The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-12-11
& MESSAGE OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
slzo,o Cit.sens of the Senate =

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Felzoro Cit.seas Of the Senate =
and Of the House Of Representatives:
congratulate you and our common con-
stituency upon the favorable auspices under
which you meet for your first session. Our
country is at peace with the whole world.
The agitation which, for time, threaten
ed to disturb the fraternal relations which
make us one people, is fast subsiding; and
year of general prosperity and health
has crowned the nation with unusual bles-
sings. None can look back to the dangers
which are passed, or forward to the bright
prospect before us, without feeling thrill
of qualification, at the same time that he
must be impressed with a grateful sense
of our profound obligations to benifcent
Providence, whose paternal care is so man.
ifest in the happiness of this highly favor
ed land.
Since the close of the last Congress, GER
tain Cubans and her foreigners resident
in the United States, who were more or
less concerned in the previous invasion of
Cuba, instead of being discouraged by its
failure, have again abused the hospitality
of this country, by making it the scene OF
the equipment of another military expedi-
ton against that possession of her Catho-
lie majesty, in which they were counte-
nanced, aided and joined by citizens of the
United States. On receiving intelligence
that such designs were entertained, L lost
no time in issuing such instructions
to the proper officers of the Uni cd States
as seemed to be called for by the occasion.
By the proclamation, a copy of which is
herewith submitted, L also warned those
who might be in danger of being inveigled
into this scheme of its unlawful character,
and of the penalties which they would in
cur. For some time there was reason to
hope that these measures had suficed to
prevent any such attempt. This hope,
however, proved to be delusive. Very ear
ly in the morning of the third of August,
q steamer called the Pampero departed
from New Orleans for Cuba, having on
board upwards of four hundred armed
men, with evident intentions to make war
upon the authorities of the island, This
expedition was set on foot in palpable vio-
lation of the laws of the United Statcs.--
Its leader was Spaniard, and several of
the chief officers, and some others engaged
in it, were foreigners. The persons COM
posing it, however, were mostly citizens of
the United States.
Before the expedition set out, and prob
ably before it was organized, slight in
surrectionary movement, which appears to
have been soonsuppressed, had taken place
in the eastern quarterrof Cuba. ] he inn
portance of this movement was unfortu-
nately SO much exaggerated in the ac-
counts of it published in this country, that
these advcnturers 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 effecting it.
The persons engaged in this expedition
were generally young and ill-informed.-
The steamer in which they embarked left
New Orleans stealthily and without clear.
anee. After touching at Key West, she
proceeded to the coast of Cuba, and, or
the night between the 1Ith and 18th ot
August, landed the persons on board al
Playtas, within about twenty leagues o.
Havana.
The main body of them proceeded to
and took possession of an island village
six leagues distant, leaving others to fol
low in charge of tho baggage, as soon as
the means Of transportation could be OBJ
tanned. The latter, having taken up theil
line of march to connect themselves will
the msinbody, and havingprocecded abou
four leagues into the country, were attack
ed on the morning of the 18th by a bod.
of Spanish troops, and bloody confic
ensued; after which they retreated to tn
place Of disembarcation, where about fif
ty of them obtained boats and re-embark
ed therein. They were however, inter
cepted among the keys near the shore b.
q Spanish steamer cruising on the coast
captured and carried to Havana, and, of
ter being examined before military cour
were sentenced to be publicly executed
and the sentence was carried into effect Of
the 10th of August.
On receiving information of what ha,
occurred, Commodore Foxhall A. Parke
was instructed to proceed in the steam
frigate Saranac to Havana, and inquir
into the charges against the persons exc
outed, the circumstances under which the
we're taken, and whatsoever referred t
their trial and sentence. Copies of th
instructions from the Department of Stat
TO him, aud Of his letters to that Depart
meut, are herewith submitted. e7
According to the record of the examin
alton, the prisoners all admitted the often
ses charged against them, of being hostil
INVADERS of tho island. At the time Q
heir trial and execution the main body o
he invaders was still in the field, making
ssrupoathe Spanish authorities and Span