Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-09-11
CUBAN AFFAIRS.
Views of the Washington Whig Papers
From the Republic.

full details Of the recent melancholy intel
ligence from Havana. From these it ap-
pears that an expedition fitted out in the
port of New Orleans, under command of a
Spanish refugee by the name of Lopez, in
violation of the law of nations and the stat
utes of the United States, has landed to the
number of four or five hundred men IN the
Island of Cuba, with the professed view of
overthrowing the government, and efiecting
a conquest of the Island. OF the fate of the
deluded men, engaged in this unlawful en-
terprise we have only partial information
The accounts are contradictory and unsat-
isfactory. We understand that the most
reliable private intelligence induces the
belief that the entire expedition has been
routed and destroyed. Total defeat, indeed,
is the only result that could be predicted of
an attempt by 45O men to conquer an Island
that is defended by some 10000 regular
troops in state of eonsumate discipline.
But while we are thus in doubt with re-
gard to the main body of the adventures,
we know that some fifty persons alleged to
have been engaged in the expedition, have
been captured on the coast, and have been
carried into Havana and executed. Their
punishment was summary and severe. 1t is
said to have been attended with circumstan-
ces of gross indecency and outrage. Other
accounts represent that the execution was
conducted with appropriate solemnity.-
There was no reason 10 doubt, in view OF the
excitement which has prevailed in conse-
quence of prior attempts and recent rumors
Of invasion, that the government of the
Island would take sanguinary vengeance
upon all who should be found engaged in
any such enterprise. The men who en-
barked in it had been duly forwarned by
the President of the United States, in his
proclamation of April last, that they were
engaging in an expedition that could only be
regarded as an 'adventure for plunder and
robbery" that must meet the condemnation
Of the civilized world, and forfeit their
claim to the protection and interference OF
their own Government, no matter to what
eXtremities they might be reduced by their
| illegal conduct.
If the Spanish authorities have considered
and treated as robbers and plunderers, men
who are so regarded by the law of nations,
the inhumanity or barbarity of the punish
ment which may have been inflicted upon
the really guilty, cannot mitigate the char
acter Of the offence, it may create a general
pity for their fate. We cannot but deeply
| sympathize with the relatives and friends
Of the dupes and victims who have paid SC
severe penalty for their offence; nor ear
we omit to stigmatize as still more inhunar
and barbarous than the authorities of Cub;
are represented to be, the "foreigners who
have dared to make our shores the scene o
their guilty and hostile preparations against
friendly power, and sought, by falsehooC
and Misrepresentation, to seduce our OWL
citizens. especially the Young and incon.
siderate into their wicked schemes-ar
ungrateful return for the benefits conferred
upon them by this people in permitting then
to make our country an asylum from op
preston, and in fragrant abuse Of the hospi
tality thus extended TO them"
Under these circumstances, Comparatively
little sympathy would have been felt fol
Lopez and his followers ii they had all beer
shot down in the field in the immediate
prosecution of an unlawful enterprise. Bu
the wholesale slaughter OF prisoners inca.
pable of further mischief, without a trial
and without hearing, seems an act Of cold
blooded atrocity that shocks every senti
ment of humanity, and will excite universe
indignation. 1t has received as it demand
I ed, the prompt attention of our Government
We understand that, upon receipt of tn,
late intelligence from Cuba, measures wer'
Immediately taken TO ascertain whether an,
of the persons so summarily put to death b,
the Spanish authorities were American citi
zens, and if they were such, by what evi
dence their guilt of crime deserving S
sanguinary a punishment was established
as also to ascertain the facts in relation t
the alleged firing upon the United State
mail steamer Falcon by a Spanish ship @
war, and how far this proceeding, if in con
f travention of our national rights, was author
| lied or approved by public authority, an
that for this purpose Commodore FoXhall A
Parker, commanding the Home Squadror
will sail from Norfolk for Havana in tn
4 steam frigate Saranan tomorrow.
c While taking this step, however, II
proper officers of the Government haN
been instructed to be vigilant and active
preventing military expeditions from fifth
out against the Island in contravention
u 90, t,aa+1, ohl,oatinnz and the ,,uhlic sra