American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-29


often echo the cry Of revenge, but the bonds Of
the captive win ever prove.a shield too sacred
to be penetrated by the barb of the victor
| We shall have few words more on this sud-
ject tomorrow
The following, from the Southern Pre-. Of
this morning, is clear and to the point:
"There seems to be very prevalent notion
among our conservative contemporaries that the
! invaders of Cuba are liable to the penalties Of
piracy and outlawry. Those who have engaged
in these expeditions went in warlike array to
encounter formidable Spanish force in the
feld-not to rob and murder peaceable men
and women, as pirates and outlaws do. We
have not particle of doubt that if the invaders
Of Cuba are successful in any battle, they will
respect punctiliously the laws of war, and spare
the lives of captives; and they are, therefore,
themselves entitled to the same treatment. We
regard, therefore, the execution of the fifty-two
men captured by the Spanish forces as an
atrocity, with or without trial, with or without
mutlation. But if they have without trial been
both shot and mutilated, the outrage is most
aggravated. Yet it is not such an outrage as
our Government can as such resent; for the
expedition is contrary to our laws, and the men
who thus undertook to maintain a revolution in
Cuba renowned their rights as citizens of the
United States. They had, however, the same
believed to be determined on independence, as
Lafayette, Kosciusco, Porter, Byron, and Benz
had to aid us, Mexico, Greece, and Hungary.
Gas for the alleged insult to our flag, in refer
ence to the Falcon, we don't 80 consider It,
The Spanish war steamer fred shots first astern
and then ahead of the Falcon, to bring her to.
This was done at the peril or on the RESPONSE
bility of the Spanish officer or government.
For if he had been resisted by the Falcon, and
the latter, her crew, or passengers, had suf-
fered, the Spaniard would have been liable for
all the consequences. But in such case,
where Cuba was actually threatened with inva-
sion, and where the Spaniards had reason to
fear an enemy in every vessel, it was sufficient
to authorize them to assume the responsibility
of examining; and we think Captain Rodgers,
who commanded the Falcon, was right in allow
ing Spanish officer to come aboard to verify
the character Of the Falcon although, if the
latter had been armed, and could have resisted
with impunity, she had the right to do it."
THE PREsDENcY.-Wes see it stated in several
newspapers, that during the absence of the
President of the United States Mr.. Corwin is
Acting President. If the President has the
power to appoint an Acting President whenever
he pleases, we presume he is not restricted to
the Treasury Department in making such ap-
pointment, nor indeed to any department. His
authority to appoint substitute, if it exists,
empowers him to choose whomsoever it may
please him 80 to honor. The Secretary of the
Treasury, the Secretary of the Navy, the Com
missioner of Public Buildings, and the Russian
Ambassador are all eligible alike. In Virginia
it has been customary to farm out the sheriffal-
ty of many of the counties, the oldest magistrate
receiving the Office and letting it to the highest
bidder. We doubt not something handsome
might be made out of the Presidency in this
way. The notion is a new one, and therefore
of course valuable.
The Union this morning gives a list Of the
Executive officers, as follows:
Those present are:
l. Thomas Corwin, Acting President.
2. Nathan X. Hall, Postmaster General
g. VIM. A. Graham, Secretary of the Navy.
4. c. NJ Conrad, Secretary of War.
The a6sentees are:
/. Willard Fillmore, President
2. Daniel Webster, Secretary of State.
8. John j. Crittenden, Attorney General.
4. A. H. H. Stuart Secretary of the Interior.