Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-09-19
TOUT ODedlent Servant,
GEO. NJ. TOTTEN, Lit. Com'd


Your obedient servant.
GEO. NJ. TOTTEN, It. Com'dg.
10 Lieut.. TorrEN, con'dg steamer IYater Hitch ::
ROUND ISLAND, Aug q, lS49.
DIR: Your communication of this morning was
duly received. In answer, we have entirely TO dis
claim any intention such as is embodied in the
Proclamation of the President of the Republic. to
which you have called attention. We are a
body of men uncnAsted, tmnnaed, and unwilling To
do aught that would in any manner compromise our
citizenship or liberty
circumstances may prevent our departure from
tihs island as early as you suggest as means mus,
De provided which are not immediately a, hand
III such provision is made, there will DO no at
Tempt To TRANSPORT to us further supplies.
Respectfully your obedent servant,
JOHN HASKINS, President.
w. JOHNSTON, Secretary.
In Lieut.. Ioten's communication. COW Of the
PRESIDENTS late proclamation was enclosed
The Mobile Advertiser, of August 3Ist. saws that
the following proclamation would be found pos,ed
mat morning, In conspicuous portions of that city,
TO THE PERSONS ENCAMPED ON ROUND IS.
LAND, (NEAR PASCAGOULA)
Friends and Fellow- Country,nen:
The Proclamation of the President Of the limited
states and other instructions which have received
from the Government at Washington make il i'm
Perailve and proper that should Immediately take
measures to break up your unlawful assemblage and
send you back to your homes; and when have
said Few words TO yOn in proof of your assemble
oeing. unlawful, and OF the utter impossibility of
your evadlng the vigilance of our squadron and ret
ting out of our waters TO proceed upon your contem
p!a'ed wild expedition to make against nations
al peace with our own, feel sure you will at once
dispense and sock homes, and peaceful OCCUPATIONS
f"@.-lhe very mystery which marks the
movements and actions OF your officers and the blind
ignorance OF the men TO the destination Of the en-
ShOw nat ibe NJ,
OF those at The head OF your affairs known to be
Hataiym, and !hat phlnder is the inducement held
oNt TO all who embark in this reckless expedition.
1Second-Ne have proof that some of YOU have
acknowledged that your destination was Cuba-and
that others of your number have said that the expe-
don was fitting out for the invasion Of the Sierra
Madre States OF Mexico, showing conclusively that
your enterprise is one of military character.
'dad tdStfg.-You are UagrantS in the eyes Of the
law and in tact-and therefore cannot be allowed
10 occupy your present position, and must imnedi-
ately dispcrse.
OF not only preventing your enbarkation to foreign
parts, but that we force you to abandon your
present headquarters
shall employ all the vessels now in this vicini-
fy, or which may hereafter arrive, in such manner
as will most efeclualiy bring about the ends de-
sired
First shall certainly prevent the steamers
Fanny. Maria Burt, or any other steamer steam
eTs, vessel or vessels, of whatever description from
furnishing the adventures on Round Island with
arms, or other munitions of war.
Seeond.-If said steamers or vessels have arms
or other munitions of war ON board shall take pos
session Of said arms, &c., and delan said steamers
or vessels nniil the men congregated ON Round Is
land are dispersed.
THIRD shall prevent the band of men on
Round Island from embarking on board said steam
ers or vessels, or from holding any communica lion
with them at all.
Fouyth-i will make said steamers or vessels
anchor within range of our guns.
FVM.--Alier tot day (2Sth Augusta in accordance
with notice before given them, shall cut off all
supplies ofprovisions which may be intended for the
persons on Round Island, and shall rigidly enforce
this blockade or embargo until they abandon the
spot and 90 home.
'SirM.-I shall gladly give the persons on Round
Island every facility 10 get away--taking pariicu-
lar care however, that they do not embark in sea
going pesses
Senior Officer Afoat in the Gulf Of Mexico.
u. >. ship Albany, Oft Pascagoula Aug. %, 1919.
From the respective dates of Lieut.. Tottens let
ter, and Capt RandoIph's proclamation, it will be
observed that The latter was day subsequent to the
former, though Lieut.. Totem doubtless acted under
Capt Randoph's orders.
The New Orleans Delta. which has given many
tokens ofsympathy with this Round Island Expedi-
ton, objects to Lieut. Jolten's assumption that the
persons composing it have illegal object in view,
inasmuch as he could not know that they were not
passing the summer, like any ordinary seekers Of
a pleasant retreat, on an island in the Gulf The
Della says:
"There is no warrant in the proclamation Of the
President for any such course. The men on Round
Island want the first essential TO constitute an EARN.
cd expediion'-io which alone the Presidents
proclamation refers-they have not a stand of arms
on the island Ofthal fact General Twiggs, whose
head quarters are not four miles from The island,
satisfied himself some time ago. We hold tlIa any
body Of men have the right to assemble for any pur
pose in any part Of the United States unless such
assemblage be accompanied by positre occrt proofs
Of an unlawful intent. The intent, which we BY
no means admit TO he the case in regard TO the
Round Island Expedition, may be unlawful, and yet
the Executive cannot interfere until such intent be
given which bring the assemblage on Round Island
within the provisions Of the Presidents proclama-
ton"
The statement ofihe principles that should gov.
the Executive in dealing with this case is con
elusive 10 sustain The course il has pursued For
Capt Randolph informs us explicitly that The requ-
site proof of the unlawful intent is in his posses
SION. Tho preience that the men are assembled TO
ENJOY a summer retreat would be laughed at by
themselves. IL is TO be hoped that they will heed
the good counsel Of the naval officers and quietly
dsperse.-- Rich. Times.
: The Milwaukee Sentinel says that the ropula.
on Of that city Is close upon 1900