Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-28
RECRUITING FOR CUBA.

The Cuban Netes has furnished exciting topic OF |
conversation in city duting the past lew days. and
has been commented upon in various spirits. Madame
Rumor has also been busy as usual, and out Of the
sympathy expressed has raised up expedition TO be
sent from here in aid OF the Patriots. Men, is said,
have volunteered in great numbers and money ls to |
be uru shed 10 abundance to forward the objects OF tile
expedition. If such project exists 1t has certainly |
been gotten up with In our own opinion
the rumor has no foundation und Will end as 1t has
begun, in mere talk-Balt. Amer. Of 1aeSdag.
1t is rumoured that a similar project is on foot |
n Richmond, ard that the parsonage known as
Gen. Gonzales has been for some days amongst
us. We do not know what prospect there is
that citizens of Richmond can be persuaded to
Join so rash and wicked an enterprise as that Of
attempting to help people 10 freedom, who so
little understand the blessing that they help their
Government to prevent them from enjoying it.
We trust that any who may have been prompted
by spirit of adventure to lend ear to the tales
of Patriot rsings in Cuba, and to calculate the
chances of successful venture, will weigh well
the accounts from Cuba, showing that there i
not in reality anything like revolution of the
people, that there is therefore certainty of dis
aster to any expedition that may attempt new
nya sion, and that the act itself would have no
colour of justification under the laws Of nations
or of any civilized country. Let such are
revolving in their minds the question of enlist
ing for another razzia. read attentvely the sum-
mary of the law that will govern their case,
which they will find in the article we publish to-
day from the New York Express. They wthere
see the duties which both the general law of ma
tons and our own particular law epJoin upon our
Government; and they cannot doubt from the
character of the President, that he will firmly
perform his part
We know that the revolving execution at Ha-
vana of fifty captves. most of them Americans,
is well calculated to excite American Indignation
But it should be remembered, that if the law or
usage of nations was transcribed by that bloody
act, the offence was given 10 this whole nation
represented by its government, and that govern
ment has promptly taken the proper steps to vim
dictate the national honour. The circumstances
Of the event, and the justification pleaded by the
Spanish provincial authorities, are to be officially
ascertained; and, if they prove be unsatisfactory
it will be the duty ofCongress, which is exclusive
ly invested with the power Of declaring war, to
decide upon the proper redress All good citizens
will calmly await that decision, and, however de-
srable they may deem the acquisition of Cuba,
they will esteem it as the forbidden fruit so long
as it can only be obtained by plumber. But what
by far the most important consideration, they
will reflect upon the character which our country
must acquire in the eyes of all other nations, if
these lawless enterprises against the province Of
friendly power should be so countenanced by |
public opinion that the government could not re- |
press them.
Let us here, by some further citations, make |
still more complete the excellent demonstration OF |
the Express
Vattel, whose authority is respected amongst |
every civilized people declares (p. l54) that ma |
ton has fright to security" ga right to resist |
an injurious attempt, and to make use of force
and every honorable means against whosoever is |
actually engaged in opposition to herr" a right "to
chastise the offender by infictng upon him pun
ishment capable of lettering him 4henceforward |
from simila aggressons, and of intimdating those
who might be tempted to initiate him." The same
public list lays down as law, the following:
"If then, there any where nation of restless and
mischievous disposition, ready to nure Others TO
traverse their designs and to excite domestic disturban
ces In their dominlons it not to be doubted that all
repress and chasse that nation, and TO put forever
out of her power to iniure them.' (p 1859
This law relates to the conduct of the nation
itself iowa rds its neighbour, and here is the law
as to the citizens:
"The nation or sovereign ought not TO suffer the
citizens to do injury to the subjects OF other States
much less to offend the State itself.
II nation, or its chief, approves and ratfies the
act OF the individual il then becomes public concern |
and the injured party is to consider the nation the
real author OF the injury of which the citizen per-
haps only the instrument.
"There is another case where the nation in general
Is guilty oil The crimes OF its members. I hat is, when,
by lis manners and BY the maxms of its government
Il accustoms and author yes its citizens indiscrimnae
~ TO punder and matreat foreigners to make inroads
INTO the neashbouring countries, Sc"tValte 1923
A.
Vattel elsewhere teaches, that ''when pep
pie, from good reasons, take up against an op-
pressor, it is but an act Of justice and generos- |
ty to assist brave men in the defence of their il
berries" bat, he adds whenever, therefore, |
matters are carried SO far as TO produce q ciui1
aoGr, foreign powers may assist that party which |
appe ars TO them to have justice on its sides" for
then, says he, 'the contending parties may be re-
garded as two distinct powers" and, accordingly,
he says further:
But we ought not TO abuse this m axim and to make
handle Of it 10 authorize odous Vaccinations against
the internal tranquility ofSta,es It's violation OF
the law onatons nce those subjects 10 revolt who
actually pay obedience their sovereign, tho ugh they
compla IN OF his govemment."-lp 1867
The question, what's "ciyiI war, the exist
ence OF which he max cs necessary to the inter-
ference OF foreign nation Vatte determine
thus:
when party j. formed in a State who no 10 ne er
obey the sovereign, and possessed of sufficient
strength 10 oppose him, when, in republic the ma
ton ls divided into TWO opposite factions and both
sides take up arms, this is "cioil ,oar"-(p 425)
All these rhaxms of Vattel are as fully &C
knowledged by the laws and customs of nations
as they are obviously just in themselves. What |
them is their application to these exDedons from