The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-10 00:00:00

CUBA-THE INTENDED EXPEDITION.

having been apprised that a considerable number
of adventurers were engaged in fitting out a mili-
tary expiditioo, within the United States, against
a foreign country, and believing, from the
best information I could obtain, that it was des-
tined to invade the Island of Cuba, I deemed it
due to the friendly relations existing be-
tween the United States and Spain, to the treaty
between the two nations, to the laws of the United
States, and, above all, to the American honour, to
exert the lawful authority of this Government in sup-
pressing the expedition and preventing the invasion.
To this end I issued a proclamation, enjoining it upon
the officers of the United States, civil and military, to
use all lawful means within their power. A copy of
that proclamation is herewith submitted. The expe-
dition has been suppressed. So long as the Act of
Congress of the 20th April, 1818, which owes its
existence to the law of nations and to the policy of
Washington himself, shall remain on our statute-
book, I hold it to be the duty of the Executive
faithfully to obey its injunctions.
While this expedition was 'in progress, I was in.
formed that a foreigner, who claimed our protection,
had been clandestinely, and, as was supposed, forcibly
carried off in a vessel from New Orleans to the Island
of Cuba. I immediately caused such steps to be
taken as I thought necessary, in case the information
I had received should prove correct, to vindicate the
honour of the country, and the .right, of every person
seeking an asylum on our soil to the protection of
Our laws. The person alleged to have been ab-
ducted was promptly restored, and the circum-
stances of the case are now about to undergo investi-
gation before another tribunal. I would respectfully
suzgest that although the crime charged to have been
committed in this case is held odious as being in
conflict with our opinions on the subject of national
sovereignty and personal freedom, there is no prohi-
bition of it, or punishment for it, provided in any
ut ,::kedienvy of :styplying this
defect in our criminal code is therefore recommended
to your consideration.

Our claims upon Portugal have been, during the
past year, prosecuted with renewed vigour, and it has
been my object to employ every effoi t of honourable
diplomacy to procure .their adjustment. Our late
Charge d'Affaires at Lisbon, the Hon. George W.
Hopkins, made able and energetic, but unsuccessful,
efforts to settle these unpleasant matters of contro-
versy, and to obtain indemnity for wrongs which
were the subject of complaint. Our present Charge
d'Affaires at that court will also bring to the prose-.
cution of these claims ability and zeal. The revolu-
tionary and distracted condition of Portugal in past
times has been repseeented as one 4f the leading causes
of her delay in indemnifying our suffering citizens.
But I must now say, it is matter of profound regret
that these claims have not been settled. The omission
of Portugal to do justice to the American claimants
has now assumed a character so grave and serious
that I shall shortly make it the subject of a special
message to Congress, with a view to such ultimate
action as its wisdom and patriotism may suggest.
With Russia, Austria, Prussia, Sweden, Denmark,
Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Italian States, we
still maintain our accustomed amicable relations.