The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-16

The ADMINISTRATION AND THE LOPEZ ExPEDI-
TIoS.-A Wall street contemporary claims great
credit for the administration in its conduct and
agement of affairs growing out of the Lopez expo
dtion to Cuba We cannot concur in this estimate
Of the credit due to the present administration on
that subject. The Taylor cabinet is alone respon-
sble for the first Lopez expedition but there can
not be doubt that the second invasion Of Cuba,
which ended so dsastrously for Lopez and so unfor
tunatey for the greater number of his associates,
was entirely produced by the weakness, the imbcci
lity and the folly Of the present administration, in
their utter want Of vigor in the administration Of
the laws of the United States in reference to the
first foray, and their criminal connivance at the
progress of the second humbug.
We will state more precisely and in detail where
this imbecility rests When Mr. Fillmore entered
the White House, and the present Secretary Of State
assumed the seals Of the State Department, Lopez
was under indictment for q violation of the laws Of
the United States, for the first expedition to Car
denas. What was the course of the administration
in that contingency? Though Lopez was the prin-
cipal offender against the laws, and the evidence
against him abundant lie was allowed to roam at
large. and was never broughtto trial at all while,
on the contrary, they made prodigious effort to
timony to bring them before n jury. General
Henderson, of Louisiana, was one Of these
persons, who was tried three times without
verdict; and General Quitman was also
indicted, to his Unreasonable annoyance, with
out evidence. The officers Of the admins
tration finding that neither Henderson nor
Quitman could be convicted, for want of evidence,
entered up aole 2voseg,i, not only in their cases,
but also in the case Of Lopez. Here the COM
pounding Of q crime-the participation after the
fact in the first invasion, by allowing Lopez to es-
cape because they could not convict men against
whom there evidence. Lopez very natu-
rally concluded that he had the sympathy of the
government and Immediately went to work to get
up second piratcal expedition, and permitted,
under the very eye of the government, to enlist
seven or eight hundred young men, with whom he
proceeded to Cuba, and landed on the Island Our
readers know the rest.
This is simple statement of the folly, weakness,
and apathy Of the present administration in allow
ing the second expedition to be collected and to sail
from the United States against the dominions Of a
friendly power, and contrary to the laws Of Con-
gress thus producing that terrible catas trophe which
all depored. 1t is idle and useless for the organs
Of the present administration to attempt to bolster
up their policy, excuse their conduct in this af
fair Their condemnation is written in letters Of
blood, which all great Neptune's cannot wash
away. II is true that by the vigorous prosecution
Of O'Sullivan Goa few visionary flibusteos,-
they now endeayoring, after all danger over
make up for their past misconduct. This may be a
sort Of save to the species Of conscience that
can revel in Galphin luxury, but certainly not to
the country at large. Why can't Fillmore and