Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-09-24
From the Detroit Free Press-Ed. Correspondence.


disastrous termination of the Lopez Expedition.
The Free Press took occasion to say that the
landing of Lopez at Bahia Honda could not be
explained on any rational principle He took
no extra arms, no ordnance, and had the Cubans
been disposed to join his standard, it would
have been vain and foolish to do so. | have
heard from the most unquestionable sources, that
Lopezs departure for Cuba was premature
Nearly four hundred Texas Rangers were ready
to go in the Pampero, and it was the purpose OF
Lopez to take on the four or five hundred men
he had, go to Corpus Christi and receive the
Rangers, with large additional ornaments, &c.
Meantime, while arrangements were being per-
fected, Lopez received from officers Of the Span
ish Army at Havana, letters assuring him that
the troops at that place would pronounce for the
liberation of the Island Immediately on his land
ing, and begging him to hasten his departure.
These announcements hurried off the Pampe-
ra half provided with altogether the best part
of the expedition behind, and nearly all the eff
ficient means of warfare with them. The ex-
petition failed; and whatever the feelings Of
the people there may have been, it was bound to
fail. Four hundred men against ten thousand,
in fact against IL or ID thousand But the
brave men whose heroism is without parallel
in the annals of war, have left their mark on
the Spanish character-they have an Impression
of what anything like a strong force might do
with their troops, and the lesson, expensive as
it has been to us, trust may not pass unheed-
ed. find no difference of opinion concerning
the brutality of the Spanish Government, in
executing the prisoners without trial. BY the
treaty between this government and Spain, these
men were entitled to fair and impartial trial
and by Spanish laws every person is entitled to
one day after conviction to prepare for death.
Will our Government take proper ground in
regard to the matter? The safety of our sea-
men sailing upon the Spanish coast, demands Of
our Government prompt and decisive condem-
nation of an act at once so atrocious and dam
gerous to our people. If vessel bound to
Panama should now be wrecked off the coast Of
Cuba, all forms of trial having been dispensed
WITH and piracy having taken the place of even
the most trihing political offences, the passen-
gers and crew would every one of them be
butchered. 1t was to guard against such hasty
and dangerous proceedings that the treaty was
formed, and it now remains to be seen how far
our Government will become parties to such vi
olations of the rights Of our people, and of the
guarantees which this treaty has failed to extend
to them. If the day has not gone by, trust it
is now late in the afternoon at least, when the
President of the United States can withdraw
the protection of our laws from any class OF
citizens. He is Commander-in- Chief of the ar
my and navy, but he has no more power to sus-
pend the operations Of our laws, or to PREJUDICE
the citizen, than has the Sheriff of WAYNE Co.,
and had been in Mr. Owens place, as Consul
to Havana, would not only have so declared
to Governor General, but had that functionary
persisted in the hasty execution of the fifty men,
would have repaired on board the Albany, then
in port, and turned the guns Of that vessel a.
gainst the city. Had Mr.. Oweu taken this
course-a course demanded by every rightful
consideration Of what was due to American
citizens being butchered before his eyes-the
Government would have come to, the sentence
suspended, and the lives of many of the men
saved. Mr.. Owen wanted his Office more than
he wanted to do his duty The President had
issued proclamation, and it covered his eyes
and scared his heart, and the men were execu-
ted.
Everybody is complaining of extraordinary
stringency in the money market, and many fail
ures are occurring. Gen. James, the new Sena-
tor from r. l., the non-de-scrpt in politics, ne-
ther fish, flesh nor fowl, has gone by the board.
Yet intelligent men say money was never more
plenty. The political condition of Europe is a
SeTlouS uraW Dack on cOmlneTclal operations
throughout the world, and especially is this the
case in France. There is now in the bank of
France one hundred and twenty millions of dol
lars, and the disturbed state of that country has
induced its prudent and careful men in hide
these means. A gentleman doing business to
the amount of ten millions year, with st. Pc
tersburg, Trieste, Hamburg, Havre and London,
told me, yesterday, that there was, in France,
put out the way of business, two hundred and
fifty millions of dollars and that two-thirds of
this sum had been thrown aside to meet the
demands of political revulsions. In this coun-
try, aside from the operation of few daring
spirits, there is no cause for a monetary revul-
sion, and it is believed by the best informed
men, that five or six weeks will give relief to
all fair operators.
The death of Judge Woodbury. is most sim
cerely regretted in New England His great
experience, enlarged and liberal views, his pat
riotism and devotion to the Union, could not
well be spared just now, when the democratic
party is the sole representative of the national
sentiment of this portion of the Republic
The million are just returning from New
port, Saratoga, &C., and the hotels are filled to
overlooking with laughter-loving good natur-
ed people, who have been separated from bust
ness for few months. In truth, for those who
have means it is better than paying doctors
bills at home, to take a careless tilt with the
world outside. Did it ever occur to you that
LA.A =.