The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-10-25
The Case of the Hornet.

The Administration has taken pains to
publish special statement of its reasons for
releasing the Cuban steamship Hornet. 1t
says that a report which had obtained cur
rency in the papers that District Attorney
DAVIS had discontinued proceedings
against the Hornet and released her under
instructions from Washington, does not
present the matter in its true light. The
District Attorney had expressed TO the At.
torney General his opin on that n case of con.
demnntion could not be made out against
the vessel, upon which the Attorney General
directed him to release the vessel, it, after a
thorough examination of the evidence, he
seizure"
The publication of this apology shows how
sensitive the Administration is upon this
subject The apology, however. is false IN
every respect, except IN its admission that
therc was no valid reason for sei2ing or de
tanning the Hornet, and that it was certain
that whenever the case came before the Court
the vessel would have 30 be released in spite
OF all the untrue allogat .ons that might I've
se up against her. The real reason why
che proceedings were discontinued in such a
sudden manner was, tina; Gen b, f. BUTLER,
who was one Of the Londsmcn of the Hornet,
mpcrativcly demanded that she should be
released. Il wRs understood ut Washington
that if she were detained more than twenty.
four hour longer, the shameful conspiracy
NV { Iud on. oil Il.
MI its details ofbriIes paid and promised by
Spanish agents would be published TO the
world and the guilty parties well knew
Gat damning proofs ot their share in the
transaction had been obtained and would
not be withheld from the public This was
why the Hornet was released and instead
Of it's having been done by means Of dis
erctionary order 10 the District Attorney tho
directions sent to that official distinctly
forth that y" the proceedings in this case ar,
discontinued"
IN the revolving hSiistory Of the prolonged
Eiorts Of Secretary FISH ana lis son-in-lnw
and associates aided by Spanish none and
Spanish intrigue, to injure the cause of free.
Cuban people the bloody manacles of Span.
kh despotsm, the two seizures of the Hor
net form the maonest and most disgusting
eatuIes. In the first ius aucc, this vess
had sailed from a British port bearing q
commission as man-o'-war Of tho Cuban
Republic; she put into Wilmington in dis
tress for want Of coal there she was seized,
and her outfit taken from her, and a great
part OF it stolen by agents and parasites Of
abe Administration, Proceedings against
her were commenced in the District Court %
North Carolina; and when it was finally evi.
dent that she could not be condemned, the
Administration surrendered her TO the repre-.
Dentatives Of the Cuban owners, taking an
agreement that no prosecutions should be
pet on foot against the oiIic ais who had
seized her detained her, and plundered her
In the second instance, she was seized in this
port upon an affidavit, the sight Of which
was denied to a., parties. 1t was stated, in
decd, that the clarg, against lcr were made
BY the Spanish Minister hut the cvidcnc,
upon which those charges were based, boil
he District Attorney aud the Marsha
utterly refused TO exhibit to my person
Upon such uGtcnablo and urcposteroui
grounds ns these, President GRASr an,
Secretary FIsH held her in custody
until, thaHLs to the vigorous and uncom
promising action Of Gen Butler, and L
che mcnac" OF exposure they found them
selves obi cd to set her at liberty aud +
stmit that the whole proceeding had bee
Aothing but n groundlcss and unjustifabl
sutrage BY such methods az these il IL tina
our Adm'us, -U,ion seeks to please tie nc
venturers who have usurped power in SPAR
and the sperulalprs who seek to enrich then
sslvcs by tie sale aud purchase of Cubai
Another vessel seized in a similar mnnnc
and held by similar process is still in III
hands of the Admin stration. We refer I
xhs Florida. The authorities took POSSESS O
sfher more than two months ago, and und,
sAs Drotsi, OF another her uial has 90