Gonzales to governor of Turk’s Island, February 25, 1873

B. Mr. Gonzales to governor of Turk’s Island.

Dear Sir: As an additional proof of esteem for you, I hurry to explain certain facts which, reaching you wrongly represented, might cause surprise.

As governor of the district I received early yesterday morning the following dispatch from the British vice-consul at this, viz:

“I have the honor to inform you that General Juan Nuezi, former governor of this city, and his sons Martin and Claudio, are now at my house, they having claimed the protection of the British flag.

“J. HAMBURGER.”

I beg to call your attention to the circumstance that General Nuezi and his sons are fugitive political offenders for the last month, and that one of those sons, Claudio, is even implicated in a criminal plot, which the court is investigating just now.

By one of my aids I ascertained that nobody was at the consulate, which is located in Mr. Hamburger’s business place, but that the said refugees stopped at Mr. H.’s private residence.

I called, through the alcalde of this city, Mr. Hamburger’s attention to the difference which exists between Mr. H.’s dwelling and the British vice-consulate, which is rendered conspicuous to the public and inviolable to the authorities by its being the depository of the archives, and its display of an escutcheon bearing the arms of Great Britain.

On this basis, which Mr. H. would not admit of, I ordered the judicial proceedings prescribed by our laws. These once gone through, Mr. H., who, foreseeing the extraction of the Nuezi family, closed his house hermetically, defying the purpose of the law thereby, was thrice summoned in the name of the law to open and give over to the alcalde. On his refusing to comply with this legal demand the one door was opened, and General Nuezi and his two sons taken into custody.

These are the plain facts of what has transpired. No infraction of international law, no violation of consular prerogatives, no offense either intended or offered to the British flag, but simply fugitive offenders extracted with all the formalities of the laws from under the roof of a private individual in order to insure public safety.

According to law, copy of the entire proceedings was left with Mr. Hamburger.

I regret that too much zeal has induced Mr. H. to misunderstand a question so plain and simple.

I remain, sir, &c.,