Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-22
[PROPRIETORS.

liar occurrence7 Here four hundred and
fifty men, without having received the
least provocatiot, leave their homes, and
invade tue shores Of a perfectly reaceiul
land, expressing determination to take
that Island from its swfnlowners, by force.
SeNpreservation is one Of the first laws Of
nature; and ifthc law will uphold and pro
tcct that American citizen, who, without
hesitation shoots down the midnight robber
in defence Of his property certainly that
law viii uphold the officers of The crown
Of Spain, in externinating band Of men,
who attcmptto wrest It's brightest Jewel
from that crown. l consider that every
man with that expedition deserved death.
Al tire time ] was made prisoner, fully
expectedit, and although the reflection
was any thing but pleasant, my own con-
science told me thai it was just Crittcn-
den with his force not only committed an
act Of open piracy in taking those vessels
in which he was caught the punishment of
which is, by the laws of all nations.
Much has been said relative to the mutt
haton Of their bodies. Certainly | was
not present at the 1ime, and cannot srcak
positively, but | cannot learn from rclia-
bic source that such was the case. | have
convcrsed with the officers of the L. S.
ship Albany, on the subject. They are
men Of high standing in roccty, and they
assure me that such was not Tire Case
that they We're shot in accordance with
military usages on such occasions, and that
the only thing that occurred, that could be
condemned was the way 10 which they
were dragged to and thrown into carts by
the negroes ordered r, bury them.
1t has been reported that Cri;terlen
wrote home that he had been abandoned
by Lopez, without arms or ammunition. |
do not believe that Crittcntlen ever wrote
anything ofthe kind. Attached 10 hiscom-
mand--in hourly contact with hint
knew him, and do not hesitate in saying
that Drawer, nobler. more honorable man
than VIM. l.. Critlenden never lived. In
stead OF having no amunition, he had all,
and was particularly selected to guard il
that being most difficult and yet hon
orable service. Lopez did not desert him,
but in leaving him, in dividing his com
mand, committed enc Of those errors which
eventually cost him his life; but had Crit
ienden, on the morning of the 18th. gone
on and joined Lopez at Las Posas, instead
OF retrcating to the sea. all would have
been well-then he would have lost only
the stores, as it was, hc lost ALL Why he
did so, Is inexplicable and must ever re-
main involved IN mystery.
Had Lopez carried out his original IN
tention OF landing near Puerto Principe,
the result might perhaps, have been differ.
ent---he might there, perhaps, have found
trends, and raised force sufficient to sus
tam itself until reiniorccments Were sent
ont from the States. la landing where he
did, Lopez. without doubt. acted as he
thought for the best; but there, as IN many
other instances, he erred. Ofhs person
al courage there is no doubt; but when
we speak Of military knowledge of iudg.
ment, ofhis ability to lead an expedition,
1 say AZ once he had neither. Lopez was
probably as much or more deceived than
any MANN the expedition. His ambition
led him to be the tool and victim of heart
less spectators. Avarice, not plrilanthro-
py, was the main spring Of this cxpedi
ton.
| nowd'sllrctly, openly assert that all
those letters purporllng 10 be from Cuba,
which were published during the month Of
July last and copied throughout the Union
were base torgerles, for the express pur-
pose OF dcceIving The citizens Of the Uuitcd
States. and advancing the sale of Cuban
bonds knowing 'lleambhion Of Lopez, and
that strong disposition TO extend the gor-
Gus boon OF freedom which fills the breast
OF every Amencan citizen, these specula-
tors III human blood took advantages oitheir
knowledge to iurther their OWN end. They
wen knew how little effort was required to
s'artand keep alive this excitement.-They
'hought' or at least they iondly hoped, that
more men would go out TO JON tins little
band and that eventually the island would
be iree' Cuban bonds were worth, or We're
selling at from 10 to ~ Cents on dollar,
when ilis expedition lett. Naturally they
would increase in value, as the prospect OF
liberating Cuba became more certain; and
II tins expedition succeeded, as they pre-
tended TO think It wonld, Cuba when l'bcr-
ated from wiiatthey dehominalcd the tyfan-
ny oi Sfs'n' would have boen burthened
with debt oi from iiity 70 one hundred
millions on dollars at least hity per cent OF
winch would have been III the pockets OF
these would-be phlanthropisis, who, active
as they wished to be thought N the holy
cause OF liberty, took the best oil good care
to PERI neither HE nor their own precious
liberty IN ITS behalf. AZ the expiration OF
me war an! alter Cnha should have be-
come irce, thenlt was TO be annexed TO the
United States, aud as matter OF course
the payment oil these Cuban bonds was TO
be assumed by that government.
What do they care tor the mothers, wives
and sisters ol the gallant men who formed
this Inflated expedition. who have been