The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04
VOL. V.

will hereafter, feel itself under onv olI; o'a's
OF duty TO intercede for the Liberation ~ ,
don OF such persons as are fragrant o9and ,o',
against the law OF nations and the Laws oc .IiI
united states. These laws must Ina evo,',, 'li9
we oeslre 10 maintain our resnectoII;,,.
among inc nations OF the earth. il beboros -,
10 enforce stesdlly and sternly the nentroI;,,'
acts passed Dy Congress, and to follow 90 Co.,
as may be, the violation of those act. MI, 80 tut
dign punishment. "''" Gun
But what gives peculiar criminalitv 70 Nj,
INVASION OF Cuba is that under the lead of Sra,,
lsh subjects, and with the aid of citizens ~ ,lo
United States, it had its origin. with man :;
motives of cupidity. Money was advanced IN ~
individuals, probably in considerable omount.
to purchase Cuban bonds. as they have Lae,,,
called issued by Lopez, sold doubtless At .
very large discount, and for the payment %
which the public lands and public property Of
| Cuba, OF whatever kind, and the fiscal reso;,co1
OF the people and government of that island
| from whatever source to be derived. were nledc
ed, as well as the good faith of the government
| expected to be established. All these means
| OF payment it is evident were only TO be Oh
tanned by process of bloodshed, war. and rev.
| olution None will deny that those who set on
foot military expeditions against foreign States
by means like these are far more culpable
than the ignorant and the necesstous whom
they induce to 60 forth as the ostensible parties
in the proceeding These originators of the in.
vaslon OF Cuba seem to have determined with
GOODNESS and system, upon an undertaking
which should disgrace their country, violate its
laws and put to hazard the lives of ill-inforn.
ed and deluded men. You will consider whe,h.
err further legislation he necessary to prevent
the preparation of such offences in future
No individuals have right to hazard the
peace of the country or to violate its laws upon
vague notions of altering or reforming Govern.
ments in other States. This principle is not
only reasonable in itself and in accordance
with public law, but is engrafted into the codes
OF other nations as well as on own But while
such are the sentiments of this Government
it may be added that every Independent nation
must be presumed to be able to defend it's DOS
sessions against unauthorized individuals band
ed togesecy to,attack them The GoveyNveee
~ DE o....sL ~ AsAx.. 90. -. Is SpS.s
tdbiishment, has abstained, and has sought to
,ess.>.s., Ny ,p.vls.,,,o " 2 >.-.J.,, -
ing into controversies between other powers
and to observe all the duties of neutrality. At
an early period of the Government, in the ad
ministration of Washington. several laws were
passed for this purpose. The main provisions
OF these laws were re-enacted by the act of
April, 1918, by which, amongst other things
it was declared that if any person shall, with
in the territory or jurisdiction of the United
States. begin, or set on foot, or provide or pre-
pare the means for any military expedition or
enterprise to be carried on from thence against
the territory or dominion of any foreign prince
or State, or OF any colony district or people
I'll xub, tba ITr;t. ~
person 20 offending shall be deemed guilty of
high misdemeanOr, and shall be fined not ex-
ceeding three thousand dollars and mprison-
ed not more than three years: and this law
has been executed and enforced, to the full
extent Of the power of the Government from
that day to this
In procaiming and adhering to the doctrine
of neutrality and non-ntervention, the United
States have not followed the lead of other civ
ilized nations they have taken the lead them
selves and have been followed by others This
was admitted by one of the most eminent of
modern British statesmen, who said in Parlia-
ment, while a minister of the Crown, " that if
he wished for guide in a system Of neutrality
he should take that laid down by America
the days of Washington and the secretaryshp
of Jefferson ~ and we see, in fact that the act
of Congress of 1918 was followed the succeed
ing year, by an act of the Parliament OF Eng-
lund, substantially the same in its generM pro
visions Up to that time there ha1khX1a no
similar law in England, except certain highly
penal statutes passed in the reign of GeorgeH
prohibiting English subjects from enlistngin
foreign service the avOwed object of which
statutes was, that foreign armies, raised for the
purpose of restoring the house of Stuart to the
throne, should not be strengthened by recruits
from England herself
All must see that difficulties may arise in
carrying the laws referred to into execution in
a country now having three or four thousand
miles of seacOast, with an infinite number OF
ports and harbors and small inets, from some
of which unlawful expeditions may suddenly
set forth, without the knowledge of Govern
ment against the possessions of foreign States
Friendly relations with all, but entanglmg
alliances with none, has long been a MAXIM
with us. our true mission is not to propagate
our opinions, or impose upon other countries
our form of government by artifce or force
bat to teach by example, and show by our sue
cess, moderation, and justice, the blessings OF
self-goyernment and the advantages of free
institutions Let every people choose for it
self and make and alter its political institu-
tons to suit its own condition and convenience.
But, while we avow and maintain this neutral
policy ourselves, we are anxious to see the same
forbearance on the part of other nations, whose
forms of government are diferentfr from our own.
The deep interest which we feel in the spread
of liberal principles and the establishment Of
free Governments and the sympathy with
which we witness every struggle against OPP
preston forbid that we should be indifferent to
a case in which the strong arm of foreign
power is invoked TO sthe public sentiment and
repress the spirit of freedom in any country.
The Governments of Great Britain and
France have issued orders to their naval com
manders on the West India station to prevent
by force, if necessary, the landing of adventur-
ers from any nation on the Island of Cuba with
hostile intent. The copy Of memorandum Of
conversation on this subject between the
Charge d Affares of her Britannia Majesty and
the Acting Secretary of State, and Of subse.
quent note of the former to the Department oil
State, are herewith submitted, together with
copy OF n note of the Acting Secretary of State
to the Minister of the French Republic, and oil
the reply of the latter, on the same subject
These papers will acquaint you with the
grounds OF this interposition of the two leading
commercial powers of Europe, and with the i1
apprehensions, which this Government coall
not fail to entertain that such interpositnn
carried into effect might lead to abuses IN der,
ogation Of the maritime rights Of the Unilea
States The maritime rights Of the unltea
States are founded on firm, secure, and wen,
defined basis; they stand upon the ground o,
National Independence and public law, ana
will be maintained in oil their full and Ju'
extent.
The principle which this Government mas
heretofore solemnly announced it still adheres
to. and will maintain under oil circumstances
and at all hazards. That principle is, that ~
every regularly documcnted merchant ycSse'i
the crew who navigate it, and those on board
of it will find their protection in ths , naS