The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-03
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FtliolU-citi.ens of the Senate
..,I ~ gLa H.. ID ..

Ftllolp-citi.ens of the Senate
aud The House Of Representatives.:
congratulate you and our common constituent
cy upon the favorable auspices under which you
meet for your first session. Our country is at
peace with all the world. The agitation which,
for time, threatened to disturb the fraternal re-
lations which make us one people, is fast subsid-
ing; and year of general prosperity and health
has crowned the nation with unusual blessings
None can look back to the dangers which are
passed, or forward to the bright prospect before
us, without feeling thrill Of qualification, at the
same time that he must be impressed with CRATE
full sense of Our profound obligations to beneh-
cent Providence, whose paternal care Is so mani
fest in the happiness of this highly favored land.
| Since the close Of the last Congress, certain
Cubans and other foreigners resident in the United
| State who were more or less concerned In the
previous invasion of Cuba, instead of being dis
couraged by its failure, have again abused the hos
piaity Of this country, by making 1t the scene of
| the equipment of another military expedition
against that poss of her Catholic maj esty,
| in which they were countenanced, aided and joined
| by citizens Of the United States On receiving in
tegence that such designs were entertained,
lost no time in issuing such instructions to the
proper officers of the United States as seemed to
be called for by the occasion. BY the prociama
ton, copy of which is herewith submitted | also
warned those who might be in danger of being in
weighed into this scheme of its unlawful character,
and of the penalties which they would incur For
some time there reason TO hope that these
measures had suffced to prevent any such attempt.
This hope, however, proved to be delusve. Very
early in the morning of the third of August, a
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 palpabe viola
tiofy the laws Of the United States. Its leader
was Spaniard, and several of the chief officers,
and some others engaged in it, were foreigners.
| The persons composing 1t, however, were mostly
citizens of the United States.
Before the expedition set out, and probably be-
fore it was organized, slight insurrectionary
movement, which appears to have been soon sup
pressed had taken place in the eastern quarter OF
Cuba. The importance of this movement was
| unfortunately so much exaggerated in the ac-
counts Of it published in this country, that these
adventures seem to have been led TO believe that
the Creole population of the island not only de-
sired to throw off the authority of the mother
| country, but had resolved upon that step, and
had begun well-concerted enterprise for effecting
| it. The persons engaged in the expedition were
generally young and i-informed. The steamer
in which they embarked left New Orleans stealth
lily and without a clearance. After touching at
Key West, she proceeded to the coast Of Cuba,
and on the night between the 18th and 18th
Of August, landed the persons on board at Play
tas, within about twenty leagues Of Havana
The main body Of them proceeded to, and took
possession of. an inland village, six leagues dis
tant, leaving others to follow IN charge Of the
baggage, 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
leagues into the country, were attacked on the
morning Of tie 18th by a body of Spanish troops,
and bloody conflict ensued, after which they
reireated to the place of decentralization, where
about fifty of them obtained boats and re-em
barked therein. They were, however, inter-
cepted among the keys near the shore by a
Spanish steamer cruising on the coast, captured
and carried to Havana, and, afer being examined
before q military court, were sentenced to be pub
licy executed, and the sentence was carried into
effect on the 18th of August.
! On receiving information of " he had occurred
Commodore Foxhall A. Parker was instructed to
proceed in the steam frigate Saranac to Havana,
and inquire into the charges agains; 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 was still in the field, making
war upon the Spanish authorities aud Spanish
subjects. After the lapse of some DAYS, being
overcome by the Spanish troops, they disp erssd
on the oath of August; Lopez, their leader, was
captured some days after, and executed on the Is
of September. Many of his remaining followers
} were killed, or died of hunger and fatigue, and
the rest were made prisoners. of these, none ap
pear to have been tried executed. Several o
f them were pardoned upon application of thei
friends and others, and the rest, about one hun
bred and sixty in number, were sent to Spain
or the final disposition made Of these, we have NJ
ofisiAk Information.
Suckf G1he melancholy result OF this illegal ant
ill-fated txpedition. Thus, thoughtless youn,
, men have, been induced, by false and frauduen
representations, to violate the law of their coun
| try, through rash and unfounded expectations o
assisting to accomplish political revolutions IL
other States, and have lost their lives in the under
taking. Too severe judgment can hardly b
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 Span
relating to this tIansac ton, is herewith commu
nIcsted.
Although these offenders against the laws bsv
forfeited the protection of their country, yet TIL
government may, 80 far as 10 consistent with il
obligations to other countries, and its fixed pur
pose to maintain and enforce the laws, entertain
sympathy for their unoRsnding families and
4 friends, AZ well as feeling Of compassion foi