The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-15 00:00:00

AMERICA

ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA.
At nine o'clock last might, the royal mail steam-
ship Africa, Captain Ryrie, arrived in the Mersey
from New York, which port she left on the 3rd inst.
at noon, with 63 passengers, and nearly a million
and a half of dollars in srecie on freight.
The United States mail steam-ship Washington,
Floyd, commander. from Bremen, Nov. 9, rio South-
amp,on Nov. 11, arrived out at New York on Friday
morning at 7 o'clock, having made the passage; iu 13
days and 11 hours.
The principal item of news by this arrival is the
President's message, which we give below.
The Congress had met on the Ist. The message
was delivered on the 2nd.
But little business was done in Congress besides the
reading of the President's message. Among the pro-
ceedings of the Senate, as. reported by the telegraph,
is the resolution of a national welcome to the illus.
trious Magyar, as well as a resolution requesting the
President to interfere in favour of the illustrious
Irish exiles in Van Diemen's Land, appealing to tile
magnanimity of the British government and people,
and otkring these martyrs of liberty the hospitality
of the republic.
Kossuth had not arrived in New York when the
steamer left.
Mr. Lynn Boyd, of Kentucky, is chosen speaker
of the House of Representatives.
Notice of several bills had been already given—
one being for a railroad from the Mississippi to tho
Pacific ; another for a reduction in newspaper post-
age; another for a line of steam-ships from California
to China.
Reports from the Rio Grande, state that Caravajal
had been reinforced by 19) Americans, and was to
! renew his attack on Mata:noraa. The Mexicans had
mustered in Matamoros to the number of 2,000 men.
Carvajal was at Camargo, with only 600 men, await-
ing the arrival of Captain Ford, who had gone to
Texas for reinfotremente. . -

There arc accounts from California to the Ist of
No‘cinber : 2,300,000 dollars in gold dust had been
received. The milling accounts were good.
The United States steamer Promethem, on leav-
ing the harbour of San Juan, Nov. 21st, was fired
intu twice by the British brig of war Express, and
compelled to return to her anchorage, and pay cer-
tain disputed dues to the owners and authorities of
Mosquito territory. Considerable feeling had been
manifested by the United States subjects.

TIIE AMERICAN PRESIDENT'S

MESSAGE.

The Message of President Fillmore, delivered to
the American Congress, on the 2nd instant, is as
follows :

Fellow Citizens of the Senate ant of the Musa of
Representatives,
I congratulate you and our common coestitaency upon
the favourable auspices under which you meet far your first
I"%i011. Our couutry is at peace with all th;: world. The
agitation which for a time threatened to disturb the fraternal
relations which make us one people is fast subsiding, and a
year of general prosperity and health has crowned the na-
tion with uuusuil blessings. None can look back to the
dangers which are passed, or forward to the bright prospect
before us, without feeling a thrill of gratification, at the
same time that he must be impressed with a grateful sense
of our profound obligations to a !smell:cut Providence,
whose paternal care is so manifest in the happiness of this
highly-favoured land.
duce the close of the last Congress certain Cu-
haus and other foreigners, resident in the United
States, who were more or less clammed in the pre.
vious invasion of Cuba, instead of being discouraged
by its failure, have again abased the hospitality of this
country, by making it the scene of the equipment of an-
other military expedition a.;siast that pcisession of her
Catholic Majesty, in which they were countenanced, aided,
nod joined by citizens of the L nited States. Ou receiving
intiligenee that such designs were entertained. I lost no
time in issuing such instructions to the proper officers of
the United States no seemed to be called for by the occa-
sion. Ily the proclamation, a copy of which is herewith
submitted, I also warned those who might be in danger of
being inveigled into this scheme, of its unlawful character,
and of the penalties which they would incur. For same
time there was reason to hope that these measures had
sufficed to pros cut any such attempt. This hope, however,
proved to be delusive. Very only in the morning of the
3rd of August, a steamer, called the Pompeii", departed
from New Orleans for Cuba, having on hoard upwards of
400 armed men, with evident intentions to make war upon
the authorities of the island. This expedition was set on
foot in palpable violation of the laws of the United States.
Its leader was a Spaniard, and several of the chief officers,
and some others engaged in it, were foreigners. The persons
composing it, however, were mostly citizens of the Coiled '
States.

Before the expedition set out, and probably before it was
organised, a slight insurrectionary movement, which ap-
pears to have been soon suppressed, had taken place In the
eastern quarter of Cuba. The importance of this move-
ment was unfortunately so much exaggerated in the ac-
counts of it published in this country, that these adven-
turers seem to have been led to believe that the Creole po-
pulation of the island not only desired to throw off the
authority of the mother country but had resolved upon
that step, and had begun a well-concerted enterprise for
effecting it. The persons engaged in the expedition were
generally young and ill-informed. The steamer iu which
they embarked left New Orleans stealthily, and without a
clearance. After touching at Key West, she proceeded to
the coast of Cuba, and on the night between the 11th and
12 of August, landed the persons on board at Playtas,
within about 21) leagues of Havatmah.
The main body of them proceeded to, and took posses-
sion of an inland village, six leagues distant, leaving others
to fallow in charge of the baggage, as soon as the means of
transportation could be obtained. The latter having taken
up their line of march to connect themselves with the main
body, and having proceeded about four leagues into the
country, were attacked on the morning of the 13th by a
body of Spanish troops, and a bloody conflict ensued ; after
which they retreated to the place of disembarkation, where
about fifty of them obtained boats, and re-embarked therein.
They were, however, intercepted among the keys near the
shore by a Spanish steamer cruising on the coast, captured
and carried to Havannah, and, after being examined before
a military court, were sentenced to be publicly executed,
and the sentence was carried into effect on the IGth of
August.
On receiving information of what had occurred, Comm-
'don, Foshan A. I'arker was instructed to proceed iit the
steam-frigate Saranac to Havana, and inquire into the
charges against the persons executed, the circumstances
under which they were taken, and whatsoever referred to
their trial and sentence. Copies of the instructions from the
department of state to him, and of his letters to that depart-
ment are herewith submitted.

According to the record of the examination, the prisoners
all admitted the offences charged against them, of being
hostile invaders of the island. At the time of their trial
and execution the main body of the invaders was still in the
field, making war upon the Spanish authorities and Spanish
subject,. After the lapse of some days, being overcome by
the Spanish troops, they dispersed on the 2fth of August;
Lopez, their leader, was captured some days after, and exe-
cuted on the Ist of September. Macy of his remaining fol-
lowers were killed, or died of hunger and fatigue, and the
rest were made prisoners. Of these, none appear to have
been tried or executed. Several of them were pardoned
upon the application of their friends and others, and the
st, about one hundred and sixty in number, were sent to
Spain. Of the final disposition made of these we have no
official information.

Such is the melancholy result of this illegal and ill-fated
expedition. Thus, thoughtless young men have been in-
duced, by false and fraudulent rcprehentatiens, to violate
the law of their country, through rash and unfounded ex-
pectations of assistance to accomplish political revolutions
othor States, and have lost their lives in the undertak-
ing. Too severe a judgment can hardly be passed, by the
indignant sense of the community, upon those who, ban;
bethr inlormed themselveo, have yet led assay the ardour
of youth and an ill-directed love of political liberty. The
correspondence between this government and that of Spain
relating to this transaction is herewith communicated.

ttheTaWl;;;Forfeiteil Although these offenders mains
the protection of their country, yet the government may, so
for as is consistent with its obligations to other countries,
and its fixed purpose to maintain and enforce the laws, en-
tertain sympathy for their unoffending families and friends,
as well as a feeling of compassion for themselves. Accord-
ingly no proper effort has been spared. and none will be
spared to procure the release of such citizens of the United
States, engaged in this unlawful enterprise, as arc now in
confinement in Spain ; but it is to be hoped that such inter-
position with the government of that country may not be
considered as affording any ground of expectation that the
government of the United States will hereafter feel itself
under any obligation of duty to intercede for the libera-
tion or pardon of such persons as are flagrant offenders
against the law of nations and the laws of the United
States. These laws must be executed. If we desire to
maintain our mspeetability among the nations of the earth,
it behoves us to enforce steadily and sternly the neutrality
act. passed by congress, and to follow, as for as may be, the
violation of those acts with condign punishment.
But what gives a peculiar criminality to this invasion of
, Coln is, that under the lead of Spanish subjects, and with
I the aid of citizens of the United States, it had its origin,
I with many, in motives of cupidity. Money was advanced
by individuals, probably in considerable amounts, to pur-
chase honchos they have been called, issued by Lopez,
sold doubtless at a very large discount, and for the pay-
ment of which the public lan. Is and public property of Cuba,
of whatever kind, and the fiscal resources of the people and
government of that idatd, from whatever source to be de-
rived, were pledged, as well as the good faith of the go-
vernment expected to be established. All these means of
payment, it is evident, were only to be obtained by a pro-
, cess of bloodshed, scar, and revolution. None will deny
that those who set on foot military expeditions

against foreign states by means liko re fir
morn eulpnble than the ignorant and the new's „it ~hota
-
they induce to go forth as the osten:ible /settle. .1 tis pro.,
ceeding. Three originators of the invasion of t,„
have determined, with coolness and system,
dertakiag %Lich should di:graee their counts,.
laws, awl put to hazard the lives of .e: de.
lulled mea. You will con:ider whether felt' ,;
be necessary to prevent the perpetration oleo
future.

•-• -•-•
No individuals Lave a right to hazard , . ,pa
country or to violate its laws upon vague not:..: •
or reforming governments in other states. *E., • ;..;
not only reasonable in itself, and in score:an
law, but is engrafted into the codes of other cll
as our own. But, while such are the sentim,
vernment, it may be added that every indep..
must be presumed to be olio to defend i
against unauthorised individuals handed to
attack them. The government of the Utt:
all times since its estublisemeat, has
has sought to restrain the citizens
try, frum entering into controversies h „ .
powers, and to observe all the duties of n.• • y At
an early period of the government, in ti,
lion of Washington, several laws we.
this purpose. The main provisions ni i.,,cs
were re-cuacted by the act of April, leis, ,y whia_
among other things, it was declared if
person shall, within the territory or juri-tlk•teei of 4.0
United States, begin, or set on foot, or prank!. , e. • ;
the camas of any military expedition or cute: ir: : e,
carried cm from thence against the territory or . aof
any foreign prince or state, or of auy colon.. 1,. ,or
people with whim the United States ate II! • .
per•ati so offending shall be deemed guilty of •
me:toner, and be fined, not exceedtup . !eie.
dollars, and imprisoned not more than • .• ,„.1
this law has been executed and cameo', s . ; 4.;

of the power of the goverataent, from that
In ptoelaiming and adOcriug to the dote
ity and non-intervention, the United B.at•
lowed tip: lead of other civilised nations; tl