The New York herald., 1851-11-01

ing Tor his good offices in behalf of the American
prisoners in Spain. We were glad to see it. We
were glad to learn from the document that the
patriotic and benevolent ex- President was still
alive His letter is in good season. Every man
of infuenc ce ought now to lend his aid in behalf
Of those poor fellows of the Cuban expedition.
Messrs Greer and Donaldson might be of good
service if they would only wait upon the President,
or write him one of their excellent letters.
The administration, at all events, is bound by
every consideration of justice and hum anity, to
exert itself to the utmost to reclaim the remnant
OF the i'll fated forsy of the Pampero. The depar-
ture of that vessel is attributable to the neglect
of the administration, and its Indifference to the
movements of Lopez and his confederates at New
Orleans. The cabinet were too much taken up
with the profits of thase Mexican and Florida
claims too much occupied in the distribution of
fat Offices to brothers and nephews, and uncles and
aunts, and neices, and friends, and partizans, to
attend properly to their Official duties in this mat
ter. And last of all, at the very time whom the
| government should have been at Washington,
| it was scattered over half the Union, making
| electoneering speeches-the President among the
mountains of Virginia. the Secretary of State ia
New England, the Secretary Of War in New York.
the Attorney General in Kentucky, and the rest of
them God only knows where. 1t was at that crisis
that the Pampero sailed, and landed her men in
Cuba; and before the President could hurry back,
the mischief was done. Crittenden and his fifty
men were executed and the residue living were left
to the mercy of the Captain General 1t is to him
they owe their lives. They were ou.awed by the
proclamation. Our government was not at ho NO
our consul stood aloof-and if the prisoners had
been ext erminated, it would have been by the Pre-
ii ~. ~.
prisoners by timely Instructions but Mr.. Fillmore
was of at the springs, and the proclamation did
the woik, not for pirates but the deuded folio sers
of Lopez.
Butthe great original blunder was in ncglec.ing to
put stop to the schemes of Lopez after his return
from the Cardenas affair He was suffered to run
at large, instead of being promptly punished. Does
anybody believe that, had Lopez met bis just de-
serts in the first instance, he would have died the
violent deaf which he met in Cuba, or that those
FIVE hundred young men who followed him would
have left the United States any szsh adventure
Had Lopez been taken of, there would have
been no more trouble about these Cuban invasions.
Another thing-the cabinet, from the President
down, were little too accommodating towards the
Custom House officers at New Ole ans, and other
officials sympathizipg with, and winking It, if no.
Lopez. 1t is highly probable-and We think the
proof can be obtained to establish the fact-that
but for the aid and connivance ef the government
officers, the Pampero would not have been ready
for the descent upon Cuba to this day. l. was the
business Of the President and his cabinet to know
of these proceedings at the time. Aher the vessel
had sailed there was precious little atonement for
past neglect, in the dismissal of the New Orleans
u rrIx aalnr tLot
the executive did not connve at the violation of
neutrality, permitted or perpetra. led by his sub
orsinates in Louisiana.
Every civilized people know, or ought to know,
that neither the government nor the people Of the
United States wish to steal the island Of Cuba,
to obtain that beautiful piece of property under
false pretences. Nothing Of the sort. This people
and this government are strong enough to be just,
and brave enough to be open, above-board, and
magr animous in all their relations with foreign
powers. III just provooation shall ever arrive the
act will be done openly; the i,land will ts overun
and conquered, as the work was done in Mexico.
But while Spain re ma in occupation, the United
States will be eonten.. They will not, however,
be content with any compact, under any terms, by
which the possession of the island may be turned
over to Great Britain. 1t would be too palpably a
suicidal policy to pc NIT that powerful maritime
and ambitious nation 10 get possession Of the lock
and key of the gulf Nor can the United States
recognise any foreign alliance fer the purpose Of
watching and guarding the Island of Cuba against
any future irruptions from our shores. We are
gratifed to learn from Washington that Mr.. Crit
tenden acting Secretary Of State in the abse Of
Mr.. Webster, has written q letter to Lord Pal
merston on the subject, in conformity with these
views.
This is well enough. In the meantime, however,
the administration, we hope, have no. omit
ted the necessary instructions to Mr.. Barrinssr,
ut Madrid, for the release Of the prisoners
from Cuba. We learn by the Europa, that one
hundred and twenty-s six Of then had arrived In
Spain. Mr.. Owen, at Havana, sheltered himself
behind the proclamation. Ii appears to have been
all the same to him, whether the prisoners
were shot or transported We trust that Mr. Bar
ringer will have different Instructions for his guide,
and more consistent with the necessities Of his
countrynen The administration WILL doubtless,
be brought to a rigid cross exa nination By Con-
gress, for everything IL has done, failed to do in
this Cuba business but it will be something in his
favor If the President shall be able to report in his
annual message the safe return Of the prisoners
In Spain. We hope soon to hear from Mr.. Web
ster on this subject, now that he is again q. the
helm Of the State Department.
The ROCHESTER ksocKISes-THE QUESTION
SETTLED AT LAsr.-A curious comm unioati On from
a Boston philosopher, which We publish in this
days HERALD, settles the whole question Of the
Rochester knockings and the me lila With the world
OfSpiritS-a question which has 90 sgitstsd grave
vnes, puzzled the wits Of the li,ersti, and bsfed
even the researches Of the socialist philosophers,
from Greeley to Brisbane, who professod their firm
belief in the genuneness Of the phenomena exhibit
hy the girls; while the 7ribune, the organ OF
The rsppers. endorsed the most astounding Of all
te spiritual revelations ade from the ether world
Tbe mystery seemed as impenetrabe as the Eleu.
sinAan mysteries, or the oracles Of Dodona.