The republic., 1852-01-16

islands are 10 be secured by the unterrfed De-
mocracy. Private expeditions, without com
mission and without flag, are to be fitted out in
violation of our own statutes and the laws of
nations, to be protected by our navy against all
interference on the ocean and generally
encouraged with the idea that they are en-
gagged IN merltorious crusadcs for liberty;
and by the repetition Of these processes
we are to absorb the West Indies and the
Sandwich Islands, and use them, we suppose,
as places of rendezvous for similar buccaneer-
ing expeditions against the rest of mankind.
Such is the entertainment to which the people
of the United States are invited by the great
lien of the DEMOCRATIC party in council as
semb,'.ed. Our judgment is that the American
people ar, not prepared to enter on any such
career and that they are entirely satisfied with
the policy OF Pres, dent FILLMORE and his Ad-
minlstration.
On recurring to the rema.r .rks of the honorable
Senator, we find that he di. llnctly charges
President FILLMORE with having denounced
the fitting out OF an armed expedition against
country with which our own was at peace as
''piracy"-and that it was because the offenc.
was thus denounced as "pracy' that the Span
ish government executed fifty American citizens
without trial and in violation of our treaty stipu-
lations. Now it is not the fact that President
FILLMORE, in his proclamation or elsewhere,
at any time or in any document, ever denounced
the offence in question as ''piracy." He has at
all times recognised the technical distinction
which withdraws this offence from the class of
cases decided under the general term of "pira-
cy;' but even if he had employed this very
word, we shall see in the sequel of this article
that he would have been sustained by authori-
ty which 1t becomes no good DEMOCRAT to
quarrel with in the same breath in which hs
declares ANDREW JACKSON as the most per
feet and truthful exponent of Democratic prn-
ciples" since the days of JEFFERSON.
The proclamation speaks for itself, and we
republish it at length to show that the PREsI-
DENT did not employ the term attributed to
him by the Democratic newspapers, as we'll as
to point out the policy denounced by Senator
DOUGLAS and the Democracy:
Pr reclamation of the President Of the United States
WAsBINoToN, April 25, 1851.
Whereas there is reason to believe that military
expedition is about to be fitted out in the United
States, with the intention to invade the leland of
Cuba, a colony of Spain, with which this country
at peace and whereas it is believed that this ex
pedion ia instigated and set foot by foreigners
who dare to make shores the scene of their
guilty and hostile preparations against friendly
power, and seek by falsehood and misrepresenta-
ton to seduce our own citizens, especially the
young and nconsiderate, into their wicked
schemes-an ungratefu return for the benefits
conferred upon them by this people in permitting
them to make our country an asylum from oppres
sion. and in agrant abuse Of the hospitality thus
extended to them:
And whereas such expeditions can only be re-
garded as adventures for plundsr and rob0sry. and
must meet the condemnation of the civiixed i,orId,
lDhii't they are derogatory TO the character Of our
country, in violation Of the iatos Of nations. ana
expressly prohibited by olon-our statutes de-
clarng that if any person shall within the terri
tory or jurisdiction of the United States begin or
sc on foot, or provide prepare the means for any
military expedition or enterprise to be carried on
from thence against the territory domains of
any foreign prince State, or Of any colony, dis
trict, people with whom the United States are at
peace, every person so offending shall be deemed
guilty Of high misdemeanor, and shall be fined
not exceeding three thousand dollars, and impri-
soned not more than three years:
Now, therefore, have issued this my proclama-
ton, warning all persons who shall eonncct them
selves with any such enterprise or expedition, in
violation of laws and national obligations that
they will thereby subject Themselves TO the heavy
penalties denounced against such offences, and ,oiH
forfeit their claim TO the protection Of this Govern
...<.x - IL
lohat ersmities they may be reduced in consequence
Of their illegal conduct; and therefore exhort all
good c!izcns, as they regard our national rcputa-
tion-as they respect their own iaws. and the laws
Of nations-as they value the blessings of peace,
and the welfare Of their countryside discountc-
nance, and by all lawful means prevent any such
enterprise; and | call upon every officer Of this
Government, civil or military, to use all efforts
in his power to arrest, for trial and punishment,
every such offender against the laws of the country
Given under my hand the twenty fifth day of
A pril, in the year Of Lord one thousand eight
hundred and fifty one and the seventy fifth ofthe
of the United States.
MILLARD FILLMORE
BY the President:
w. S. DERRICK, Acting Secretary OF State.
This proclamation indicates the foreign poll
cy of President FILLMORE policy which the
DEMOCRACY disapprove and denouuce, not only
in their cups, but in their calmer and cooler
hours of reflection and revision. There is not
a word Of this proclamation which we would
now erase-thore is not title of the policy it
announces that we would change. Is it not
true that military expeditions, fitted out by in
dividuals against nation in state of peace.
are regarded as adventures for plumber aud
robbery" and that the individuals engaged 10
them are considered and treated accordingly by
the law of nations2 We admit that where a
civil war is raging, where nation is divided
into contending parties, and hostile armies are in
the field the law of nations may not prohibit in
of foreign nations from taking part in
such civil connections. But all authority shows
that it is not in the power Of individuals to de-
clare war against a nation, or invade the terri
tory of a foreign power, so as TO invest them
selves with the character of enemies" or en-
title themselves to be treated otherwise than