The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-10
hardly fail 10 lead 10 abu es and collisions perous

hardly fail TO lead to abu and collisions peilous
To the peace that so happily prevails. BY
such an interference, those govf rnments seem TO
assume attitude unfriendly 70 the United states
The President will not, however, ALLOW himself 10
believe that this intervention hrs been intended as
an admonition rcprOach 10 this Government
He has signaliy manifested bis condemnation OF all
such lawless enterprises, aud has adopted active
measure for their prevention aud suppression. IL
must also be known to the governments Of France
and England in common with all the world that
this Government, since il took its place among ma
tions, has CAREFUL preserved its good faith, and
anxiously endeavored TO fulfil all its obligations,
and national And this il has done
from motives far above any apprehension ot danger
to itself From its beginning, under the present
Constitution, il has seduously cultivated the poll
cy of peace, of not ntermeddling in the altnrs OF
others, and of preventing by highly p' nal euact-
ments, any unlawful interference by its citizens To
disturb the tranquility Of countries with which
the United States were in amity. To this end
many such enactmenis have been made the
frat early as the year 1874, and the last rs
late 1888 The last having expired by its
own limitation, and all the preceding lcgisla.
ton the subject having been comprehended
in the act of Congress of the 20th of April,
1878, it is unnecessary TO do more than TO reier
Nj de SArtiges TO it, provisions, ms markipg tho
signal anxiety and good faith of this Government
to restrain persons within its jurisdiction from
committing any acts inconsistent with the rights
of others, or its own obligations These awa were
intended TO comprehend, and 10 protect from viu-
lation, all our relations with and duics TO- cotn-
tries at peace with us, and to punish any viola
tons of them by our citizens crimes against the
United States. In this manifestation OF its desire
to preserve Just and peaceful relations with all
tions, it is believed that the United States have
gone before and further than any of the older gov
ernments of Europe. Without recapitulatipg all
the provisions of those laws by which the United
States have carefully endeavored TO prohibit
every act that could be justly offensive TO their
neighbors it i5 deemed enough for this occasion To
say that they denounce all such enterprises or ex
peditions those against which the orders In ques
tion directed.
enough 10 call the attention of Nj. de Sartiges more
directly to this law literal copy oft 10 accord
ingly herewith communicated.
Besides the ordinary legal process, 1t authorizes
tho President to employ the military and naval
forces of the country for the purpose OF preventing
such expeditions, and arrcsting for punishment
those concerned in them. In the spirit oil tins law
the President condemns such expeditions against
the Island of Cuba as are denounced by the orders
in question, and has omitted nothing for their de-
lection and prevention. To that end he has gwen
orders to civil, naval, and military oihcors, from
New York to New Orleans, and has enjoined upon
them the greatest vigilance and energy. Hls
course on the subject has been in all things clear
and direct 1t has been no secret, and the under
signed must presume that il has been fully under
stood and known by NJ. de Sartiges. An appeal
mi ght confidently be made to the viglant and en-
lightened Minister OF Spain, that his suggestions
for the OF such aggressions, or the pros
promptly considered; and, If found reasonable,
adopted by the President. His course, 1t is be,
eved, has been above all question or just cause oil
complaint. This Government Is determined TO ex-
ecute its aws and in the performance OF this duty
can neither ask nor receive foreign aid. IL, not
withstanding all its efforts, expeditions OF small
force hostile to Cuba have. In single Vessel or
steamer excited by Cubans themselves, escaped
from our extensive shores, such accident can
furnish no ground of imputation either upon the
law or its administration. Every country iur-
nshcs instances enough OF infractons and evaslons
of its laws, which no power or vigilance can eiec-
tually guard against.
1t need not be feared that any expeditions OF
lawless and hostile character can escape from the
United States OF sufficient force to create any alarm
for the safety of Cuba, or against which SPAN
might not defend il with the slightest exerhon OIL
her power The President is persuaded that none
such escape detection and prevention, except
by their minuteness and lnslgnihconce. none
certainly can escape which could require the
combined aid of France and E.ngiand to resist or
suppress. Cuba will find sure, II not IT'S suIest'
protection and defence in the justice and good alt
or the United States.
There is another point of view in which this m
tervention on the part of France and England can
not be viewed with indifference by the President.
The geographical position of the Island oil CUBA In
the Gulf of Mexico lying at no great distance rom
the mouth of the river Mississippi, and IN the line
Of The greatest current Of the commerce ot the
United States. would become, in the hands ot any
powerful European nation, an object OF just Jeal-
try. A due regard to their own safety and inter
est must therefore make il a matter oil importance
TO them Who shall possess and hold dominion over
that island. The government OF France ana those
of other European nations were long since officially
apprized by this Government that the Unltea otieA
could not see without concern that island transfer
red by Spain to any other European State ffesi
dent Fillmore fully conCurs III that sentiment, uhu
is apprehe that the sort of protectoratc INTRO
ductd by the orders in question might, IN contin'
gencies not difficult to be imagined, lead 70 resui'S
equally Objectionable.
If it should appear TO NJ. de Sartiges that the
President is too apprehensive on this SUBJECT, TINS
must be attributed to his great soliciude to guard
The friendly relations between the two countries
against all contingencies and causes OF disturbance
The people OF the United States have long chcrished
towards France the most anicable sentiments, ana
recent events, which made her republic, have
opened new sources of fraternal sympathy. liar.
nony and confidence would seem to be the natural
relations of the two great repsbcs of the world;
relations demanded no less by their permanent IN
terests than by circumstances and combinations ia
Europe which now seem TO threaten SO
mminently the cause of free institutions, INC
United States have nothing to fear from those con
yusions, nor they propagandists, but they have
at heart the cause of freedom In all countres ana
believe that the example OF the two great rePuphcs
Of France and America, with tier moral ana so
cial influences cooperating harmoniou5ly, would
go far to promote and to strengthen that cause.
IL is with these views that the President so much
desires the cultivation of friendly feelings between
Germ any cause that may tend TO produce collision
DR. alienation. He believes that this Cuban inter
yention is such cause.
The system Of government which prevaiis most
generally in Europe ia adverse TO the principles
upon which this Republic has been lo0nde :, ana
The undersigned Is well aware that the diheTsnce
between them is calculated to produce distru7t OF,
i not aversion to, the Government OF the United
States Sensible of this the people OF this country
are naturally jealous of European interference ~
American affairs. And although they would nos
mpute to France, now herself a republic, any par
cipation In this distrustful and unfriendly feeling
towards their Government; yet the undersigned
must repeat that her Intervention III this instance,
t attempted TO be executed in the only piactlcabe
node for its effectual execution, could not iall to
produce irritation, il not worse consequences.
rhe French cruisers, sailing and down the shores
4 he United States TO perform their needless task
f protecting Cuba, and their uugracious Office Of
Watching the people OF this country as II they ~ere
-uitlul of piraces, would be regarded cith some
,engs of resentment, and the Tag which they
ore-a flag that should always be welcome TO the
ght OF Americans-woud be looked at castirg
shadow OF unmerited and diehonoring sospicion
pom them and their Government