American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-12-02
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Rello,o. citizens Of the Senate

ency upon the favorable auspices under wnlch you
meet for your fret session. Our country 10 a.
peace with all the world. The agitation which,
for time, threatened to disturb the fraternai
relations which make one people, is fast sub
siding; and year of general prosperity and health
has crowned the nation with unusual bless
ings. None can look back to the dangers which
ere passed, or forward to the bright prospect be-
fore us, without feeling thrill of qualification, at
the same time that he must be impressed with
grateful sense of profound obligations a ben
efcent Providence, whose patcrnal care is SO man
ifest in the happiness of this highly favored land
Since the close of the Last Congress, certain Cubans
and other foreigners resident in the United Statos
who were more or less concerned in the previous
invasion of Cuba instead of being discouraged by
its failure have again abused the hospitality of this
country, by making il. the scene of the equipment
OF another military expedition against that posses
sion OF her Catholic majesty, in which they were
countenanced, aided and joined by citizens Of the
United States. On receiving intelligence that such
designs entertained, / lost time in Issuing
such instructions to the proper officers of the Uni
ted States seemed to be called for by the occa-
sion By the proclamation, copy of which is
herewith submitted, also warned those who might
Of its unlawful character, and of the penalties
which they would incur. For some time there was
reason to hope that these measures had suficed
to prevent any such attempt. This hope, howev
CIR, proved to be deusive. Very early in the morn
ing of the third of August, steamer called the
Pampero departed from New Orleans for Cuba,
having on board upwards of four hundred armed
men, with evident intentions to make war upon
the authorities of the island. This expedition
set foot in palpable violation of the laws of the
United States. Its leader was Spaniard, and
several of the chief officers, and some others
gagged in it, were foreigners. The persons
posing it, however, were mostly citizens of the
United States.
Before the expedition set out, and probably be-
fore it organized, slight nsurrectionary move
ment, which appears to have been soon suppress
ed had taken place in the eastern quarter of Cuba
The importance of this movement was unfortunate
ly SO much exaggerated in the accounts Of it pub
lshed in this country that these adventures seem
to have been led to believe that the Creole popu-
lation of the island not only desired to throw of
the authority of the mother country, but had re-
solved upon that step, and had begun weils
concerted enterprise for effectng it. The persons
and i'll informed. The steamer in which they
embarked left New Orleans stealthily and with
out clearance. After touching at Key West,
she proceeded to the coast of Cuba, and, on the
night between the tn and 18th of August landed
the persons on board at Paytas, within about
twenty leagues of Havana.
The main body of them proceeded to, and took
possession of inland village, six leagues distant,
leaving others to follow in charge of the bag
gage, as soon as the means of transportation could
be obtained The latter, having taken up their
line of march to connect themselves with the main
body, and having proceeded about four lsegues into
the country, were attacked on the morning of the
18th by body of Spanish troops, and bloody con-
ct ensued; after which they retreated to the place
of Decentralization, where about fifty of them OBJ
tanned boats and re-embarked therein. They were,
however, intercepted among the keys near the
shore by Spanish steamer cruising on the coast,
captured and carried to Havana, and, after being
examined before military court, were sentenced
TO be publicly executed, and the sentence
ried into effect on the 10th Of August.
On receiving information of what had occurred
Commodore Foxhall A. Parker was instructed to
proceed in the steam frigate Saranac to Havana,
and inquire into the charges against the persons
executed, the circumstances under which they
were taken, and whatsoever referred to their trial
and sentence. Copies of the instructions from the
Department of State to him, and of his letters to
that Department are herewith submitted.
According to the record of the examination, the
prisoners all admitted the offences charged against
them, of being hostile invaders of the island At
the time of their trial and execution the main BODY
of the invaders still in the field, making war
upon the Spanish authorities and Spanish subjects
After the lapse of some days, being overcome by
the Spanish troops, they dispersed the Gath of
August; Lopez, their leader, captured some
days after, and executed on the let of September
Many of his remaining followers were killed. or
died of hunger and fatigue, and the rest were made
prisoners OF these, appear to have been tried
or executed. Several Of them were pardoned upon
application of their friends and Others and the rest,
about one hundred and sixty in number, sent
TO Spain. ofthe final disposition made of these we
have official information.
Such is the melancholy result of this illegal and
I'LL fated expedition. Thus, thoughtless young men
have been induced, by false and fraudulent repre-
sensations. TO violate the law Of their country,
through rash and unfounded expectations of as
ssting to accomplish political revolutions in other
States and have lost their lives in the undertaking
Too severe judgment hardly be passed,
by the indignant sense of the community, upon
those who, being better informed themselves,
have yet led away the ardor of youth and an i'll.
directed love Of political liberty. The correspond
ence between this Government and that of Spain