Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-12-11
VOL. ".
Presidents Message.
Fslio,o- Citizens "a Ms Senale

EeH0sc- Ctt1ZenS OF INK ceHdtc
and Of the House Of Representatives.:
congratulate you. and our common
country, upon the favorable auspices up
on which sou meet for Your 6r~t ses-
sion. Our country il at pescc with all
the world. The agitation which for a
time threatened to disturb the iraternal
selaiions which made US one people. Is
fast subsidinG, and year vi general
prosperity and health has crowned the
na.ion with unusual blessings. None
can look npon the dangers which are
passed. or forward to The bright pros
poets before us. without feeling thrill OF
qualification. Of the same time that we
mus. be impressed with grateful sense
Of our profound obligation to Bcnef-
cent Providence, whose pasernsl care is
90 nantes, in the happintss Of this high.
" favored land.
Since the close Of the last Congress.
eer,uin Cabans and other foreigners. res
idont in the United States, who were
more or less concerned in the previous
invasion Of Cuba. instead of Icing dis
cournGed by It's failure, have again aba
sed the hospitality Of this country by
making it the scene Of another military
expedition agains, the possessions Of her
Catholic Majesty. in which they were
counienanced. aided and joined By citi-
gems OF the United States. On receiv
ing intelligence tina; such designs were
entertained. / lost no time in issuing
such instructions 10 the proper officers
af The United States as seemed 10 be cal
led for by the occasion, by the procla-
NATION. copy Of which is herewith
Submitted. also warned those who
NIGH, be in danger of being inyeigled in-
10 this scheme, Of its unlawful nature.
and of The penalties which they would
incur. For some time, there was rea-
son to hope, that these measures had
sufficed To prevent any such attempt:
this hope. however, proved TO be delu-
sire. Very early on the morning Of the
ID August, steamer called the Pampero,
departed from New Orleans for Cuba,
having on board upwards Of four humid.
red armed men, with evident intention to
make war upon ,he-aulhortsies Of Cuba.
This expedition was sci on foot 10 pal
pable violation Of The laws Of the Unit
Ted States; is leader was a Spaniard.
and several Of tho chief officers, and
some others engaged in ii. were foreign
crs. The persons composing il, howev-
er. were mostly citizens Of the United
States. Before The expedition sal out.
and probably before il was organized. a
slight insnrrectionary movement, which
appears 10 have been soon suppressed,
had taken place in the eastern quarter ol
Cuba. The importance of this move
ment was unfortunately SO much exag.
gerated in the accounts published in this
country, that these adveniurers seem to
have been led TO believe that the Creole
population Of the Island. moi only desi-
red 10 throw of the authority of the
mother country, but had resolved upon
,ha. step, and had begun we'll concerted
enterprise Tor efiecting il. The persons
engaged in lie expedition were generally
young and i'll informed. The steamer
on which they embarked lef. New Or.
leans siealihiiy, and wi,hou, clearance
After touching a, Key West, she procee.
ded to Cuba, and in the night between
the ] lth and l2th of August. landed the
persons on board at Play,as, within a
bout twenty leagues of Havana. The
main body Of these invaders proceeded
10 and took possession OF an inland vii
lage, six leagues distant. leaving the OH
ers 10 follow, ia charge of the baggage,
rs 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 abnu, four leagues into
the country. were attacked on the morn
ing Of the 18th. by body Of Spanish
troops. and a bloody conflict ensued, al.
Ter which they retreated TO the place OF
Decentralization. where about fifty ri
them obtained boats, and re-embarked
therein. They were. however. intercept
ted among the Keys near shore, by a
Spanish steamer cruising on The coast,
captured and carried 10 Havanna, and at.
Ter being examined before milinry
court, were sentenced 10 be publicly ex-
ecuted, and the sentence was carried in.
10 effect on tho 10Th Of August. On re-
ccising information Of what had occur
red. Commander Foxhall A. Parker was
instructed TO proceed 10 HAVANA in the
steam iriga,e Saranack, and enquire into
The charges against those executed, the
circumstances under which they were
taken, and whatever referred to their til.
al and sentence. Copies Of the inslruc-
sions from the Department OF State and
Of his letters 10 that Department, are
herewith submitted. According 10 the
record Of the examination, the prisoners
Al admitted the offence charged agains,
then. Of being hostile invaders Of the
Island. Al the time Of the trial and ex-
ecusion. the main body Of the invaders
was atill ia the field. making war upon
the Spanish authorities and s pauish subs
jects; after the lapse Of some days, be
fng overcome By the Spanish troops. they
dispersed on The 24,h Angust. Lopez,
their leader. was captured some days At.
YER. and executed on the Isl September;
many Of his remaining followers were
killed Or died Of hunger and fatigue, and