Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-08-07
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON.

IL PSoPAS "a Sh'o SSsbh )
been fully advised of the alleged indig
mites offered to the American vessel!
Ethel A. Merritt, OF Philadelphia, ane
EunIce P. Newcomb, OF Boston, before
they are told that a third vessel ha:
been boarded and searched, entirely
sans ceTen0aie, by a Spanish gunboat
name unknown. The last case is tina
OF the schooner, George Washington, o
Baltimore, captain, Ozias NJ. Parsons
The George Washington, like the two
previously mentioned vessels, is engag
ed in the fruit trade to the West Indies
Capt. Parsons story, to which he ha:
made affidavit before a justice OF The
peace in Baltimore, is, that while on the
voyage to Jamaica from Boothbay, Me.
and while off Cape Mayzi. atthe eastern
point OF Cuba, and about fifteen mi les
from shore, on July D, he SAW by the
aid of his glass the smoke OF IL steamer,
apparently lying off the Cuban coast,
about ten miles distant. In n few min
utcs after he first made her ont she nj,
tered her course and steamed toward
the schooner as though to cross hel
bows. When Capt. Parsons saw she was
making for him. he ordered his colors tC
be run up to the topmast truck. Up TO
this time the stranger, whom he made out
r., In ~ ,,,,, ~ ,-., hal t-rrn no nnI0,s
When within three miles the stranger
changed her course and vent windward
OF the schoone ell, ac ross her stern, about
one and one-half miles off, and kept off
parallel with the schooner until she got
abreast, and then set the Spanish flag and
pennant at the same time. She was hen
within halling distance, and Capt. Par
sons could see that her ports were open
and guns manned. one forward and one
ait. This was at about 10, 4. m. She
then steamed ahead about 4 quarter of a
mile, stopped. lowered q boat, and put
off tor the schooner. Capt. Parsons or
dered the schooner hove TO and went to
the rail. The boat contained two off
GERS and ten men, the officers carrying
their swords ard the men their bayonets
in sheaths, and had their bayonets pied
up in the bottom of the boat. AS the
officers boarded the schooner the COM
mandlng officer beckoned Capt. Parsons
81 ,I fh. aahin and rnu0 him IN nm
derstand that he wished to see the
papers. Capt. Parsons hand
ed him the papers, and asked whether
could read them. At first he said,
''Oui," and atterward in English Yes
the second officer. by dIrec-
ton of his superior, had gone into the
hold, and after remaining there about
ten minutes joined the commander in
the cabin. After he had finished read
ing the papers, and appeared satisfied
that they were all right, he returned
them and ven on deck again. The
commanding officer then directed the
officer to make another inspec-
ton of the hold, which contained Il few
.arrels of flour only.a part of the schoon-
er's stores. He was gone on this IN
,pection ten minutes more. Il asked
llm." Capt. Parsons says, "by what au
| was thus boarded, and my YES
searched, but he made no answer
hat | could understand the two officers
,hattered together for some minutes.
ont as they talked in Spanish, was I'M
able 10 understand what they sand. Fl
nally they went forward. as II deliberl-
ling whether to go down to the !orecas-
officer said to NE. IN perfectly
plain English, GLOW many men have
'uu?" l replied that | had five, and call
I'd them up so that he could satisfy him.
,elt about it. He then waved his hand
the direction of the coast of Haytl.
which was about southeast from US, and
without a word Of explanation whatever
of courtesy, re-entered the launch,
put back to the steamer, alter hay
ny been on board about three-quarters
ot IN hour. Capt. Parsons says that
he steamer appeared to be about 500 or
800 tons burden, about Us feet long,
md was a side-wheeler. She was full
orig rugged, and carried, as far as he
able to make out, four guns. She
came on him in such u way that he could
lot make out the entire name on the
stern, but was able to see that the last
our letters were gary" The officers
we're in undress uniform.
This is the whole story, and no doubt
its simplicity it is correctly told
verv small matter sometimes brings
about great results, and wars lave sprung
less causes than are here laid down.
Every citizen, therefore. is Interested
in the res gestg in these cases. Spain
is, at this time, and has been, for some
years. at war with a portion of her sub
|CCiS III llC loieAIu vi Nuut, wiz hdSt
been recognized by this and other coun-
tries as belligerents. Expeditions have
rom time to time, been fitted out in the
States and elsewhere, always
without the knowledge or consent of the
governments, to smuggle c~ontraband
of war-arms. ammunition, troops and
ships-into Cuba for the use Of the
insurgents. This has, very naturally,
rendered Spain suspicious OF vessels
hugging h Cuban shores. Spain has
upon the high seas as a belliger-
ent, and it is well that these rights should
be understood while discussing this case.
as the government of the United States,
under Secretaries Seward and Fish. has,
first, by palpable Ignorance OF interna-
law, and second, by abiect cow
been forced to swallow very Bit
ter pills. The first occasion here allud-
ell to was the illegal capture, by Capt.
Wilkes. OF the San JacintO, in 1861, of
MessrS. Mason and Slidell. in the Trent,
an English ship, II neutral bottom.
bound from one neutral port to another.
In this ease the United States was given
sever days in which to make repa-
and 1t was compelled to comply.
The second case was that of the Virgin
ius. which is still fresh in the minds OF