The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-29
plote the narrative of this most extraordinary affair

pote the narrative of this most extraordinary affair
to tho present time -
vhs Administration and the Crescent City.
From the Washington Republic, Nov. 27l
Az the presses IN the interest Of Mr.. George Law
pernst " their efforts to misrepreseut the position o
the administration iu reference to the conduct oil
that gentleman and his mauagement Of the Cres.
sent City, We have obtained permission to publish
the following c,py Of private letter addre sed by
The President to tho Collector OF New York. Mr..
Fillmore. 1t will be seen. expresses the desermina-
ton We have always attributed to him. TO maintsia
the rights of the country as against Soain. and at
the saDo time to bring into play the full DO wors OF
the government to restrain ell lawlessness, and all
attempts at lsWlesness, on the part Of any Of our
ctisens.
(rnvATE WAsHrNoroy, Nov. H. 1852
Hon HUoH MAXWELL New York City
Your note Of yesterday 70 hand this morning In
which you state conversation you have had With Mr.
George Law from which you learned that the Crescent
City will to Cuba and enter the port Of Havana in de-
dsnoe of the Spanish authority; and fred upon she
viii Be surrendered and that then he and others will
Immediately commence hosttes against the island"
You ray also, that he desires to know whether he IL
right in persisng in the pursuit Of his lawful business
and that the government shall tell him he must mot
90 no will not 30 IT. however, the government says
nothing against his going he will infer he has right
60" You ray also that he processes to be friendly to
ue and my administration y OF the sincerity of this
latter profession best judge by reading his letter
Of the 9th published In tho New YoRK HERALD Of tho
10th inst
But In regard to the chief matters Of your letter. par
init ma to that In the rst place. do not admit tho
right Of Ar Law any other private citizen to threaten
war on his account for the purpose Of seeking
dress for real OF imaginary injuries and then to call
upon tho to whether Il approves disap
Of uch conduct and Its unless
the act Is forbidden The Constitution Of tho United
States has vested in Congress one the power OF declaring
war, and neither the Executive branch Of tho govern
ent NOR Mr.. Law, has any right to usurp that power
by commencing var without It's authority; and II he
shall attempt it 1t will be my duty my dstermi
nation to exert all the power conadsd to the Executive
by the Constitution and laws prevent Il
am resolved at every hazard to maintain our rights
In this controversy against spain, and equally
resolved that act Of citizens shall be per-
mitted to place this government In tho wrong Mr. Law
hss an undoubted right to pursue his lawful business;
but when question Is raised between this government
and foreign nation to whether the business which he
pursues is lawful pursued In lawful manner the de-
cion Of that question belongs to the
and rot to him. If the object be to assert his right
enter the port Of Havana with such persons he may
choose to select In defiance Of the laws and
Of Spain he has certainly done enough present that
question for tho decision Of tho Of Spain
aud the United States and the negotiation has al.
ready commenced, and our rights, as We understand
them have been asserted and, as I said before will be
maintained but the act Of this government cannot
be controlled by the interference Of any individual and
1t is entirely unnecessary that Mr. Law should rcpsst
these attempts for the purpose Of settling this controcr
~; and If he wuly does and In doing violates the
lsws Of foreign nation within Its jurisdiction. aud
thereby loses forets his vessel he expect in
dennity for such act Of folly from this government
We regulate the terms and conditions upon which oil for
en vessels shs enter ports and fix the penalties
for violation Of laws; and the right to do shal
suffer to be questioned by Foreigners and do not
question theirs to do tho thing lie must wait the
result Of the negotisous the two
This Ia question not to bs settled between him and Cuba
between the United States and Cuba bat be-
tween the United States and SPAIN which alone rpon
sibls for tho conduct OF tho Governor Of Cuba.
write in haste, Is the mail Is closing but you
at liberty to mako known tho contents Of this letter
to Mr. Law, and to inform him. that good citIssn
preeumc he will not attempt any violation Of
trslty laws, BY attacking Cuba
am truly, yours,
(signed) MILLAaD FILLMORE.
We understand and 1t 10 duo to Mr.. Law to say
letter, he remarked that his intentions in relation
to making war upon Cuba had been misunderstood
by Mr.. Maxwell.
The subsequent course Of tho Crescent City,
guided, 1t is presumed by tho instructions of the
steamship company, has forced upon the govern
ment iurtber action in the premises. Passed Mid
shipman Davenport has been removed from tho
command of the stca ner and We believe that no
other officer of tho navy will be permitted to enter
tho service of the company so hong as It's
managers adhere to thoir prssent practice
Of converting the visits of their vessels into
Of annoyance to the Spanish officials: With the
view Of preventing repetition of the injury which
the failure to ensure the delivery Of the Havaoa
mails inHicts upon the mercantile cassas Of Cuba
and of our own country, the Postmaster General
has directed that the mails shall not be again de-
spatched In the Crescen City, in any other of the
c0mpaDy's tesmers which may have Pursor Smisb
on board. In that case the mails will be trans
mitted to Charleston, and thence by the steamship
Isabel to Cuba. The Crescent City will thus bs
stripped OF all semblanoo Of ofcisl character or pat
ronage. II Mr. Law choose to retain Purser Smith
on board, the Crescent City will sail rs pri-
vate ste amer, commanded by nerchsnt captain,
and having no pretence to claim mmunities or con
siderntion as an agent of the government. Tho au-
thorities Of Cuba may deal with 1t as with any
other vessel violating their local laws and regula-
tiops and the consequences will rost upon Mr..
Laws head Our government will stand acquitted
By Spain and by this country Of all participation in
conduct that is calculated and designed TO annoy
0no ana 10 tNcrchse exstlS lrlLati0n In tno Obuer
In doing this, the administration docs not pro.
vent Dir Law from tho pursuit of his lawful busi-
ness" +" Other merchants and shipowners experience
no difficulty in their intercourse with Havana
They 90 and come without iojury or moestation
and they never dream of calling upon their govern
nent TO protect them from tho police regulations OF
Havana, or to wage war against Spain because hsr
Cuban representative dccms certain precautions
necessary to the maintenance of peace on tue
leland II Mr.. Law were content with the " pur-
suit Of lawful business" this unpleasant, con-
troverry would speedily bo brought TO an cnd la
fact, however, he claims to be placed by the
government above the operation Of the lava
Of Cuba he aspires to dictate what regulations
the Captain General shall impose, and what annul;
sDd he considers himself aggrteysd bs,suse Tho
government refuses to make his quarrel its Tn and
TO cover with its sanction the insulting ard impro
per demennor Of his officers. The motives th. in-
ducuce Mr. Law we do not pretend to divine
Papers which csrnot be suspected Of q ba, IN
favor Of tho administration, suggest that his con-
duct in the matter is governed by considerations
skin 20 those that have won hin fame as a COM
mercisl colossus. They refer to his speculation Ia
muskets, and to the probable demand 'or
his staamers At largo adyanos unou their