The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-04

hered to, until time and experience should de
monstrate the necessity of further legislation L
'guard against evasion or abuse. Thatopinion 80
far as know, remains entirely unchanged anC
will be acted upon steadily and decisively. TIL,
peace ofthe country requires this; the security o
the Constitutionrequiresth this; and everyconside
ration of the public good demands this. If thu
'Adminlstration cannot stand upon theprinciple
ofthe message, il does not expect to stand at all
IDANIEL WEBaTER's Letter TO the Union Meetine
at Wsstchesfer.
Our Treaty with Spain and tho Cuban
Prisoners.
Now that the New Orleans press is begin
and The public sentiment of the Southwest is
rapidly recovering healthy tone under the ju-
dicial instruction of Mr.. Justice CATKoN, we
regret to see that the metropolitan organ of the
Democracy is assuming the advocacy OF such
"patriot' movements as the American people
have declared to be unlawful by their statutes
Of 1893 and 1878 1t daily assails President
FILLMORE for his solicitude TO maintain our
neutrality, and to deter adventurous but mis-
guided youths from embarking in hostile expe-
ditions against countries with which their own
is at peace. Ii seems that the PRESIDENT has
spoken too harshly against such adventures
He has informed persons disposed to engage in
them too distinctly and TOO emphatically of
then real character and legal consequences He
has told the country that the law of the world
regards them expeditions of robbery and
plumber, and that men who embark in them
forfeit all claim to governmental interference
in their behalf
1t is marvellously strange and unaccountable
that the DEMOCRATIC press did not discover the
alleged enormities of the proclamation at the
time Of its appearance. At that time it was
hailed with general approval by all the leading
journals Of the country. North and South the
PRESIDENT was commended for pursuing the
policy of General WASHINGTON and General
JACKSON, and for denouncing as they deserved
the offences at which his proclamation was
directed. Everybody saw and admitted that
the PRESIDENT in his proclamation was mere
iy announcing the results Of the law in the
language of the law. All conservative men
in all sections saw and admitted at once
that this generous sympathy" movement
was merely new phase OF the higher law,
and was TO be put down, like the ''gen-
erous sympathy" of Northern agitators, by the
law of the land 1t added to the confidence
already entertained and expressed towards Pre-
sident FILLMORE, when the country learned
that all the laws would be enforced in all quar-
tiers; the Fugitive Slave law in spite of sym
pathizing Abotionists, and our neutrality laws
in spite of sympathizing "patriois" and ''fi-
busters"
But now the Union is exceedingly exercised
because the proclamation, being issued sin ad
oarce" of any expedition, should have en-
ployed the language of the public law in de
scribing the offences it denounced Mr. VAN
BUREN's proclamation, ii seems, was, in the
judgment of the Union, "prudent and states
manlike," because it was not made IN Gdpaylce
but was made sin regard to Americans, who,
with arms in their hands, are at 1car with
the Canadian authorities, and hare aLreadl
committed divers acts of war on Canadian
soil" If President FILLMORE had waited
till the invaders had actually landed in CUBA,
before issuing his proclamation, he might have
employed language as severe as that of Mr.
VAN buren,, without censure; but it was cruel
to denounce an expedition sin. advance" and
before he could know "whether their case was
the case of patriots joining IN n public reco-
hitionary tcar for freedom, or the case of
plunderers engaging in an expedition of
piracy" The Union intends 10 adhere To
its old story, in the teeth of all the facts,
There was, in its view, "public revolu
tionary war for freedom" in CUBA. and the
young men who were engaged in the expedition
Of LoPEz were all KoscIUsKos and LAFAY-
ETTEs. We apprehend that the CUBAN bond
holders have changed the theatre of their ope
Tations. We began TO suspect it when we saw
the Union introducing to It's readers, with an
editorial endorsement, the famous TAYLOR de
spatch from New Orleans, setting forth import
ant successes of LoPEz the very day we received
final and conclusive intelligence of his capture
and death The poison OF the Delta seems to
have been infused into the Union; we hope il
will not be with the same fatal consequences to
the reckless and misguided young men Of the
country We hope that no more families will
be made miserabe-that no more blood and
ou'cheiy WIN slcken ana sadden humanity
because reckless press seeks to debauch pub
Inc opinion by intoxicating the merit of violating
the law, and the proprety of armed govern
mental interference TO rescue and protect our
citizens when they are taken prisoners in the
hostile invasion Of country with which their
own is at peace. Our Government should not
fail in the duties of humanity, and it will not
fail TO make every appeal to the policy, len
Iency, and magnanimity of the SPANISH govern
ment in the case Of the unfortunate men now
IN their power We apprehend, however, that
the conservative and intelligent portion of the
American people are not disposed to stir up a
war with SPAIN, on the pretence of violated
treaty, for the sake OF acquiring CUBA. This