The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Eellou Citizens ofthc Senn,e and

tdeT WHICH You meet lor your lifsl session
Our country is at peace with all the world
The agitation which for time threatened
TO disturb tho fraternal relations which
make US one people, is fast subsiding, AM
a year ofgeueral prosperity and health ha'
lcrowned the nation with unusual blessings
None can look back to the dangers which
arc past, or forward 10 tho bright prospec
before us without feeling thrill Of gra,lli
cation OF the same time, that he must b.
Impressed with grateful sense Of our pro
found obligations to bcniiicen, Providence
whose fraternal care is so manifest ia the
happiness Of this highly favored land.
Siuce the close Of the last Congress, Ger
tain Cubans and other foreigners, resident
in the U. s., who were more or less con
cerned in the previous invasion Of Cuba
instead Of being discouraged by lis failure
have again abused the hospitality Of thi-
country, by making it the scene Of the
equipment Of another military expedition
against that possession OF her Catholic Ma
jesty,' 10 which they were not countensn
ced, aided and joined by citizens of the u
States. On receiving intelligence that Sc
cret designs were entertained, lost nc
time in issuing such instructions to the
proper officers Of the United States, as
seemed to tie called for on the occasion.
BY the proclamation, a copy OF which is
herewith submitted, also warned those
who might be in danger Of being inveiged
into this scheme, Of It's unlawful character
and Of the penalties which they would in
cur. For some time there was reason &c
hope that these measures had sufiiced t.
lpreyent any such attempts. This hope,
however, proved to be delusive. Very
early on the morning of the Sd of August
a steamer called the Pampero, departed
from New Orleans for Cuba, having on
board upwards Of 400 armed men, wilh ev.
dent intentions to make war upon the au
thorily of the Island. This expedition was
sci on foot in palpab!e violation Of the laws
of the u. Siaies. Its leader was a Span
lard, and several Of tho chief officers, and
some others engag ged in it, were foreigners.
The persons composing ii, however, were
mostly citizens Of the Z. 5.
Before the expedition set oa,, and prob
ably before it WINS organized, slight insur.
rectionary movements, which appears te
have been soon suppressed, had taken place
IA the eastern quarters Of Cuba. The i'm
por,ance Of this movement was unforta.
ns,e!y so much exaggerated in the accounts
which were published in this country, thai
these adventnrers seemed to have been led
to believe that the Creole population of the
Island not only desired to throw off the au-
ihnrty of the mother country, but had re-
solved upon that step, and had begun upon
4 well concerted enterprise for elieciing it
The persons engaged in the expedition
were principally young men. The sieam-
er on which they embarked left New Or
leans s,ealihily and without clearance
After touching at Key West, she proceed
cd 10 the coast of Cuba. and on the night
between be llth and 18th of August, land
ed the persons on board. al Piaytas, within
about twenty leagues OF Havanna. The
main body Of them proceeded to -- and
took possession Of an inland village, &
leagues distant, leaving others 10 follow in
charge Of the baggage as soon as the mea rs
of transportation could be obtained-lhe
latter having taken up their line of march
to connect themselves with the main body.
and having proceeded about leagues into
the country, were attacked on the morning
oi the 10Th by body Of Spanish troops.
and a bloody conflict ensued, after which
they retreated to the place Of disembark-
ment, where about so Of them obtained
boats and re.embarked therein. They
were however, intercepted among The Keys.
near the shore, by Spanish Steamer,
crulzing on the coast--captured,a and car.
ried 10 HAVANA, and after being examined
before military court, were sentenced TO
be publicly executed, and the sentence was
carried into effect on the 10Th of August.
On receiving information Of what had &C.
Cured, Commodore Foxha!l A. Parker was
instructed 10 proceed in the Steam Frigat e
Saranac to Savanna, and inquire into the
charges against the passengers executed
the circumstances under which they were
taken, and whatsoever referred 10 their
trial, and sentence. Copies Of the insiruc-
tions from the Department of State to him,
and Of his letters to that Department, are
herewith submitted.
According to the record Of the exsmina-
lion, the prisoners all admitted the offence
charged agains, them, Of being hostile in.
vaders Of the Island at the time of their
trial and execution. The main body of
The invaders were still in the field, making
war upon the Spanish authorities and Span
ish subjects. Alter the lapse OF some days,
being overcome by the Spanish troops,
they dispersed, on the 21th of August
Lopez, their leader, was captured some
days after, and executed on the lst of Sep
sember Many Of his remaining followers
were killed or died OF hunger and fatigue,
and the rest were made prisoners. Oi
these, none appear TO have been tried or
executed. Several of them were pardoncd
upon application Of their friends and 9TH
ers: aud the rest, about one hundred and
sixty in number, were sent TO Spain. OF
the final disposition made OF these, We have
no official information. Such is the melan,
choly result Of this illegal and i'll fated OK
pedhion. Thus, thoughless young men
have been induced by false and fraudulent
misrepresentation, to violate the laws Of
their country. Their rash and unfounded
Expectations Of assisting TO accomplish pa,
lii.ica revolutions in other States, have lqst