The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-11

WASHINGTON Guy, Septembe

WASHINGTON CITY, September 10, 1851
To the Editor of the Union:
SIR hope that you will have the kindness 10 IN
place in your valuable paper to the following lines v
ten with the view of rendering justice to the memoyd
the heroic General Lopez and 10 his gallant follower
whom certain portion OF the American press aigu,
tie as robbers and pirates.
1t is nothing but what was to be expected that on IN
other side OF the Atlantic waves the enemies of popA
freedom should denounce. in the strongest terms b
brave men who resolved on the hazardous enterpisd
delivering the Cubans from the Spanish yoke; buttnh
deed somewhat surprising to see many Of the Amen.
can journalists heapng the most violent abuses UPON
these very men, who have committed no other Grim
than attempting to bestow freedom upon an op
pressed and degraded people. Still, charity bids u
take it for granted that those OF the American Journal
isis who evince SO unwarantable hostility to k
would be deliverers Of the Cabans are prompted BY hon.
orable, though mistaken, motives
In order 10 prove that Gen. Lopez and his follower
deserve the name OF robbers and praes an appeal hM
been made 10 the law OF nations" and to the opinion
Hugo Grous, of Puhendort. of Vatel, and Of oths
eminent iuriss. But those who have made the appeal
have forgotten to prove tha, the case in question belong
to that class Of hostile invasions Of country which
the "law of nalons" and its learned interpreter
are viewed marauding and piratical. Consequently
this display OF learning does not tend in the s,a
to Justify the slanderous ep,hels which have ben
applied to men convicted OF other crime than the
tempt 10 enfranchise the CubaHs from the oppression
of the SpaniaIds, which, indeed, is no crime At Il.
according to the law of nations, but for which, il
cessul history would have decIeed to General Lopez
place al the side Of Thrasybulus, Pelopdas, Gusavu
vasa and many other ilustrious vndicators Of national
independence.
The noble object they had in view is the justification
OF General Lopez and OF his followers according to The
/ ul linda nopf
iized nations during every period OF recorded histog
bu, the law of nations be at variance with such
Judgment the latter is the very foundation Of The o
mer as might easily be proved. The citations from
era distinguished uriss, which the editor OF the Repu
lie has offered in that paper Of the day before YESTERDAY
being not applicable all TO the in question, deserve
/ no further notice.
Some have attempted to justify their censures up0
the Cuban invaders by pretending that the Csbans Then
selves had evnced desire of rising against thsI q
pessos; but the Spanish paper. D'ario de Ia NarsM
the 3oh ult, furnishes with sufficient evidence ~
attempts had been made. by the Cubans thsmalvH,
| TO shake of the dominion OF the Spaniards IN
numbers OF theA champions Of Cuban freedom were y
doubt insignificant; but how many the illustncw
of Switzerland who undertook to deliver their ccua
try from the oppression OF AUSTRIA Still, few as hr
were, history has approved and mmoalzed their berat
and successful enterprise
dom feel sympathy with those heroic men who, n
gadless of the personal dangers. and Of the vtuperaha'
of enemies and misrepresentation OF friends, to whl
they exposed themselves, set out from this country viii
the purpose OF raising the standard OF liberty in IN
island Of Cuba. For my own part, have though, ny
duty 10 offer few words in their justification and De-
fence STILL do not intend TO deny that they commlIe
act liable TO punishment according to the laws oil hs
country, and also usufying the Spanish government
treating them, captured, according to the practice adopt
ed in similar by the civilized nations OF the present
time. But do not hesitate to declare that the hy
Americans shot at Havana were treated contrary hs
practice Just now alluded to.
In the revolutionary that have taken place sno
$780, well in all attempts that have been made any
where in Europe against the established government
the practice has generally been to treat foreigners va
have been made prisoners, or convicted OF being mpn
Gated IN such movements far enlenly than inc NJ
tives who were placed in the same position. kno'
Of no instance when such wholesale massacre as Tia
Of the fifty Americans at Havana inflicted upon lo
egners enlisted in the of freedom and made prison
ers-ei,her by the Russian or Austrian government
even by the monster Don Miguel On the contrary, sse
prisoners OF foreign birth, have in many instances 900
been restored TO freedom. Moreover. | feel mys
warranted in saying that had the Americans shot
Havana been Epglishmen or Frcnehmen, the SPANS
authorities would not have dared to send them all to
untimely death they would have taken time to rehe
upon the possible consequences of rash act Bu
knowing beforehand that it would be approved by POI
ton Of the American people and press. they felt encou
aged TO commit cruelty which cannot be justified
the practice adopted among the civilized nations OF h
age, and consequently not according the aw OF nj
tons. ~