Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-09-13
RETRosPECTIoN.

"
public morals in this country so far below that
which, for Fifty years of its existence, it was the
pride and boast Of this Government and People to
maintain. Tie reality Of such decentralization is
cerain as is demonstrated by the fact that instead
of every conductor Of public journal reckoning
among his paramount obligations to society the
support of National law, Of public morals, and Of
the laws of his own country, considerable portion
of them-happiy nothing near the msjority-re'
CARELESS of the principles of law, morals, and civil
duty, have, in the late critical emergency, perverted
the whole power Of the press, by means of false
and hardly specious reasoning, to the inculcation
of contempt of the most sacred laws of God and
Man. and the encouragement Of enterprises in every
sense unlawful, dangerous to the peace Of our own
country and of the world, and involving wilful
waste of the lives Of their credulohs and most
cruelty dupsd and deluded disciples.
To show, however, at one view, and in COM
pendious form, the heresies which the lust Of do
minion and the yetunslaked thirst for blood have
gendered, j, will be sufficient to quote single ex-
ample Of the language of such presses as have par
ticuarly identified themselves with the late despe-
rate enterprise against the territory Of Spain. We
will not select the Infatuated and caumnious lam
guage Of the New Orleans Courier, or Of any other
counts for much of their violence, but shall resort
in preference to print published in the city which
was wont to be known truly the city of Broherly
Love, but which, were we to judge by the following
extracts from one of its papers, harbors in its
bosom dangerous enemies to the peace and honor
of the country:
Nonnterventon is now stale and obsoleenot on the
book true, but in the sentiments of the Amer
can people and il bshooves us, by public meetings. and
through the truly republican press to let the next Congress
know ,ha. ought promptly repeal all laws Of the Uni
ted States which may be construed to prohibit armed in
tervenon by citizens of the United States for the relief Of
those who suffer under the present despoc military Govern
ment of the Spanish colonial dependencies in America
eve do doubt this will be done. 1t be done,
every Congressman who opposes will be swept from place to
make for those who will carry the peoples will 1t is
useless argue that the people may be excited and be led
astray. Our Government is the great experiment to
whether popular opinion will not make nation greater and
happier than rigid adherence musty echnicas, black
letter laws enacted in feuda times, and slavh subsevence
ANTICIPATED notions Of international amenities, oraculary
prated abou. by long gowns and flowing full bottom wigs
'sBu the American people have not always stopped
constitutional restrictions and legal requirements. When
public opinion Wills there is way has been shown by
the acquisition Of Louisiana and the annexation Of Texas
The letters of restriction must be taken from hands, and
mus, be allowed to spread abroad the principles of unver
sal freedom We cannot look and the republican spirit
Of Cuba crushed under the iron heel Of Spanish desp5sm
cannot be bound by laws when the cries Of slaughter
ed brethren ringing ears; cannot longer sub
NIT to the doctrine Of non-intervention."
1t is not to comment upon indictments such as
these TO outrage and bloodshed TO renewed and
.iDurd violations OF all law and all morality, that
we bring these samples of Ishmaelite philosophy
to the ken of our readers. But it is to show to
them the suficiency Of the ground upon which
though for the present there is 1--WE may trust) an
end of the trade in human blood in the form of
Cuban Expeditions and speculations connected
with lhem-we think itproper to show the language
that was held by the Republican party Of this
country, in its uncorrupt and primal age, in regard
to cases of precisely the same character as that
which has now unhappily arisen. And, without
further comment, we proceed to that object.
FORTY-TWo YEARS AGO.
ia
A petition was presented in the House Of
Representatives of the United States on the 3lst
day of May. 1909, from number of citizens Of
the United States confined under sentence of slavery
at Carthagena in South America, stating that they
had been, by various misrepresentation and de-
ceptiops, drawn into the service of Gen. MIRANDA,
in an expedition hostile in its intention against some
Of the Spanish settlements in South America: that
thew embarked at New York in February, 1906,
on board Of the ship Leander: and, after spending
some time on the way, at Jacquemel, where they
were organized, drilled, &C., proceeded with the
Leander' and two schooners to the northern parts
Of South America, and arrived on the coast of Terra
Frma in the latter part of April: that, on their ar
rival on the said coast the two schooners, on board
of which these petitioners were placed, were cap
tured by two Spanish armed vessels: that of the
persons thus captured ten were put to death, and
the remainder condemned, some of them TO eight
years and some Of them TO ten years slavery, which
punishment they were then suffering under heavy
irons and other circumstances of distress painful to
humanity to rela,e and asking The Intervention of
Congress for their relief.
The Committee to which this petition was refer
red believing the facts stated to be true, reported
resolution requesting the President of the United
States 10 adopt the most immediate and eficacious
means in his power to obtain the Liberation Of the
;.onere If IL shall appear 10 his satisfaction that