Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-12-16

IVY, AohcFeA, iHt6lCtplto -dHiOL
the keys near the shore by
Spanish steamer cruising on Il
: coast, captured and carried to FL,
Tana, and, after being examined b,
! fore military court, W ere sentence
to be publicly executed, and the ser
t4nce was carried into effect on th
, 10th of August.
! On receiving information of wha
! had occurred, Commodore Foxhall 4
! Parker was instructed to proceed il
the steam-frigate Saranac TO Havana
! and inquire into the charges agains
the persons executed, the eircum
) stances under which they were taken
land whatsoever referre ed to their tria
and sentence. Copies. Of the in
! str ructions from the department q
State to him, and Of his letters te
that Department, are herewith sub
mitted.
According to the record of the
examination, the prise ners all admit
tied the offence charged against them,
Of being hostile invaders Of the is
land. At the time of their trial and
execution the main body of the inva-
ders was still in the field, making
war upon the Spanish d authorities and
Spanish subjects. After the lapse
Of some days, being overcome by
the Spanish troops, they dispersed
on the oath Of Angus t; Lopez, their
leader, was captured sd me days after,
and executed on the st of Septem-
Der. Many Of his remaining follow
ers were killed or died Of hunger
and fatigue, and the rest were made
prisoners. Of these, none appear to
have been tried or exc cuted. Sever
al Of them were pardpned upon .ap-
plication of their irien ds and others,
and the rest, about one hundred aud
sixty in number, were sent to Spain.
OF the final disposition made Of
these we have no official information.
Su uch is the melancholy result Of
this illegal and ill-6ted expedition.
Thus, thoughtless young men have
been induced, by false and fraudulent
representations, to violate the law of
their country, through rash and un-
founded expectations of assisting to
accomplish political revolutions in
other States, and have lost their lives
in the undertaking. Too severe a
judgment can hardly be passed, by
the indignant sense Of the commu-
nifty, upon those, who, being better
themselves, have yet led
away the ardor Of youth and an H.
directed love Of political liberty.
The correspondence between this
Government and that of Spain re-
lating to this transaction is herewith
communicated.
Although these offenders against
the laws have forfeited the protec-
ton of their country, yet the Gov
may, so far as is consistent
with its obligations to other coun-
tries, and its fixed purpose to main
tain and enforce the laws, entertain |
sympathy for their unoffending fmi-
lies and friends, as well as a feeling |
Of compassion for themselves. Ac- |
no proper effort has been
spared, and none viii be spared, to
procure the release Of such citizens
Of the United States, engaged in |
this unlawful enterprise, as are now
in confinement in Spain; but it is to I
be hoped that such interpositicn with
the government Of that country may
not be considered as afiording any
ground of expectation that the Gov
eminent of the United States viii,
hereafter, feel itself under any obli-
cations of duty to intercede for the
liberation or pardon of such persons
Is are Aagrant offenders against the
avs of nations and the laws Of the
United States. These laws must be
executed. If We desire to maintain
,ur responsibility among the nations
If the earth, it behooyes US to en-
orce steadily and sternly the neu-
.rality acts passed by Congress, and
Q follow, as far as may be, the viola
lob Of these acts with condign pun
shment. I
But what gives a peculiar criminal
ty to this invasion of Cuba, is, that
lnder the lead Of Spanish subjects |
Ind with the aid of citizens Of the /
United States, it had its origin, with
any, in motives of cupidity. Mon
y was advanced by individuals,
in considerable amounts,