who informed me that the two gentlemen alluded to were not them on board.
him I begged permission to state to him the circumstances of the case before detailed, and was permitted to do so.
Captain McCluney, however, replied that the version of the affair given to him was different; that the man refused duty and was in consequence placed in irons; that he resisted this and received some necessary rough usage; from this version he was led to view the seizure of the man and taking him from his ship as altogether improper, and on the ground of the American nationality, that it could not be tolerated that Police should interfere in that way on board American vessels; and that in any similar instance he should consider himself justified in landing an armed force to resist such aggression.
I intimated that the Police acted in accordance with the Law, which gave great assistance and facilities to Masters of Merchant vessels, without respect to flag; and that in my office I invariably rendered such assistance with pleasure, and did my duty without distinction as to nationality; that in the previous instances heretofore, I, in conjunction with the American Consul, had always transacted such affairs without unpleasantness.
Mr ... I urged that perhaps Captain McCluney would weigh the matter, and exert his influence with the Consul that the fine should be remitted; and if it were conceived that there had been any improper interference ...
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