The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-09-03

1 4
Randolph, of the Albany, is still doubted by some
It's extraordinary character might well subject tito
suspicion, but we have no doubt that it is genuine
In Mobile, on Friday, it was said to be distrbuted
BY officers Of the ship Its contents are in accord
anee with the conversations of the commander as
reported to before the handful issued, and its
apnouncement Of what he intended to do in break |
ing up the expedition, conform exactly to what has
been done by she naval force under his command.
The Albany, the Water Witch, the Flirt, and the
Gen. Taylor, are surrounding the Island and pre-
venting intercourse with it. The expedition, what
ever it may have been, is now effectually frus,
trated. No discrimination is made or attempted as
TO its destination. Without any offence proved, or
even legally specified against any law of the
United States and merely suspicion that an |
offence may be meditated, naval officer has I'm
derlaken to coop up body Of unarmed Americans
on an island, depriving them of provisions, mena
cling them with force, TO compel them to dispense,
and debating the manner in which they shall de-
part, and closing against them avenues Of depar
ture and modes Of travel, which it is the right of
every American not under arrest lawfully for some
specified crime, to select and pursue at his own
free will Nothing can be more arbitrary in char
acter offensive in manner, than these extraordi-
nary assumptions Of power in the document,
NACti5 we regret W orc W
| lievs, is the act Of Commander Randolph. Unless
warranted by express instructions from his superors
at Washington, the assumption will obtain for him
the severest censnre; but in the mean time the
lelega purpose will have been effected Of harrass-
ing, delaying, and probably defeating the objects
| for which these adventurers assembled. If war
ranted by special instructions, the question as to
i Commander Randolph viii arise again, how far an
officer of the Government is screened from respon
sibty for injury done to Others by Illegal acts per-
formed in obedience to the orders of men in author
ity. They who issued them, will, without doubt,
be called upon to defend themselves before the
/ representatives of the country in Congress-. If
there be no hoax as we believe there is none, the
acts of the Gulf fleet will make an agitating topic
between Commander Randolph and his superiors,
or between his superiors and Congress. 1t is not
likely that the rights of free Americans can be so
summarily abridged by mere military powers, with
out rousing most determined spirit of inquiry into
responsibility and the strongest feelings of resolute
disapproval of the act.
If it be conceded that the expedition, of which
this Round Island assemblags is a part, have the
intent Of taking part in some illegal proceeding, it
concerns the whole country tLatthe mode adopted
for suppressing it should be lawful and consistent
with the principles of civil liberty. These require
that the charge should be made in soma definite
FORM and the parties charged be made amenabe to
some civil tribunal. The military and naval pow.
ers may come in then as auxiliaIies to the civil
form, and in execution of some duty defined and
authorized by law. There is nothing for Ameri-
cans to punish in American sympathy for Spanish
Republicans, except so far as it violates some dis
tinet national obligation, or some specific national
law. Even the obligation of treaty has no force
upon the individual Citizen until enacted as his rule
Of duty by some law of Congress. There is no law
Of nations, recognized in this country at least, nor
of morals, which deprives man ofthe right Of ex-
patrating himself If he pleases, to take his share
in foreign quarrel, which appeals to his love of
liberty, or detsstation Of tyranny, or even to his
mere sordid estimate Of glory or gain. Restraints
are imposed upon our citizens by specific laws of
our own, and in none of them is it provided, or
countenanced, that suspicious, without proof, of
design to do some act out Of the United States
which may be an act Of hostility to foreign Gov
ernment requires that the civil authorities should
be superseded, martial law proclaimed, and large
company Of men, against whom the laws have
made no defined charge, driven about and dispersed
as vagranis," by arbitrary power, without appeal
in any step civil powers. If the officers of the
Government have proofs by which to establish
the eTiminality of the parties the island, there
ara judges and marshals, and attorneys, who
can arrest the accused /; and in aid of them, the
Albany and her attending vessels might be much
better employed, than in making war on their
own account by &c embargo or blockade" on party
suspected only of willingness TO risk their own
lives, without compromising the neutrality Of their
Government, in aid of an object which has so
unanimously the hearty good win of the people of
this country as the emancipation of Cuba.
The interference is offensive to the republican in
stincts of the people, as it is repugnant to
of the just rights Of our own citizens. We trust
that even Commander Randolph shall acqut him
self of the ldicule Of having Issued the absurd adj
iress-the Government may also disoonneet itself
from the arbitrary acts of which he is clearly guilty,
In interrupting the freedom of people on Round
Island to come and go, and buy and SELL so long as
they do nothing for which they can be made regu-
larly responsible to the civil jurisdiction of the
United States. E-r
r Y I'M.