Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-12-10
pREsIDENr,s MEssACE.

under which you meet for your first ses-
sion. Our country is at peace with all
the world The agitation which, for a
time, threatened to disturb the fraternal
relations which make us one people, is
fast subsiding; and year Of general
health and prosperity has crowned the
nation with unusual blessings. None can
look back to the dangers which are past,
or forward to the bright prospect before
us, without feeling thrill of qualification,
at the same time that he must be impress
sed with grateful sense of our profound
obligations to benifcent Providence,
whose paternal care is so manifest in the
happiness of this highly favored land.
Since the close of the last Congress
certain Cubans and other foreigners res,
ident in the United States, VINO Meie
more or less concerned in the previous
invasion of Cuba, instead OF beng dis-
couraped bv its future, have again abused
the Losn;taiit, of this country, by making
It tho scene Of the equipment of another
military expedition against that posses
sion fher Catholic majesty, in which
they were countenanced, aided aud join
cd by citizens of the United States, On
receiving intelligence that such designs
were entertained, lost no time in issu-
ing such instructions to the proper officers
of the United States as seemed to be call
ed for by. the occasion, By the procla-
nation, a copy of which is herewith sub
mittcd, also warned those whomight be
. in--danger of being inveigled into this
scheme, 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 pre-
vent any such attempt. This hope, how
ever, proved to be delusive, Very carly
in the morning of the third Of August, a
steamer called the Pampero, departed
from New Orleans to Cuba, having on
board upwards of four hundred armed
men, with evident intentions to make war
upon the authorities of the island. This
expedition was set on foot in palpable vi
olation of the laws Of the United States.
Its leader was a Spaniard, and several of
the chief officers. and some others engag-
ed in it, were foreigners The persons
composing it, however, were mostly cit
liens of the United States.
Before this expedition set out, and
probably before it was organized, slight
insurrectonary movement, which appears
to have been soon suppressed, had taken
place in the eastern quarter Of Cuba
The Importance of this movement was un-
fortunately so much exaggerated in the
accounts 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 desired to throw of
the authority of the mother country, but
had resolved upon that step, and had be-
gun well-concerted enterprise for effect
ing it, The persons engaged i'll the eX-
petition were generally young and ill-ln-
formed, The steamer in which they en-
parked left New Orleans stealthily and
without 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 Playtas, within about twenty
leagues of Havana.
The main body of them proceeded to,
and took possession Of an inland village,
six leagues distant, leaving others to fol-
low in charge of the baggage, as soon as
the means of transportation could be OBJ
tanned. 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 the 18th
by body of Spanish troops, and. a.
bloody conflict ensued after which they
rctreatcd to the place of disembarcadon,
where about fifty of them obtained boats
and rc-embarked therein. They were,
however, intercepted among the keys
near the shore by Spanish steamer crulS'
ing on the coast, captured and carried to
Havana, and, after being examined be-
fore military court, were sentenced to
be publicly executed, and the sentence
was carried into effect OH the 10th of AT
gust. =,
On receiving information of what had
ocGnrred, Commodore FoXhall y. Par
ker wNs instructed to proceed in the
steam-frgate Saranac to Havana and in
quire 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-Grom the Department of State
to him and of his letters to that Depart
ment, are herewith submitted.
According to the record of the exam
nation, the prisoners all admitted the Of
fences charged against them, of being
hostile invaders of the land. At the time
of their trial and execution, the main body
of the invaders was still in the field, ma
king war upon the Spanish authorities and
Spanish subjects, after the lapse of
sQDe days, being overcome by the Span
ish troops, shey dispersed on the 24th of
August; Lopez, their leader, was cap
turCd some days after, and executed on
the list 6 September, Many of his re.
naming followers were killed, or died of
hunger and fatigue, and the rest were
made prisoners. Of these, none appear
to have been executed, Several of them
were pardoned upon application of their