ing of 112 boxes of soap, 180 bags of corn, 44 bales of tobacco, and 36 dozen of matting for Rio Hatche, for which place we cleared on the 25th day of November, 1860. After leaving the port of Carthagena we experienced very heavy northeast gales, and a strong current against us, and the ship laboring very heavily, we did not gain 10 miles to windward in four days, blowing heavily all the time from the northeast, which sprung the fore and mainmast heads and maintopmast, and the loss of the starboard anchor, on the 29th day of November. The passenger, Juan Cortes, came to Captain Pelletier and told him he would pay the said Captain Pelletier the sum of $500 if he would bear up for the first port he could make, on account of his wife being very sick, for which the captain agreed to do. The captain, therefore, bore up for the island of Grand Cayman, West Indies, which was the only island we could make, where we arrived on the 14th day of December, 1860. On the 15th the passenger Cortes went on shore with the captain to Mr. William Eaden, who is the United States consul of the port of Georgetown, of that island, and before him everything was satisfactory to both parties. We laid there several days refitting and repairing damages, and took in a supply of water, provisions, &c. On the 24th day of December, 1860, we cleared from the port of Georgetown for Port-au-Prince, at which place we arrived on the 26th day of January, 1861, at which place the captain disposed of the remaining part of his cargo. While we were discharging the cargo here the crew broke into the storeroom and stole a large quantity of liquor and got beastly intoxicated, for which offence the captain had them put in prison, and by the advice of Mr. N. J. Lewis, who was the commercial agent of the United States for this port, the captain left the crew here in prison, and when the ship was ready to sail the captain shipped another crew who were French, eight in number, who were neither soldiers nor sailors; we only had one good sailor on board, whose name is John Henry Brown, a naturalized American. The captain cleared his vessel from this port for the port of New Orleans in the month of February, 1861, with part of a cargo of logwood, and after we had got to sea we found the ship had not ballast enough, and the captain thought it advisable to put into a port to procuce more ballast, as the ship was very crank. He therefore put into the island of Great Inagua, on the Bahama shore. At we were lying there it came on to blow a heavy gale from the northward, and as we were getting under way the ship's head canted the wrong way and the vessel went ashore, where we laid eighteen hours pounding heavily upon a very rocky bottom, expecting every moment the vessel would go to pieces. The damage we sustained was the loss of four anchors, the false keel, and carried away the two lower pindals of the rudder. On the 17th day of March, 1861, we left the island of Great Inagua, after securing the rudder with tackles, to proceed on our voyage to New Orleans; we still encountered heavy northeast gales. The captain thought it advisable to put into a port again, as the ship was in distress, to re-hang the rudder, as it was not safe for the ship to proceed on her voyage, as the rudder was only hanging by one pintle. On the 30th day of March, 1861, we put into a port called Fort Liberté, on the coast of Hayti, which is not a port of entry, for the purpose of repairing damages and to get the ship fit for sea. On the morning of the 4th day of April, 1861, between the hours of one and two o'clock, the second mate deserted and went on shore to the authorities of that place, and made false reports against the captain and crew of the American bark William, and on the morning of the 5th day of April, 1861, the authorities came on board with 500 armed men and captured the bark William captain and crew, by force, and landed us in their town jail, and there we remained till the 5th day of May. On the 6th day of May, 1861, we were sent to Cape Hayti, heavily ironed, and there we were cast into prison, where we remained till the 21st day of June; from thence we were brought to Port-au-Prince, at which place we arrived on the 28th day of June, 1861, with heavy irons on our legs, and when we were landed at this port we were made to walk about ten miles with the irons on our legs where we could only take two inches at a step, and the blood running down to our heels until we reached the prison. Only the Americans were made to perform this duty, three in number, and the French part of the crew, eight in number, were clear of this shameful conduct, and we do not think there is another nation in the world that would treat human beings the way that we poor fellows have been treated by these people here. At that time Mr. N. J. Lewis, the commercial agent of the United States, demanded of this government to deliver the three Americans over to him, and he also protested against judging us in this country, but to no purpose. The authorities of this government told Mr. N. J. Lewis they would do as they pleased with us, contrary to the laws of the United States. When the passenger, Juan Cortes, heard of our arrest he came from Carthagena and made declaration against the captain for piracy; and he furthermore said that Captain Antonio Pelletier tried to assassinate him and rob him of his merchandise, which is the greatest falsehood that ever a man told, for there was no crime committed on board of the bark William, whatever, during the voyage. In the month of August, 1861, we were judged for the crime we were accused of, and on the 29th day of August we were condemned, four in number. Captain Antonio Pelletier, condemned to death; Thomas Collar, chief mate; Urbain Castay, supercargo, who is a Frenchman; and John Henry Brown, seaman, for the term of five years in heavy chains and hard labor; when they had not the least proof against us to condemn us to this punishment, and the French part of the crew, eight in number, were acquitted, and if that is justice we certainly do not know what justice is. When the commissary of government was pleading for the government of Hayti, he said that the United States government would not interfere—she was too busy with her own civil war at home-and we will condemn the Americans to get rid of paying damages, and they would not allow us to defend ourselves; nor would they allow our lawyers to defend us, and threatened to put them in prison if they offered to defend us; and they even stole the ship's papers to prove that we were guilty; and we can assure you, sir, that we are innocent of any crime that has been alleged against us. Since our condemnation they have broken the captain's judgment from death to be re-judged again to condemn him, to the term of five years, for which purpose they sent him to Cape Hayti on the 1st day of June, 1862. The President of this republic liberated Urbain Castay, he being French, ever since December 18, 1861; yet he holds on to the Americans. Honored sir, since our condemnation Captain Pelletier wrote to Mr. William Eaden, the United States consul of the island of Grand Cayman, for the double of those papers between the affair of Captain Pelletier and the passenger Cortes to prove our innocence, which papers arrived here in February, 1862. Our lawyer, Mr. Lindstant Pradine, took the second set of papers to the President of this republic, and told him we were innocent of the crime for which we are accused of. "Oh," says the President, "I know they are innocent, but it would be one of the greatest misfortunes to the republic of Hayti if I were to liberate Captain Pelletier and his two men; they would return to the United States and reclaim heavy damages against the government of Hayti, and get this country into trouble with the United States government." The government of this republic sold the bark William in the month of March, 1862, for $350, Spanish, when the bark William proceeded to Boston in the latter part of April, 1862, to go under repairs. When Mr. N. J. Lewis was here as the commercial agent for the United States he protested against the sale of said bark William. We therefore, sir, cquaint you that the said bark William and owners owes Thomas Collar, chief mate, and John Henry Brown, seaman, $1,344 for labor performed on board of said bark William. Honored sir, we must acquaint you of the conduct of Mr. Seth Webb, the commercial agent of the United States, who came here to take the place of Mr. N. J. Lewis in September, 1861. We wrote him several letters acquainting him of our situation here, and that gentleman, Mr. Webb, has not taken the trouble to answer us one line, nor either assist us in anything whatever, nor either to protect citizens of the United States, and we think he has been bought by this government not to do anything for us, and we are here almost starved. Honored sir, we hope and pray to God you will be so kind as to do us the favor by demanding our liberty from this government; we will be under the greatest obligations to you for your kindness, for we can assure you we are very miserable here away from home in a foreign country, without friends, without clothes, and without money, and have not any means whatever to get anything with that we need. Honored sir, we hope and entreat of you that you will take notice of this and the sufferings we poor fellows have undergone. Honored sir, we have our families in the city of New York which we presume are starving from the want of support from their husbands, who have no other means of getting their livelihood only by the hard labor of their husbands to support their wives and families. We are, honored sir, your obedient servants, THOMAS COLLAR, Chief Mate. To the Honorable Mr. LINCOLN, Mr. Whidden to Mr. Seward. No. 7.] LEGATION OF the United States, Port-au-Prince, Hayti, November 20, 1862. SIR: Agreeably to instructions in the despatch from your department, No. 3, I have investigated the case of Thomas Collar and John Henry Brown, as far as it has become necessary to this time. I called the attention of the secretary of foreign relations to these men some time ago, and was informed that the matter should receive immediate attention. In a few days after I received a note that they were pardoned by his excellency the President of Hayti, and set at liberty. The day following the note, Collar and Brown came to me in great destitution and want. Being instructed in the despatch aforesaid to give the men "protection and relief as the circumstances may warrant," I furnished them money to pay for some suitable clothing, their board and necessaries here since liberated from prison, and for a passage to New York in a sailing vessel, for which I herein enclose vouchers, and have drawn an order for the sum paid, it being $39 50, payable to the order of myself. Representations having been made to me by Captain Pelletier, of the same vessel as the above men, of his suffering from cruel treatment in prison at Cape Haytien, I have asked of this government that he be transferred from the prison at Cape Haytien to the prison at Port-au-Prince, so that I may have an opportunity to investigate his case; it has been granted, but he has not yet arrived, as communication with that city is by sea, and slow. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, Hon. W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. No. 11.] Mr. Whidden to Mr. Seward. * * LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Port-au-Prince, Hayti, December 25, 1862. SIR: Agreeably to my request, * Captain Pelletier, of the bark William, was removed from the prison at Cape Haytien to the prison at Port-au-Prince, and soon after conducted to this legation for a personal interview. In addition to this I have examined the papers and proceedings in his case, as they appear in the United States consulate in this city. The bark William sailed from Mobile to Carthagena. She there disposed of a portion of cargo, and took on board other cargo. She then sailed to the island of Grand Cayman, having put in there to land two passengers, (a man and his wife,) on account of the sickness of the woman. Some of the cargo was disposed of at Cayman, where the vessel sailed for, and soon afterwards landed at this port. It appears the captain came here to dispose of his lumber, of which a large part of his cargo consisted. While here a number of his crew committed some larcenies on board his vessel, for which they were imprisoned for a time. During this time the captain had some trouble with the authorities here. The men were at length released from prison, and some of them taken back to the vessel to join the crew again. Soon after the vessel cleared from here, but near Fort Liberté, on the coast of Hayti, was overtaken by a storm, where she put in in distress. At this place one of the crew deserted, (being one of those imprisoned as aforesaid at Port-au-Prince,) and reported to the authorities at that place that Captain Pelletier had landed for the purpose of seizing and carrying away men into slavery. Immediately a large number of soldiers came on board the vessel, seized Captain Pelletier and the remainder of his crew, put them in irons, and lodged them in prison. The authorities of the place seized the vessel, cargo, and all the vessel's papers, together with the private property of the captain and crew. The captain and crew were sent to Port-au-Prince, and arraigned on the foregoing complaint. The William was also sent to this city and sold at auction, as also all the property on board. Captain Pelletier, Thomas Collar, John H. Brown, and one or two of the others of the crew were tried. The captain was condemned to death, Collar and Brown to imprisonment, and the rest discharged. At the trial Pelletier employed counsel. Through his counsel he demanded the right to introduce evidence of his innocence, but was denied. He placed a witness on the stand, but he was not heard. He demanded the ship's register and other papers on board. (all of which were in the hands of the attorney for the government,) by which he said he could show the legitimacy of his voyage and his innocency, but was denied them. The court of cassation set aside the aforesaid judgment, as there was no law of Hayti by which that sentence could be pronounced in such a case, but without any further trial he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. Mr. Lewis, then consul at this port, entered a protest against all these proceedings, and claimed that this government had no authority to detain these men or the vessel, but that they should be delivered over to him for the United States government. Mr. Lewis was soon superseded by Mr. Webb, and here ends the proceeding on the part of the United States representatives here, Mr. Webb remaining silent, so far as I can ascertain, to the end of life. I have thus as briefly as possible laid this case before your department, that you may give such instructions in regard to it as you may deem proper. It is a matter that took place a long time before my arrival, but from the evidence laid before me in regard to it, I cannot see anything to justify this government in their extraordinary course towards these men and this vessel. It seems to have been a proceeding by the government for political purposes, rather than under any law. Nothing was made out to be on board the vessel which indicated the intention they claimed. The papers of the vessel being in the hands of government, were not only suppressed, but three (I think that is the number) of the crew at Grand Cayman who came to Port-au-Prince and stopped, were imprisoned and prevented from being witnesses for the captain. Captain Pelletier is a citizen of the United States, and his vessel was owned in the United States. When sold it was purchased by a citizen of Hayti at a price very much less than its value-a trifle. The name of the vessel has been changed to General La Mane, and sails from this city to New York, and sometimes to Bangor. The men have been very cruelly treated in the early part of their imprison ment. I report this case to your department as I find it, and await your instructions. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. B. F. WHIDDEN. P. S. Since writing the foregoing, I am informed that while the William was lying in harbor at Port-au-Prince, a posse of the police went on board said vessel to overhaul the cargo, and in doing so trampled upon the American flag. By direction of the authorities, this posse of police were directed to desist from the work, upon the protest of Mr. Lewis. This was done in the night-time, and in a most wanton manner, as I am informed by those who witnessed said posse. No. 18.] Mr. Whidden to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Port-au-Prince, Hayti, February 6, 1863. SIR: Agreeably to printed instructions from your department, I send herein enclosed copies of the correspondence from this legation to the government of Hayti, as per paper marked A, numbered from one to eleven inclusive, and also copies of the correspondence from the Haytien government to this legation, as per paper marked B, numbered from one to fifteen inclusive. Notes of conversations are all reported in my former despatches. The department will observe, from these copies, from my former despatches, and from former despatches from your department to me, that I have been some time waiting further instructions. I would suggest the importance of early answers in those cases, as delays are prejudicial. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. B. F. WHIDDEN. No. 2. Mr. Whidden to Mr. Dupuy. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Port-au-Prince, Hayti, November 13, 1862. SIR: In accordance with your direction I have received a note from the commandant of this arrondissement respecting the American citizens Thomas Collar and John Henry Brown. By it I am informed that they have just been pardoned by his excellency the President of Hayti, and set at liberty. |