mug snd weary uS out Our daily experience Of
snls @ n,saudsoaekaluta system adds constant proof
soea any needed For three days TO our de
W see the vice Consul here, received only the
~ , replies that he was sick, or away while he was
nro,e Noty moment asking and anxious 10 ace ms Our
t b sgsmst being landed sent 10 this same
Etnt hS @SOsetnor 20 promised TO forward AZ once was
py MIN IRON the Yth OF Decemher nntl ~ oIt
TSe Seu1 tusS sS1 9sndred like Instances '"' 1''
onjeals can giva Hey Knows no right but force Her
our punishment without trial and i'm th ~, eVn'nuhy
piesent pVlticsi complications Will be snre 10 VI ne
our ese lLdennitely, unless our Goyernnsnto
mind. N ie@Ch lhe Ottoman
We nave written thus at length, gentlemen. darlr 20
hDuse your patience because we know maj NIX 70
Minister at COnstantnOple the Goyernaes ~ ths
aafe 70 ACT without the support Of public oppion tnrs
which We believe would be glYen could the
earn our true eOnditiOn-and therefore L.9 vo u
seft such portion IN THE TRIBUNE az Won "a, % 80 w ~ ~
SHoWlnR we shall be indebted 10 such kndue.s o ,
nalt, for speedy release. '' y" 5oul
Most respectfully, we remain, gentlemen vour obe
SS,oy f,, T.,,' n, o.. ,o.. A. ROMER,
~ - 'P''J ~ 'V' iooo' CHAS. LAMAR.