Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-12-02
LETTER FROM THE PREsrnENr on
THE HAVANA DIFFICULTY.

4.
n Consequences q the alleged misrepresenfat;on m IL
views q the President and The eort which Il = aevr,
also i continually making b. h0ss Who side win NJ
George Law. d New York, in lis eicrts q y;v n.
hbasters somethngto start npoa, t1e washisr,o. W,
cal papers Of Saturday state af Ire Present ~
ded 70 allow tie pubdaiieas or he subio;nrd
letter from hun p the ColIeetor Il View 1ork Il rra
. one addressed p him personally from ast ol;r.r.
WAsHIScruS, November IL. 1855
Ho1 ltEgA 1iaIsrea, Ns.5 Iork CiisToar note of
yesterday came . hand ths morning ii ,rh;es ~. J,
state aennversatioa yen had with sir (seor~ + q
from which yoa learned that the Cresrrn, 81. 80
80 e CUBA and enter the port e Harana il etsne u
the spanish authority and IL Fred upon she viii ~
rendered, and then be and others is iinrneda,ri 49,
menee hostilties against The Island Yen ssr 49,. -
that ne desires to know whether he Is risht /, rrr
sistHg IN the pursuit Of his lawful Business sr n "a
government shah tell him he mus; not 90 he will Il,
IL however, The government says nothing ara;nSt RI;
geing, he wall infer he has right tog Yo9 81
81 .nat pc processes 70 be friendly 10 and ny al
ministratich OF the sincerity Of this latter prssso
oae can best judge by reading his letter Of the tb h
lishcd ia the New York Herald Of the l0h ;rst. --
But ~ regard 70 the chief matters cf you'll. -
asit me TO say that. in the 6rst $50 ~ -. s1
right Ct Mr. Law, or any ether czsn. ID threstes -
On MS ewn account, for the purpose Ct seeking reres
fer real or imaginary injuries, and thea to call On he
Government to say whether it approves or dsapproycs
q such conduct and assume lis appreciation unless the
act forbidden. The constitution al the United States
has vested in Congress alone the pow er Of declaring war
and neither The Executive branch cf the Government
nor r Law has any right to usurp that power BY com
nencing war without its authority and If he shall
attempt IL i viii be my duty, it Is my
TO exert all the power coHfded 10 the Executive Cow
crnnent BY the Constitution and laws 10 urcycnt it.
Ias Ssss!sf hi + S fHfFS
Government ard foreign naiioa 70 whether the bas;.
which he pHrsues lawful or pursued ~ iawiuf
manner the decision Of that question belongs 70 the two
Governments and not TO him. II the object be 10 assert
his right 10 eater the port Of with sGch persons
a. he may choose select defiance Of the laws and
Government Of Spain. he has certainly done enough 20
present th1t qetonor the decision Of the Governments
of Spain and the United States and The negotiation has
already commenced. and rights as We understand
fhem have been asserted and, said before, will BE
maintained But the act Of this Government cannot BE-
controlled by the interference Of any individually and i
entirely unnecessary that Mr. Law should repeat these
attempts for the purpose Of settling controversy and
If he wilfuy docs 50, and in doing violates the laws
Of foreign nation within its jurisdiction, and there
By loses or forcts bis vessel he expect no ndcm-
nifty for such an actof folly from this Government
we regulate the terms and CONDITIONS upon S.ch all
foreign vessels shall enter ports and We x the pen
ates for violation of our laws and the right to do
SO shall neyog suffer be questioned by foreigners,
aud do question theirs to do the same thing He
wait the result Of the negotiations between the two
GOV ernrncnts This is aqueson not TO be settled be-
tween him and Cuba, even between the United
States and Cuba but between the United States and
Spain which alone responsible for the conduct Of the
governor Of Cuba
write in some haste as the mail is closing but You
are al liberty TO make known the contents Of this letter
10 Mr.. Law and 10 inform him that good citizen
presume he will not attempt any violation of neu
traliiy laws BY attacking Cuba. am truly yeurs,
WILLARD FILLMORE.
In Publishing this letter. the Republic accompanies it
with the following statements
We understand-and it is due TO Mr.. Law to say
he remarked that his intentions in relation to making
war ulon Cuba had been misunderstood.