The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-17
TIL E REPU B Lie.
WASHIN GTON:
MONDAY MORNING, SEPT. II, ls4s.
The Cuba Expedition and Opposition
sympathy.

We have seldom seen any thing more
absurd than the heroics of some of the
Opposition journals, in regard to the mil
liant adventures of Round and Cat Islands
They dare not cavil at the PRESIDENTS
proclamation; for that finds a response in
the heart of every order-loving and peace
loving citizen. They dare not cavil at the
measures ordered by the PRESIDENT; for
these were indispensable to carry out the
objects of the proclamation. They object,
therefore, to the mode in which the PRES
DENTS orders have been executed. They
mount their high horse, and gasslfy to any
! extent, because Commander RANDOLPH
| and Lieutenant ToTTEN have borne them
selves in the matter like couple Of old
salts, and given the adventurers piece
of their mind. Instead of the fort'ter IN
re of Rough and Ready, they require
suariter IN modo bordering on the Chester
feldian The letters of the rude tars
were quite offensive; they ought to have
been couched in terms of diplomatic po-
| likeness, and ended with assurances of
very high consideration.
We do not propose to discuss the ques-
ton of taste involved in this matter. Here
were several hundred men, patriots and
ex-patriots, assembled on an island with
the MISUNDERSTOOD purpose of organizing
descent upon some foreign country with
which the United States were at peace.
The expedition was in every respect lille
gal. By the law Of nations and the stat
ute law of the land, it was the duty of the
Executive Government to break it up, and
to employ force of the nature, and to the
extent necessary for this purpose. How
this force was to be applied was within
the judgment and discretion of the officer
charged with the execution of the law.
The case was not such as called for a
very dainty and gingerly conduct on the
part of the officer; it was one Of fragrant
and criminal outrage, and was dealt with
accordingly.
The public opinion Of the United States
is too sound and Just to contemplate any
such expedition without adherence. 1t
will never consider too curiously as to the
manner in which right thing is done, if
it is done promptly, theoretically, and in
substantially right way. 1t cannot be de-
MED that Commander RANDOLPH might
have been a little less fervid in his ex-
pressions. He may have forgotten the
advice of Sir Lucius O'Trigger, to "do
every thing in mild and agreeable man.
ner.' He was not writing a billet-doux,
however, or an invitation to dinner. His
object was to arrest lawless expedition,
and he employed the terms which he con-
sidered appropriate to the enterprise and
the men engaged in it.
The Opposition journals, however, can
not be satisfied with any thing that is done
by the PRESIDENT or his officers; they
must sympathize with the victim of the
law. If man is defaulter, he is not a
''dishonorable defaulter." If he grossly
violates the law, and is arraigned for the
violation of it, the law, and the ministers
of the law, and not the ''poor" cul prit,
must be assailed. 1t is ''persecution" for
the PRESIDENT to execute the law which
| he is bound by his oath to execute faith
! fully. The law-breakers are all injured
innocents, and every arraignment Of adj
mitted and notorious delinquency or crime
is regarded as a source of political capital
to the Opposition
This diseased and depraved spirit does
not belong to the honest and manly Amer
lean character. That, we believe, re-
joices in the observance and the integrity
of the law, and sympathizes with the i'm
partial and intrepid temperin which Presi-
dent TAYLOR preserves our neutral rela-
tons inviolate, on the one hand, and vim
dicates our national honor on the other.
The Government is not DESTROYS of pros
ecuting the individuals engaged in the ex-
petition for the misdemeanor; and so fan
from Commander Randolph wishing to use
means harsher than he deemed the occa
sion demanded, as soon as he became sat
isfed that the expedition was frustrated
he not only assisted with his boats such o
the Round Islanders as wished to leave thu
rendezvous, but issued rations to those
who remained, lest they might be straight
ened for food
In returning once more to the Interrupt
ton and defeat of the illegal organiza
ton "begun" and "set on foot" in thu
territory of the United States, agains
the dominions Of a state at peace will
the United States, it is scarcely neces
sary TO quote again the sections OF tn
D act of 1913 which bear upon the case
/ The act is as broad and general as posi-
BILE and the means piyen the PRESIDEN'