The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16

HAA"N ~ ASNA hAS 1850 ~
Officer William Smith and sent TO Charles
ton for condemnation. Tho Jefferson Davis then
sailed way in pursuit OF other booty. Aug.
10 she was wrecked and totally lost on the st.
Augustine bar. and we have no more to do with
her; the narrative concerns only Smith and his
small crow OF four sailors. Among them was
one Eben Lane. who, a Northern sympathizcr.
as Is alleged, had shipped on tho Jefferson Davis
at Charleston as the only safo method Of leaving
the South, intending TO escape from the priva-
tecr at tho first opportunity. After her CAP
ture the progress of the Enchartress toward
Charleston was unaccountably slow; Prize Mas.
ter Smith had incautiously intrustod TO Lane
the duty of steering. and he, secretly desiring
the %recapture of tho schooner. steslthily made
n northward course In the night time when un.
observed, and n southwark one during the day.
This cunning game Of Lanes produced exactly
the result he. desired. After sixteen days OF
this bootloss sailing the Enchantress was
picked up by tho United States steamer Alba
tross, Capt. Prentiss, and towod into Philadel.
phia, where Smith and his men. including Eben
M priyatesp Petrol sp moys % ~ 2 hang T mnSe M
prizes. On July 20, 1851. within eighteen days
of the date Of her commission. she was sunk by
the United states frigato st. Lawrence, and her
CAPTAIN, William Perry, and entire crew of
thirty;dve men were made prisoners and sent to
New York. whore they Joined Capt. T. Harrison
Baker and his crow In the Tombs.
These and kindred events created great OK
element and con%sternation throughout the
maritime ports Of the North and aroused a feel.
Ing, Of yindictive hatred toward the sea rovers.
which blood only could appease. This feeling
ests Of New York in hearty support Of Union
war measures. All sorts OF drastic expedicnts
for the suppression Of these destructive agen.
cies were urged upon the Government, the up
set idea being that they should be captured and
their crews executed as pirates. There Is but
to be the only effective policy to save the ma
tional commerce from humiliation. There
was universal JOY, when news of these captures
was received. Mr.. Stewards course In hold
ing Baker. Smith, ana Perry as pirates was
sternly approved in oil quarters. and their trial
The authorities made. preparations to secure
their conviction In a fair trial in the C ivil courts.
ah sn5 Inc T., S soiInsa an ,b., G9yernmsnt did not
tice as well as policy not only admonished ener.
getiG interpretation IN their behalf, but the UNI
advantageous opportunity to bring the whole
of the treatment and exchange of pris-
Gn era e e. a ~ head a. with every promise Of an issue
with the probable attitude OF the Washington
their exchange was made through Adjt. Gen.
Gist of South Carolina to Capt. Mercer of the
W WheOp pro Dlpsk"a maso sSe s i S am ca1 tbss tSs
were not In his possession.
The right of privateering was thought to be
and correspondingly dangerous to tho Union.
In his message OF July. 20, 1861, President
crate Congress. He chSrecterioeS I tbe ef treat.
ment of thoir priyateersmen as among the
other savage practices Of the North" and the
Lincoln of his '.resolute purpose to
check al barbarities on prisoners Of war by
should secure the abandonment Of the prac.
Mr.. Davis also informed Congress that this
letter was received and read by the officer in
Of he army Of the United States,
and a message was brought from him by the
be returned by President Lincoln as soon as
possible" And until that promised reply was
received Mr.. Davis indicated a purpose to IRE.
whose fate must necessarily depend on that OF
the prisoners held by tho enemy" With his
Of this singular letter, remarkable not so much
for its substance as from tho fact, under all the
circumstances, Of its having been sent at all.
There was nothing immediate or remote in the
necessities of the case to warrant Mr.. Davis In
departing from precedent and thus theatrically
addressing President Lincoln directly. No
tice of his intention to retaliate would more
have been transmitted through the
Isu, military channels. Perhaps its chief oh.
hypothesis for so extraordinary a
proceeding Ia that 1t was part of a deliberate
inferential recognition of its belligerent rights,
II nut its actual independence as q foreign
power in specific terms. The letter was rs
follows:
RICHMOND. July 8. 1861.
Lincoln, President and Communder.in-
CHIEF Of the Army and Nary Of the United States.
SIR: Having learned that the schooner Savannah,
q private armed vessel in tho service and sailing
under a commission Issued by authority of the Con-
federate States OF America. had been captured by one
Of the vessels forming the blockading squadron on
harbor. l directed q proposition to be
made to the omcer commanding that squadron for an
Of the Officers and crew OF the Savannah
for prisoners of war held by this Government =. &C.
cording 10 number and rank" To this proposition.
made on the 18th ult.. Capt. Mercer, the onicer in
command OF the blockading squadron, made answer
on the same day that "the prisoners referred TOT
are not on board of any OF the vessels under my com.
1t now appears, by statements made without con.
in newspapers published In New York, that
the prisoners above mentioned were conveyed to
city, and have there been treated not as prison
ers of war, but as crim!nals-that they have been put
In irons, confined in Jail. brought before the courts of
on charges of piracy aud treason. and 1t IS
even rumored that they have been actually convicted
OF the offences charged-for no other reason than that
they bore arms In defence of the rights OF this Gov
and under the authority OF Its commission.
Icould not without grave discourtesy have made
The newspaper statements above referred to the sub
OF this communication II the threat OF treating
lts service on the high seas had not been contained In
your proclamation OF April last. That proclamation,
seems to AFFORD q sufficient Justification for
considering these published statements as not devoid
Of probability.
tits the desire of this Government SO to conduct tho
now existing as to mitigate its horrors as far as
be possible. and with this intent Its treatment of
the prisoners captured by It's forces has b.en marked
by the greatest humanity and leniency consistent
with public obligation. Some have been permitted
to return home on parole; others to remain at large
under similar condition within this Confederacy. and