Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
ftlla~-Cai-ens gf tie Ssnats,
and Of The House of Rspyesestais,


IcoDr,atHIate YOU and our common constituency
mon tho favorable auspices under which you meet
for your rs, session Our country is al peace with
all the world. The agitation hch for a time,
threatened to disturb the fraternal relations winch
make us one people, is fast subsiding and year
of general prosperity and health has crowned the
nation with unusual blessings None can look back
to the dangers which passed. or forward to the
bright prospect before without feeling thrill OF
gratifcation, at the time that he must be nm
| r~essed with grateful sense OF our profound obi
eetions to ben,hcent Providence, whose paternai
care is . nsnifest in the happiness OF tins highly
favored land.
Since the close os the last Congxsss, certain Gu
bans and other foreigners resident II the =. stf's
VINO we're more less concerned in the previous i
vasion of uba instead OF being discouraged by It's
failure have again abused the hospitality OF tins
country by making ii the scene OF the equipment OF
another military exped ition against thai possession
| OF her Catholic Majesty in which they We're coun-
tenunced aided and Joined by citizens OF the United
States On receiving intelligence that such designs
were entertained lost time IN issuing such IN
structions to the proper officers o the nfcd etates
as seemed to be called for by the occasion. oythe
PROCLAMATION, a copy Of which is herewith submit
ted. also warned those who might be in danger OF
being inveigled into this scheme Of its unlawful
character, and of the penalties which they would
incur. For time there was rctsonlo nope that
these mea sures had suhced to prevent any such at
tempt. This hope however, proved to be dciusNe'
Very early in the morning ot the third OF August
| steamer called the Pampero departed from New
Orleans for Cuba. having ON board upwards OF Tour
hundred armed men, with evident intentions to
make war upon the authorities of the i7!snd. This
expedition was set on foot in palpable violation OF
the laws Of the United States. Its lcnder was
Spapiard and several of the chief oticers,and some
others enga ,ed it, were foreigners. The persons
composing it, however, were mostly citizens OF the
U. States.
Before The expedition set o~t- and probably be-
fore it was organized, slight insuirectonary move
ment which appears 10 have been soon suppressed
haG taken place in the Eastern quarter of Cuba.-
| The importance of this movement was unfortunate
" 40 much sgerated in the accounts of u pub
lished in this country that these adyenturers seem
ia have been led to believe that the Creole popula
ton of the island not only desired to throw on the
authority of the mother country. but pad resolved
upon that step. aHd had begun welLconcerted en-
terprise for ecctng it, The persons engaged IN the
expedition were generally young and ill-intormed
The sleatnerin which they embarked left New Or
| leans stealfhily and NlthoBt clearance Alter
touchingat Key West she proceeded to the coast o
| Cuba and on the night between the lth and i2th
of August landed the persons On board ut r'uytas
4 within about twsnty leagues Of Havpna
| The main body of them proceeded to, and took
Y
leaving others to follow in charge OF the baggage, as
soon as the means of transportation could be obtain
ed The latter, having taken up their line OF march
to connect themselves with the main body, and hav-
ing procecded about four leagues into the country.
were attacked Vn 4he ip[snsug oi Tie aiih by II b'-
| DIV of Spanish troops, md bloody conict cnsued'
utter which they retreated to the place of disembar
action where ubout fifty of them Obtained boats
and re-embarked therein. They were, however,
\ intercepted among the keys near the shore by a
| Spanish steamer cruising on tie coast caplured
and carried to Havana, and, after being examined
before a military court, were sentenced to be pup
| licy executed, and the sentence was carried into
4 effect on the 18th Of August.
| On receiving information Of what h,.a occurred
! Commodore Foxhall A. Parker was instructed to
proceed in the eicam-frigatc Saranc to Havana
and ingerc into the cha ges against the persons ex-
! ecuted the circuE stances under which they %efe
taken, and whatsoever referred to their trial and
sentence Copies of the instructions irpn 1he De
partment of State him, and of his letters to that
| Department, are e4lerewith submitted,
| According to the recard uf the eNanrinai on the
prisoners all admitted lie offences charged against
ihcm of being hostile invaders of the lslnnd' ~
the ime Of their trail and execution the main body
| of the invaders was still in the field making war
| upon the Spanish authorities and Spanish sutJecs
After the lapse of days. being overcome by the
Spanish troops, they dispersed on the 24ih oi au-
| gust; Lopez, their leader, captured some day
i after and executed the LIST Of September. Ma
ny Of his Remaining followers were killed, ordied OF
hunger and ftisuc; and the rest were made PRISON
crs Ofthcse appear to have been tried oi
executed Several Of them we're pardoned on aP'
plicaton of their friends and ohcrs, aud the resi-, u
bout one hundred and sixty in number. were sent To
Spain. Ofthe final disposition made at these We
have no official information.
Such is the melancholy result of this illegal and
/ Tbue uP mn
have been induced. hy false and fraudulent repre-
scntations to violate the law of their country
through rash and unfounded expectations of assist
ing 10 accomplish political revolutions in Other
States and have lost their lives in the undertaking
| Too severe Judgment can hardly bo passed, by
the indignant sense ot the community. ,.pon thost
who being better Informed themselves, have yet led
away the ardor of youth and ill-directed love OF po
litical liberty. The correspondence between this
4 Government and that of Spain relating to this trans
1 actions herewith comml nicntcd.
Althaast these o.fcn le-s against die laws have
forfeited the protection Of their country, yet the
Government may far is cons sstan With lis OBJ
legations other countries and its liked purpose td
maintain and cnfurcc the laws entertuin sympathy
4 f,r their unotiending families and friends well
4 feeling OF compass sion for themselves. According
" no proper effort has been spared, and none vii
be spared to procurethe rcefse u such citizens o
the United Stat,,s, engaged in this unlavtdl enter
prise as are now in confinement in SpaiR; but 1T Is
to be hoped that such ntcrpostion with the govern
ment OF that country may not ne cohs'u'reu as ~
fording any groprd Of expectation 'hat 'ne o".err
ment OF the niied States WI hereo''eI ieer tstn
under any obligation OF duty 10 ileic'de lor % ''i'
liberation or pardon oi suctl persons as are
offenders .sainst the law OF iaii"hs ana Tue 'a"S "
the United States These Lass must be cxccated
| If we desire main:f4in our responsibility among
the nations ot the earth 1t oehooVes us 10 'hi9re'
| steadily and sternly inc hcu'iai'y ae,' Ia'Se" ~
Congress, and to follow Us TAR as may oe' tue N"'a
ton of those acts WIN con"iSh punishment
But what gives pecuiiar efi'hihan'y 10 'his "
vasion of Cuba Is, that under the lead o' SPaniSf
subjects and nth aid OF citizens oi the oh''eo
States. il has it, origin, with many IN mot'veS .
cupidify. Money was advanced by individuals
probably in considerable amounts, to purchase = u
ban bonds, as they have been called, issued by Lo