Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fellor-citieens of the Senate,
md Hnnse of RenrpSe9itttl

Meet for your first session. Our country IS at
Deyce with all the world. The agitation which
FOR a time threatened TO disturb the fraternai re-
.,ations which made us one people, is fast subs:d-
ing, and q year of general prosperity ana health
has crowned the nation with unusual blessings.
None can look back to tine dangers which are
passed, O. forward to the bright prospects before
Us, without feeling thrill of qualification, at the
same time that we must be impressed with
grateful sense Of our profound obligation to Be-
n;fcent Providence, whose paternai care IS SO
manifest in the happiness OF this highly favored
land.
Since .he close of the last Congress, certain
Cubans and other fore igners. resien. in the Uni
ted States. who were more or less concerned in
the previous invasion of Cuba, instead of being
discouraged by is failure, have again abused The
hospitality Of this country by making it the scene
az another military expedition against the pos
sessions Of her Catholic aies,y, in which they
were countcnanced, aided ard joined by cit
liens of the Unite, States. On receiving in
tc!liscncc that such designs We're entertained.
lost 70 time in issuing such Instructions TO the
proper officers Of the United States as seemed TO
be called for BY The occasion, by the proclama-
ton. a copy of which is herewith submitted. l
also warned those who might be in danger OF be-
ing inveiglea INTO this scheme. OF its unlawful
nature, and Of the penalties which they would in
cur. For some time, there was reason to hope,
that those measures had snt.iced 10 pre-, ent any
such attempt: this hope, however, proved to be
delusivc. Very early on the morning Of the Sd
Of August. steamer called the pampero, depart
cd from New Orleans for Cuba, having on board
upwards of four hundred armed men, with evil
dent intention 70 make war upon the authorities
Of Cuba. This expedition was set OH foot in pal
pable violation of the laws of the United States;
its leader was Spaniard, and several Of the chief
officers, and some Others engaged in IT, were for
eigners. The persons composing II, however,
were mostly citizens Of the United States. Be-
fore the expedition set out, and probably before
il was organized, slight discretionary move
lnent, which appears 10 have been soon suppress
ed, had taken place in the eastern quarter OF Gu
ba. The Importance of this movement was I'M
fortunately so much exaggerated in the accounts
published in this country, that these adventurers
seem to have been led to believe that the Creole
population Of the Island. not only desired to
throw off the authority Of the mother country,
but had resolved upon that step, and had begun a
well concerted enterprise for eiiecting it. The
persons engaged in the expedition were general
" Young and i'll Informed. TIE steamer on which
they embarked left New Orleans stealthily, and
without a clearance. After touching at Key
West, she proceeded TO the coast of Cuba, and i'll
the night between the 18th and 18th of August,
landed the persons an board at Playtas, within g
bout twenty leagues of Havana. The main body
ion Of an inland village six leagues distant, leav-
ing the others 10 follow, in charge of the bag
gage, as soon as the means of transportation
could be obtained. The latter having taken up
their line of march 10 connect themselves with
the main body, and having proceeded about four
leagues into the country, We're attacked on the
morning Of the l4th, BY body Of Spanish troops
and bloody conflict ensued. after which they
reiterated TO the place Of Decentralization. where
about City Of them obtained boats, and re-em-
barked therein. They were, however, intercept
ell among the KEYS near shore, by Spanish stea-
mer cruising on the coast, captured and carried
TO Havana, and after being examined before a
military court, were sentenced TO be publicly ex-
ccused, and the sentence was carried into effect
on the 10th of August. On receiving informa-
ton Of what bad occurred, Commander Foxhall
A. Parker was instructed TO proceed TO Havana
in the steam frigate Saranak and enquire into the
charges against those executed, the circnmstan-
ces under which they were taken, and whatever
referred TO their trial and sentence. Copies of
the instructions from the Department of State
and q his letters to that Department are here
with submitted. According TO the record of the
examinations, the prisoners all admitted the Of
fence charged against them, of being hostile nva-
ders Of the Island. At the time of the trial and
execution the main body of the invaders was still
in the field, making war upon the Spanish author
tiles and Spanish subjects; after the lapse of some
days, beng overcome by the Spanish troops they
dispersed on the oath August. Lopez, thei lea
der, was captured some days after, AMI executed
on the LIT September; many of his remaining fol-
lowers were killed or died Of hunger and fatigue
and the rest were made prisoners. Oftaese, nonc
appear 10 haze been tried or executed; several of
these were pardoned, upon the application OF
their friends and others. and the rest. about one
hundred aud sixty in number, We're sea, to
Spain Of the final disposition made Of them.
we have no Official information.
Such is the melancholy result OF this illegal aud
Inflated expedition. These thoush;leSs Young
mcn have been induced. BY false and frauduen,
representations, 10 violate the laws of their coun-
try, through rash and unfoanGeG expectations OF
assisting 10 accomplish political revolutions in
other States. aud have lost their lives in the uu.
d.ertaking., Too severe iudgmen, can hardly
be passed by the indignant sense of the eomm,l-
nifty upon those who, being better informed thar
themselves, have yet led away the ardor Of youth
and an i'll directed love Of political liberty. The
correspondence between this Government and
that Of Spain, relating 10 this transaction is here
with communicated. Although these offenders
against the laws have forfeited the protection ol
their country, vet the Goyesnmea, may, SO far u,
Is consistent with lis obligations to other coun.
tries, and lis fixed purpose 10 m,ia,a;u and en-
force the laws, entertain ssmpathies for their un
Offending families and friends. as well as feel
ing OF compassion for themselves. Accordingly
no proper effort has been spared, and noae wi
be spared, 10 procure the release of sach citizen.
IL the Cnite1 States. engaged in the anlawfa, en-
tesprtsa, as are now in confinement in Spain bu
il Is 10 be hoped tia, such ia,erpositoa with The
Government OF that coaas,y may not be consa
cred as aiIording any ground Of expectation thai
the Government of the United States will hereas.
ter feel itself under any obligations Of duty 10 in.
tereede Tor the liberation or pardon ct such ncr.
sons rs are aagrant offenders against the laws ci
the United States. These laws mus, be executed
IL we desire 10 maintain our responsibility amon.
the nations Of the earth. II beheoves us TO en-.
force, steadily an sternlr, the neutrality acts
passed By Congress. and 10 follow, as far as Gay
be, the violation OF those acts with cond;sn nun
ishment. But what gives peculiar criminality
70 tbs invascn Ut Cuba is. that, under the lead
81 Spanish subjects, and with the aid OF citizens
q the United States, il had It's oyisia in una,v,
Money was advanced hy Individuals probably IN
considerable amounts, 10 purchase Cuban Boaas,
~ 6ey have been called--.ssaed hy Lopez scn,
doubtless. at very large discount, and for the
payment Of which the public lands and public
properly OF Cuba, OF whatever kind. and the ifs
cat resources OF the people and government, of
mat Island, from whatever source To he aer,,sl
were pcd:ed--as well rs the yeoa faith ~ ths
government expected 10 be established. Al M
means ct payment, il is cs,aeht, were only +, hs
cotafaed BY process Of hseo.shet, war ami roy.
o'atica, None will deny, that those who sci a.
root military expeditions against foreign States.
ny means IKE these, are far more ea,n,hle Than
the ignorant and the neccssi,cas, whom thrv
induce 70 10 forth as the os,cnsih,e n,r,ins
IN the proceeding. These oricinators ~ a.