The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-10

a waste of words.
Seizure OF the New Orleans and sea-Gsull.
The United States marshal Of the east
ern district of New York, says the Jour-
nal of Commerce, having made requisi
ton on Commodore McKeever for a force
to capture the vessels alleged to have been
engaged in an illegal enterprise, Lieuten-
ant Swartwout, of the lne-of battle-shIp
North Carolina, in command Of party of
United States marines and forty-two Off
GERS and seamen from the vessels In the
harbor and the navy yard at Brooklyn, pro
ceeded on Thursday evening in the steam
boat Duncan G. Pell to the quarantine
ground, where the Sea-Gull lay This YES
sci was Immediately taken possession of
| in the name of the United States, on
charge of violating the neutrality act. On
board the Sea-Gull were about forty men,
principally Spaniards and Cubans, it is said.
The Sea-Gull was placed under the guns OF
the North Carolina, with midshipman
and party of seamen on board.
The marshal, with the marines, then
proceeded to seize the New Orleans at
the foot Of Cherry street, which was i'm
mediately occupied, and the New York
Courier says on board OF her were found
| 100, 900 rations. The New Orleans pre-
viously belonged to the United States, but
was sold some time since to a person
named WooD, from whom she was OBJ
tanned by the agents of the illicit expedi-
ton. During the investigation, the names
of persons concerned were ascertained by
the marshal, who, having communicated
by telegraph with the Secretary Of State,
was ordered to arrest not only the vessels,
but the persons, five Of whom, the Foe
ming Post states, named EDWARD WEIR,
marriott, PIGoT, CLARK, and MCCALL,
were arrested. One Of them was bailed
on Friday for $4,000.
The 9th section Of the act passed in
| 1918 reads thus
| And be IL further enacted, That if any person
shall, within the territory or jurisdiction OF the
United States, begin, set on foot or ouide or pre-
pare the for any military expedition or enter
prise TO be carried on from thence against the ter
ritory dominions of any foreign prince or state
or ofany colony, district or people, with whom the
United States are at peace, every person so orehd-
| ing shall be deemed guilty of high misdemeanor,
| and shall be fined not exceeding $4,000, and I'M
| prisoned not more than three years.
There can be no doubt that, under
the circumstances, the authorities had no
alternative, and for their promptness and
energy are entitled to praise.
The Philade lphia Ledger Of Friday has
the following statements relating to the
same affair:
.sOne of the returned volunteers taken from
this city, has given the following history of the
events connected with the expedition, as far as he
| knows, the persons engaged in ii keeping remark
ably close guard over their tongues. The person
| we allude TO is young man, residing in this city,
who, with six others, was recruited last week Tor
the expedition, being promised ! 900 at the end
of the affair and plenty Of piunder while engaged
| in il. He told, notwithstanding the inference
from the last mentioned fact, that Il was perfect
ly honorable project, and thatis purpose should be
disclosed before he left the country.
ale went TO New York on Friday last, with the
other recruits, and furnished quarters at the
| Americal Hotel, where there were about one hun
dred Spanards. On Monday night they were
taken quietly board the steamer Wilson G. Hunt,
with a view of being placed on board the propeller
schooner Sea Gull which had started for her dest-
| nation. They were under the command Of an Eng
lishman named Mcguire. After going forty miles
20 sea, and finding nothing Of the propeller, the
captain refused to go further, and put back. The
Sea Gull was found lying at quarantine, and the
men put on board. The vessel had boxes OF muskets
on board and soldier clothes, and our informer
sisted 10 hand boxes Of pistols and swords from the
| Wilson G.. Hunt.
s'The revenue cutter visited the vessel but could
discover nothing The recruits became dissatisfied
with the mystery maintained; and, having mis-
givings Of the object Of the expedition, demanded
TO be put ashore. This demand was refused till
| they declared that they would hail the revenue
cutter and apprize the officers Of the character Of
the proceedings. This had the effect: the men
set ashore, and their passages paid 10 Philadelphia
This IL all our informant knows Of the matter, but
he has no doubt that some marauding expedition
is intended"
The ramifcations of this expedition APP
pear most extensive, connecting GER
tainly New York, Philadelphia, and New
Orleans, and probably Boston and some
of the western cities. That the parties
concerned will have reason to thank the
Government for IFS interference, there Is no
doubt; it being incontestable that, if the ex-
petition had sailed and landed at any point
Of the island Of Cuba, II would have been
met by an overwhelming Spanish force;
for the captain general was familiar with
all the plan, and few OF none would have
escaped massacre or the garrofe.
|, The Hon. r. p. LETCHER, of Kentucky,
Minister Plenipotentiary of the United
States to the Republic Of Mexico, arrived
! in this city on the Sth instant, and has
taken rooms at Wizards hotel, where he
will remain for some days.
The stesm-frisste Princeton.
A paragraph has been extensively cir
culated, the purport of which is, that af-
ter survey Of the hull of the United
States steam-frIgate Princeton, IT had been
determined 10 rebuild her, at an expense