The Irish standard., 1891-06-27
THE MIRANDA EPISODE.

SPANS Attempt to Have American Citi-
Gems Punished for Breach of Neutrality.
Francesca Miranda, the first native
American to attain the rank Of colonel
in the Spanish army, was born in New
Granada, near Caracas, in 1854, says the
New York Commercial Advertiser. Sta
toned in Florida, he fought against the
English in our revolutionary war, and
was there, imbued with desire to lib
crate South America from the Spanish
yoke. Going to Europe he became a
general IN the French army, and fought
on the side of liberty. Driven thence
by reason of his opposition to the Napo-
leonic dynasty, he travelled in the east,
made friends everywhere, and finally
went to England, where, at the begin
ming of this century, he secured assur-
ances from the government Of Pitt that
should he enter upon a revolutionary
movement in his native country, he
would not be opposed by Great Britain.
Then he came to America, armed with
letters of introduction to leading men
in this city and to the principal mem
bers of the administration in Washing
ton.
At this time Spain, still owner of
Florida and Mexico, was in constant
dispute with our settlers in the Missis-
sippi valley. The boundaries, east and
west, were il-defned. Aggressions on
our territory were frequent, and open
hostilities between citizens of the two
countries were at all times imminent
Minor collisions and outrages were Of
constant occurrence. At sea, too, Span
ish men Of war were committing acts
similar to those that were stopped by
the war Of 1912. The relations of Spain
and the United States were decidedly
strained. Miranda visited Washington
and laid before Jefferson and Secretary
Madison his plan for an uprising against
the Spanish rule in Caracas. They as
sured him that the scheme would not be
severely dealt with by the administra-
ton.
Then he came to New York and Or
ganized the famous 'Leander expedi-
ton" With the assistance of Col.
William S. Smith, q veteran Of the rev
olution and son-in-law of John
Adams, and of Samuel Governor
Ogden, one of the city's leading mer-
chants, he loaded the ship Leander with
cannon, small arms, and other NUM-
lions of war, and sailed in her Febru-
ary 3, 1906, for South America. Ar
irving near Caracas, he proclaimed the
revolution, but he was soon driven out
of the country. According to English
authority his failure was due to the
withdrawal of the support of Sir A.
Cochrane, admiral in those waters. But
tradition here states that Aaron Burr,
being told in confidence of the intent Of
the expedition, revealed the plot TO the
Spanish minister at Washington, who
promptly took measures to place ON
their guard the Spanish forces in New
Granada. Burr's object was to prevent
any outbreak that should forestall bis
own movement.
Upon the failure of the Leander ex-
petition Spain immediately caused rep
reservations to be made to the govern
ment at Washington. international
law, she claimed, had been violated by
American citizens to the injury of Span
ish subjects; and she demanded the ar
rest and trial OF those concerned in the
affair. There was federal statute
covering the case, and the jefferson
administration, perhaps from fear Of
trouble in the west, perhaps with u
prenonition Of what it's course must
be in the Burr case, consented to com"
ply with the Spanish demands. Messrs.
Smith and Ogden were arrested, in
dicted, and tried for high rnisde1neanor.
The case excited great interest, not
>,nly on account of the high standing Of
the accused, but also because it was
openly given the character Of a state
trial. The Judge before whorn the trial
took place abandoned all prelense of
inpartiality and used every endeavor
to secure conviction. The district attor-
ney was assisted by Pierpont Edwards,
d United States district Judges, who
was brought from Connecticut to New
York by the government for the pur-
pose. Opposed to them were the lead
ers of the New York bar: Washington
Morton, Cadwallader D. Golden, and
others, whose names are now forgotten.
Even the jury was notable, and inclrd-
ed John Ratll bone, .Ir., Courtlandt Bah
cock, Schuyler Livingston, Lewis G.
Hammersley and Augustus WynlSoop.
Amongst the witnesses was John Jacob
Astor. who testified that sixty Of the
secondhand swords sent south had
been furnished by him.
The state unquestionably made out
Its case. There was no difficulty in SO
doing, for the facts were notorious.
The defense presented no evidence
whatever. They offered to call various
members of Jeffersons cabinet, includ-
ing Madison, Dearborn, Robert Smith
and Gallatin, to show that the unlawful
expedition was tacitly approved by the
administration; but these officers re-
fused to attend, and the court refused
to compel their presence. They also
offered i'm evidence Jefferson's messages,
showing the state of affairs between
Spain and the United States, but this
testimony was ruled out by the court.
Then for five days the jury listened
to eloquence that. read to-day in the
musty old volumes, and after eighty
years of peace. with Spain, is still living
and brilliant. And the sum Of it all
was that Spain demanded the convic-