The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-06

Copies of the several documents accompany
ing the Presidents message, consisting OF cor
respondence on several important topics, are be
fore US, froln which we make the following con
dsnsed exhibit Of the general facts and result
pertaining TO each.
la the matter Of the Lopez expedition, lot
tor dated from the Department of State, Wash
ngton, August, 23d, 1851, was addressed BY
MIR. Derrick, acting secretary to Com. Parker
commander of the Home Squadron, vesting il
him authority to confer with the captain genera
OF Cuba, on the subject of the execution
OF the fifty persons taken and shot as invaders
OF the island, and also with reference to the FIR.
ing upon the United States mail steamer, Fal
con. He was instructed to inform the captain
general that "it is expected that if citizens of the
United States were among the persons shot, the
offence with which they was charged, salts
faclorily proved" He was further to " request
copy of proceedings Of The court which sen
fenced the prisoners" This was expected to
embrace the names of the accused their native
countries; the position of the boats at the time
when they were captured the course they were
taking, and whether the persons on board ofthem
were armed;
"You will assure the captain general (the in
structions proceed) that everything within the
power of this government has and will continue
to be done towards discAargng the obligations
of the U. s. to Spain. You will also assure him
that if hereafter, unhappily, citizens of the U.
s. should be so forgetful Of their obligations of
obedience of the laws of their own country, and
of regard to the rights Of Spain, to be en-.
gagged in hostile expeditions against the island
of Cuba, the President earnestly desires that
they will not be punished except upon the clear
est proofs Of guilt, and without an obvious ne
cessity. A contrary course on the part of the
Spanish authorities, will be sure to increase the
difficulties in the performance of the duties Of
the United States, friendly neutral power,
and might render the discharge of those duties
impracticabe.
On the 9th September, Com. Parker writes to
the department from Havana; he has had an in
terview with the captain. general, which was
promptly afforded. The annexed extract con.
tains the principal item of interest:
He Qhe captain. generaD regretted the ne
cessity of executing the prisoners captured in
the boats on the Cages of the island, but deemed
it an act of necessary severity, in the circum-
stances, and he felt it to be his duty to make an
example of them, in order to deter others from
making similar attempt He stated that he
considered them as pirates, and that they had so
been denounced in the proclamation of the
President Of the United States; that they were
tried in summary manner, and full proof made
of their guilt, and of their participation ia the
invasion of the island by Lopez. He did not
consider himself at liberty to furnish me with
the proceedings on the trial, but would send
them to his own government and to the Span
ish minister at Washington, who would do
whatever was right in the matter, on the call of
the government of the United States. The ex-
ecution was delayed from half past seven
o'clock, A. ~ to eleven, in order 10 glue The pris.
oners an opportunity Of aoriting 10 their friends,
during phich period they made The declaration
thst they constituted part Of The forces of Lopez.
| "These particulars he stated, were given for
my personal satisfaction, inasmuch as he was not
invested with diplomatic powers, but referred
our government to the Spanish minister at
Washington, in whom diplomatic powers were
vested by her Majesty's government
"As to citizenship, he said that majority of
them claimed to be citizens of the United
States" but they were from various countries
and that it was Of no consequence to what nation
they had belonged, as they were captured in
the waters of Cuba with arms in their hands
endeavoring to escape in boats from an exped
ton in which they had engaged against the
island of Cuba"
In relation to the affair with the Falcon the
captain. general maintained,
THAT, in The present condition Of the island
Spanish cruiser has right to ascertain the
character of merchant vessels in the waters of
SPAIN that one expedition had already landed
from steamer, and that reintorcements were
daily expected The Spanish cruiser had fired
three unsolicited guns TO leeward, to show the
friendly character Of the vessel Of war, of which
no notice was taken by the Falcon, and that the
firing of the shotted gun was rendered necessary
H. l... 4 l., ~ i.
general of marine was on board, and il was to
be presumed that the shot was fired by his or.
der He declared that he had requested Mr.
Rogers, the commander of the Falcon, to call on
him, and give him correct statement Of this af-
! fair, but that he had not done so. He expressed
some surprise that Lieut.. Rogers did not come
to at once, as the man ofwar was only doing
what, by the laws Of nations she clearly had n
right to do"
The residue of this correspondence contains
nothing that is new of any general interest 1t
relates, mainly, to facts and circumstances which
are already familiar to the public. Com. Parker
was not allowed TO see the prisoners captured
with Lopez, it being contrary to the rules ordered
| TO be observed in The case. One fact of some
interest is contained in the subjoined extract of
letter of Com. Parker's, written on the 25th
September
son the odd, Mr.. Letcher had an interview
with the captain. general. In the course of con-
versation respecting the release of the prisoners
Citizens of the United States,) the captain
general alluded 10 the ill-treatment the subjects
of Spain had received, and the insults offered to
the Spanish flag at New Orleans. Mr.. Letcher
remarked that it was the act Of q mob and not
the citizens of New Orleans generally and that
the government of the United States, nor any
other government, should not be held responsible
for the acts of an assembage of that character.
Mr. Letcher also remarked that our government
regretted the circumstance, &c.
"The captain-general asked emphaticolly
whether Mr.. Letchcr was officially authorized to
make such declaration, who replied he was not
but he was sure that such were the feelings Of
the government of the United States, as well as
of her citizens generally.
at is MIR Letchef's opinion that had he, or any
one else, been authorised to make such decla.
ration, coming officially from the government,
at Washington, the situation of the prisoners
would have been ameorated, and perhaps they
might have been released