The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-06
shall be indemniied for the losses they have
su stained at the hands of an Infatuated and cel.-

tions mob
The response to this letter is from Mr.. Wei
ster lie affects no justification of the act
i complained of, but holds them to be disgraceful
he submits, however, that no agent or officer O
the United States government, or of the Stat
of Louisiana participated in them. He recog
nizes the duty Of the government TO punish tn
offending parties upon arrest and conviction. Ii
the matter of Naturalization, Mr. w. remarks
that while this government has manifested
willingness and determination TO perform ever,
duty which one friendly nation has right L
expect from another in cases Of this kind, it sup
poses that the rights of the Spanish, consul,
public officer residing here under the protection
of the United States government are quite diff
ferent from those of the Spanish subjects who
have come into the country TO minge with oui
own citizens, and here to pursue their private
business aud objects. The former may claim
special indemnify the latter entitled to such
protection as is afforded TO our own citizens
The letter corcludes as follows, and we are
glad to find that the proposal to salute the flag
OF the ship originates with our government
The Spanish minister saws nothing about il:
"If," says Mr.. Webster, Mr. Laborde shall
return to his post, any other consul for New
Orleans shall be appointed by her Catholic Ma.
jestys government, the officers of this govern
ment, resident in that city, will be instructed to
receive and treat him with courtesy, and with a
national salute TO the flag of his ship, if he shall
arrive in Spanish vessel, demonstration Of
respect, such as may signify to him, and to
his government, the sense entertained by the
government of the United States of the gross
I'M ustice done TO his PREDECESSOR by lawless
mob, as well as the indignity and insult offered
by it to a foreign State with which the United
States are, and wish ever to remain, on terms of
the most respectful and pacific intercourse"
To this Mr. Calderon de la Barca replies
"The undersigned will lose no time in bring
ing this document to the knowledge of his gov.
ernment: and he entertains the confident hope
that Mr.. Webster's note, both as regards its sub
stance and as regards the friendly spirit in which
it is conceived, will prove satisfactory to the
Queens government, and will not fail to have
the effect of re-establishing those friendly rela-
tons which have so long and so happily sub
sisted between her Majesty's government and
the government of the United States upon that
ever been the earnest desire, as well as the duty
Of the undersigl ed to see maintained between
the two nations"
RELATIVE TO THE AMERICANS WHO WERE TAKEN
PRISONERS AND SENT TO SPAIN.
On this subject pleasing interest in mani
tested by the United States authorities The
correspondence originates with letter from Mr..
Derrick to Mr.. Calderon de lie Barca and sets
forth the fact that during the several hostile at
tempts which have been made upon the island
Of Cuba, the government of the United States
has never hesitated to pursue the course which
was pointed out to it by the stern dictates of
A,,t,, ,hatI f,.tt, all
energies to prevent any violation of existing laws,
or TO punish those of its officers who had failed
10 execute, or exhibited any criminal backward
ness in the execution of such laws In view of
these considerations" and other circumstances,
the interposition Of Mr.. Caderon de la Barca is
sought in behalf of the prisoners captured upon
the island of Cuba. The government of tie
United States claims no right to intervene Off
cally in this matter, but INDUCES simply in the
expression Of its wishes on the score of human
ity.
Mr. Barringer, our representative at Madrid
| is addressed on this subject by Mr. Crttenden
and Mr.. Owen, consul at Havana, is addressed
| by the same gentleman, in behalf of the friends
of those who where executed and who desire to
obtain their remains for interment. The follow.
| ing touching extracts will indicate the view in
which the erring victims are, no doubt, Justly
regarded by Mr.. Crittenden:
Those who met this fate were mostly mex.
perienced youths, who have evidently been en-.
ticed and beguiled by false lures and misrep.
resentations; but it is not doubted that they
were animated at the same time by impulses
which, under proper stances, would have
done them honor, and secured for them the ap.
probation of the world.
"They were PROFESSIONALLY the dupes OF
Lopez, Spanish subject, and of other ndvid.
uals, whose motives this is not the time, nor
indeed have | the disposition, to criticise. The
lives of these victims have atoned for all the
follies they committed, and the royal authority
of Spain, against whom all their acts were aimed
has exercised terrible retrbution upon the
invaders.
The most of the victims we know were very
young, and venture to declare my own convic
ton that they had not the remotest idea of the
crime they were committing. but were inHu
enced ralher by misguided enthusiasm fol
liberty than by any criminal motive. Had they
indeed cor pretended the cruel receptions rea
practised upon them, and which many of then
discovered only when it was too late, they never
would have embarked in the Inflated, the crimi
nal enterprise, the catastrophe of which has
rendered necessary this appeal from their sur
viving families"
Mr. Webster addresses Mr. Barringer al
Madrid, with instructions in behalf of the priso
ners, and from this excellent letter we make
some extracts. After speaking Of fhe cores
pondence which has taken place here. and OF the
active efforts of this government for the sup
preston Of the expedition, he adds:
"Efer Catholic Majesty's government is quite
well aware that the principal agitator of this
criminal invasion of Cubl, and leader of the ex
petition, was one of her Majesty's subjects who
came TO this country and abused its hospitality
by inducing American citizers, mostly young
and ill-informed persons, to embark in his cause
and follow his standard. There is good reason
to believe that but for bis agency and that of
other Spaniards who had come to the country
no expedition against Cuba would ever have
been set on foot The policy Of the United
States is the policy Of peace, until there shall
arise just cause of war. The colonies of Spain
are near to our own shores. Our commerce
with them is large and important, Rpd the re-
cords of the diplomatic intercourse between the
two countries will manifest to her Catholic Ma
jesty's government how sincerely and how
steadily the United States has manifested the