Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1852-12-11
WASHINGTON, Dec. g. 1852.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.

WASHINGTON, Nov. q,
The Republic by the consent of the President,
published the following:
WASHINGTON, Nov. u.
Hugh Mar,ceU: Your note of yesterday came
to hand this morning in which you state con-
versation with Mr. Law, from which you learn
ed that the Crescent City will 90 to Cuba and
enter the port of Havana in defiance of the
Spanish authorities, and if fired upon, she will
be surrendered, and that then and others Will
Immediately commence hostilities against the
Island. You say, also, that you desire to know
whether he is rght in persisting in the pursuit
of lawful business, and that if the Government
shall tell him he must not go, he will not. If,
however, nothing is said against his going, he
viii infer he has right to go.
In regard to the chief matter of your letter,
permit me to say in the first place, that do not
admit the right of Dir. Law or any other citizen
to threaten war on his own account, for the pur-
pose Of seeking redress for real or imaginary
injuries, and then to call upoE his government
to say whether it approves or disapproves of
such conduct and assume its appreciation unless
the act is forbidden. The Constitution Of the
Z. s. has vested in Congress alone the power of
declaring war, and neither executive branch of
the Government nor George Law have any right
to usurp that power by commencing war without
its authority, and if he shall attempt it, it Will
be my duty, and it is my duty and determine
ton to exert all power confded to the Execu-
tive of the Government by the constitution and
the laws to prevent it.
l am resolved at every hazard to maintain our
rights in this controversy as against Spain, and
am equally resolved that no act of our own
citizens shall be permitted to place this Gov
eminent in the wrong. Mr.. Law has an I'M
doubted right to pursue his lawful business, but
when question is raised between this Govern
ment and foreign nation, as to whether the
business he pursues is lawful, or pursued in
lawful manner, the desision of that question be-
longs to the governments and not to him. If
his object be to assert his right to entel the port
of Havana with such persons as he may choose
to select, in defiance to the laws of the Govern
ment of Spain, he has certainly done enough to
present that question for decision to the govern
ments of Spain and the United Statas. Nego-
tiations have already commenced, and our rights
as we understand them, have been asserted,
and as | said before, will be maintained, but the
acts of this Government cannot be controlled
by the interference of any individual. 1t is en-
tirely unnecessary that Mr.. Law should repeat
these attempts for the purpose of settling the
controversy. If he wilfully does so, and in SO
doing violates the laws of a foreign nation with
in its own jurisdiction, and thereby losses his
vessel, he can expect no indemnity for such an
act of folly from this Government
We regulate terms and conditions upon which
all foreign vessels enter our ports, and we fix
penalties for the violation of these laws. The
right to do so we shall never suffer to be ques
toned By foreigners. We do not question theirs
to do the same thing. He must wait the result
Of negotiations between the two Governments.
This is not question to be settled between him
and Cuba, nor even between the United States
and Cuba, but between the United States and
Spain, which alone is responsible for the con-
duct of the governors Of Cuba.
You are at liberty to make known the con-
ents Of this letter to Mr.. Law, and inform him
hat, as a good citizen, I presume he will not
attempt any violation of our neutrality laws by
Cuba.
am truly, yours,
WILLARD FILLMORE.