The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-09-11

him, he was not dar.' s,.... ...iss.gue rtH
What are we Coming to.
For several days past this city. as well n.
every other ciry TO whmh the intelligence
has spread, has been excited by the news
from the Island OF Cuba, hut mainly 10y the
execution of fiity-twO PRISONERS, after lriei
trial. aud with circumstances Of revolving
inhumnnty. Let Us look into the history
Of this affair
A year or two ago, refugee from Cuba,
by the name Of Lopez, TO which, in the
course OF time, he attached the title of Gen
eral, made his appearance in the United
States, and assumed the character of Pa
trsot. he, with some others of the same
class, professed 10 he Liherafors, aud pre-
tended to say, on behalf of the people of
Cuba, that they were desirOus of throwing
off the yoke OF Spain, and declaring their
independence. The appeal found favor in
several Of the Southern cities and States
an expedition was fitted out against the Is
land OF Cuba composed OF few hundred
men, and landed at Car'lenas--where the
Government was not long in finding them
out, and capturing large number Of them
Lopez SOmehO,r cOntrived to effect his es-
cape, and almost The first news we had of
the failure OF this expedition, and Of the
dismal fate Of his men, was brought by him
self, Ie having escaped in Il vessel TO Sa-
vannah, we think. Lopez stock was, for
some time, at Discount, the people gener-
ally thinking that he had behaved very
sbabbhy towards the young men whom he
had lnveigled INTO The enterprise. The tri-
al Of Quitiuan, Henderson, Lopez, aud 9th
ers, at New Orleans, for being concerned in
an expedition which was clearly in viola
ton Of the laws Of the United States, serv-
ed to keep the public eye upon him for
time, but he was nearly lost sight of. vi hen
reports OF another expedition became cur
| rent, and his name was again connected
with it. Nearly the whole of the prisoners
captured at Cardenas were pardOued upon
the intercessiou Of the President, aud were
permitted to leave The countryside Cap
tain General making known then, or after
wards, in public manner, that IL repetition
of this attempt at invasion, would be pun
| 'shed IN "A summary manner.
Another expedition was planned, but i,
made no headway, and was for the time
abandoned, as was supposed. Then came
pronuuciamento from Principe, giving
rise 10 as least three declarations of inhe-
pendence, on or about the -Four III of July
, about the authenticity of all of which
there is much doubt. From that day to
this, there IS no certainty that the uprising
amounted 10 any thing at all, although The
papers multiplied reports very rapidly
about il.
Meanwhile. there came reports that m
expedition was organizing at New Orleans;
that troops were enrolling themselves; that
the steamer Pampero had been chartered
fprf
nltiOns of war from that port to the Island
OF Cuba, with the avOwed design to invade
and capture that leland, aud l,lace it under
new Government, republican in it's gaper-
al features. There was no concealmeut
about the fitting out Of this vessel, nor the
enrolment Of the crusaders, nor her ,iepar-
ture. She left in the presence Of thousands
of persons; aud yet, to their shame he il
spoken, neither the United States CoiIec-
tor, nor the District Attorney, nor the Mar
shai, nor Gen. Twiggs, made any attempt
To prevent This bold ATTRACTION Of our laws
and the faith Of treaties, by fitting out an
armed expedition within our limits, to in-
wade and conquer the territory of a power
with which we were upon friendly terms
The vessel, crowded III every part with
men aud arms and munitions of war, was
successfully run into port Of the i.land Of
Cuba, the troops disemharked, and the in
vasion commenced. Lopez, then in com
mand and strongly alive 10 the instincts of
self-prcservatiOn, hurried, with the main
part of his force, into The interior, where
the chances of escape into the mountains
were increased--his exit from land being
cut off, by sen,iing the Pampero to sea again
and he left Crittenden aud his band to
guard the baggage, and resist any force
which might be brought against him. The
letter from Adjt. Stanford, which we pub
lish, gives the only faithful account of the
battle which afterwards took place between
| 500 of the Spanish army, and Crittenden's
hattalion-in which the latter were finally
routed after fight of two hours, subse-
quently captured, and most barbarousIy ex-
ecuted by order Of the Captain enerai.-
OF the whereabouts of Lopez, nothing is
known. There Is no evidence that The Gu
bans sympathize in any Of his movements
nor that they are ready or wi III ng to change
the government for such an one "a be would
give them. On the contrary, there is, in
the conduct Of the thousands Of the people
of Havana, who attended the execution of
the unfortunate Americans whom he had
Ieln,ied thitber--and who gloated, with the
vindictiveuess Of fiends, over the work-the
strongest evidence that they hate the very
name of American, and do not desire any
interference from US in their internal af-
fairs, even though such interference nigh,
be productive of benefit TO them. Lopez,
then, and his followers, and the papers thai
have been studiously msrepresenting the
temper and feelings Of the Cubans, and
their desire for aid in effecting their inde-
pendence, deserve the "deep tamDation"
which will eventually overtake them for de-
hiding these young men TO q horrible death.
They have kept out Of harms way them
selves, indifferent who else might fall into
their snares. ......s. ..t. =.
What will he the fate Of Lopez aud his
companions, cannot yet be told. Nothing,
indeed, is known Of him, save that be left
his companions IN arms as soon as he land
ed, and proceeded into the Interior. We
must wait for the next arrival 10 find out
where he will "turti up." 'N