The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-11-26


Hon. j. d. FREEMAN, of Missssippi Hon G. w.
CHuRcuwrLI, of Tennessee; and GEORGE II. BusBY. OF
Ohio.
Al WIZARDS Hotsl-Hon X. J. BOWIE, of Maryland
The Republic " Robbers and Pirates"
If the Republic did still profess TO speak for the
government, any further anmadyerson by us upon its
course in the Cuban would be needless if not repre-
hensibe. But, long this official character remains
in its columns It'll in vain for those who would gladly
us spare fallen opponent further humiliation, 10 urge
that after the crushing discom6ures and exposures il
has met ut our hands, the words of the Republic
are longer invested with importance entitled to
consideration. Plainly true this would be il the
Republics character its own, the main force OF
the facts lost when remember that the admnistra
tion with characteristic insensibility to the popular
sentiment and judgment, has not yet been keeny
stung by the odium and discredt of its mouh-piece
as by any decisive act of epudiation fully TO
itself from participation in the stigma II is true
that the Republic has, upon at least occasion, pro-
fessed 10 exclude the conclusion" that it was any
body's organ;" and charity to the administration
might perhaps suggest that this done by its bidding.
a at least sort Of haf-measure OF dsavowa towards
an advocacy longer sndurabe Yet the sad fact still
stands that the Republic is, in measure, official
and thus, by borrowing and refracng light not its
own it can even shed CHASTITY hue over the fair
face of our national dignity. patriotism, and humanity.
This state OF things have eneountered-no sought
And while we are not at liberty to decline the task OF
giving distinct expression what believe to be the
Indignation of the people, doomed for short time to such
official Misrepresentation, we rejoice that in thus speak
ing we can still vigorously confne ourselves TO those
considerations which belong 10 just public policy
Forced as we expose in their true colors the politics
Of the Republic, the sefrespect Of our position whdraws
US far out OF the sphere Of its personalities.
The official journal now admits that il has .'uni
formly, labored and lsbors, fix upon saugh
tered and captive counymen the character OF Piundere
and robbers while, Notwithstanding recent tremen-
dous array of citations from its columns of September
last il has the hardhood still to persist in denying that
il has "written line TO prove them pirates Its Ian
guage now is:
"lr will afford any satisfaction to the unon have
no objection add that though have never spoken OF
the Cuban invaders pirates, we have uniformly re-
garded spoken Of them men engaged in an enter
Prise which is by the law Of na,ions sd
venture of robbery and piunder we hare
al.says rmsmbsd that there an essential technical d
ference between robbers land and pirates or robbers
on the sea a~l thus eeusta~s has ptrsntsd Us om de-
signaling Lopez and hi, deuded followers as pirates"
Before commenting upon the former Of these two
tracts from the Republics article of yesterday, ask
our readers 10 mark the denial contained in The latter OF
them, and then to read the following passage from the
same article
.We maintained that from the commencement had
rscoyui,ed the distinction between robbers by land and
robbers by and therefore have never written line 10
prove these men pirates The Union processes to accept
mis- q, "A direct and deliberate issue OF veraciy
lion of fact and proceeds TO the proof In the case
The proof s citation from article OF the l2h
of September, In which-aer copying section from the
treaty with SPAIN providing that the acceptance OF letters
of maraue or other commissions by subjects Of Spain the
Uni ted States. from third begsrent power should sub
iect the person offending to punishment pfates-we
remarked
"., wa. not deemed necessary include specifically in
he above prohibition the carrying OF armed eSpvd-
ion from shores against the territories OF Spain.
the acceptance o. nom man only
yded for the frs. srticl. OF the treaty But when the sn
ct our o Of
from raton hostile SPAIN rha rouid BE- Hs iargNaN
om Snsxi.k ostar and commence ho.til.. uad,r no
aas except Of sbeio~ and TREASON aganst sovereign
20 whom they bou~d observe sincere is~dhp a~d
'iuroiabs ptos'
18th. Union .eizes uron this irrefseabe evidence
a, we have endenvorcd convict the followers OF Lopez
Of piracy. Does not the Union see that the nteno2aory
bears a very different construction. and that the term
pirates a, used 10 essentially comparative The pas
sag. doe. not apply that the Cuban invaders but
rather indicates cnormy Of heIr gull, by the applca
ton of clltecoznised standard. The arhmeticAi rule
Of three ia available in such case IL persons taking
.uer. OF maroue are under the fourteenth article of the
Spanish treaty. piraes what precise shade OF guilt
tsches to men who In time Of peace accept commissions
from Spanish outlaw 7
Now, in what terms is il 6t TO speak Of an official
iournal-ths organ of governmenf-whch can permit
itself to introduce such passage that into article
framed especially deny and TO dsprove the accusation
tina, bad endeavoed to prove these hapless American
capvss to be pirates We affirm, without fear of dispute
or contradiction, that, the Republics showing, it
stands convicted Of having erered its whole ingenuity
10 make out that these men by the spirit IL
the terms of the treaty itself pirates under every con-
c,,yabe circumstance OF aggravation. The argument
ia. These men wond have been pirates by the treaty
which il the supreme law, il, even in time Of trar,
they had, with hostile purpose. taken regular CON-
mission from a nationoi gorsrnmenf at war with
Spain. Bot they did what Vas isora IN every par
deular They began their work in time not OF 'onr, but
Of p,ae, They took eomm'"iors, not from national
sousynm.nt but from q Spanish traitor and ouffdu
They oonmsnesd hostfie under the flag oil sason And
they commenced tho,e hoslities against sovereign to-
wards whom they were bound TO maintain friendp and
psast Such was the dreadful judgment pronounced on
the i2th September in advance Of any judicial examine.