Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-12-04
lFrcm the Washington Iutelligenccr Saturday.
LETTER FROM THE PREsIDENT-MR LAW
AND THE CRESCENT CITY,

= A'S" iV'h, III Iepiy 10 one duuiesoeo W
him personally by that officer. Like every
thing from the pen Of the President, /, is di'
rect and explicit, and leaves MIR. Law, the
owner Of the steamer Crescent City, no room
to mistake his own duty as a citizen, or the
Presidents determination TO maiuiain the su-
premacy of our laws as we'll as our in,erna-
,ional obligations. To his plain admoni,ions
The President kindly adds some wholesome
advice 10 Mr.. Law, which we doubt not will
have the effect TO restrain him from The i'm.
prudent steps which he intimaied il to be
his intention to take in regard 10 the difficulty
in which he has unnecessarily involved him.
self with the Cuban authorities.
WAsHfNcroS, November 10, 1852.
Hon. HveH maxwell, New York City
Your note Of yesterday came to hand this
morning, in which you state conversation
you have had with Mr.. George Law, from
which you learned that the 'Crescent City
will 60 10 Cuba and enter the port of Havana
in defiance of the Spanish authority and, if
fired upon, she will be surrendered, and that
then he and others will Immediately COM
nence hosililes agains, the island" You
say, also that che desires 10 know whether
he is right in persisting in the pursuit OF his
lawful business and that if the Government
shall tell him he must not 60, he will not CO.
II, however, The Government says nothing
against his going he will infer he has right
TO go. You say also, that the processes 10 be
friendly to me and my Administration "
or The sincerity OF this, latter profession one
can best Judge by realng his letter Of the
9th, published in tho New York Herald oil
the 10Th inst.
But, in regard 10 the chief matters of your
letter, permit me TO say, that, in the fist
place, do not admit the right Of Mr.. Law,
or any other citizen, TO threaten war on his
own account, for the purpose of seeking re-
dress for real or imaginary injuries, and then
10 cali upon the Government to say whether
1t approves or disproves of such conduct, and
assumes its appreciation unless the act is for
hidden. The Constitution of the United
States has vested in Congress alone the pow
er of declaring war, and neither the Execu-
tive branch Of the Government nor MIR. Law
has any right 10 usurp that power by COM
mencing war without its authority; and il
he shall attempt it, it will be my duty, as it
is my determination, 10 exert all the power
,confided 10 the Executive Government by
the Constitution and Laws 10 prevent it.
am resolved, at every hazard, 10 maintain
onr rights in this controversy as against
Spain, and | am equally resolved that no act
OF our own citizens shall be permitted 10
place this Government in the wrong.
Mr.. Law has an undoubted right 10 pursue
his lawful business; but when question is
raised between this Government and for
eign nation as 10 whether the business which
he pursues is lawful, or pursued in a lawful
manner, The decision Of that question belongs
to the two Governments, and not him. If
the object be TO assert his right 10 enter The
port of Havana with such persons as he may
choose 10 select, in defiance Of The laws and
Government of Spain, he has certainly done
enough TO present that question for the deci-
sion of the Governments of Spain and the
United States and the negotiation has al
ready commenced, and our rights, as we un-
derotand them, have been asserted, and, as
| said before, will be maintained. But the
act OF this Government cannot be controlled
by the Interference Of any individual, and it
is entirely unnecessary that MIR. Law should
repeat these attempts for the purpose of selt-
ling this controversy and if he wilfully does
so, and in SO doing violalesNhe laws of for
ei.n nation within lis own jurisdiction, and
thereby loses or forfeits his vessel, he can ex.
pect no indemnity for such an act Of folly
from this Government.
We regulate the terms and conditions upon
which all foreign vessels shall enter oui
ports, and We fix the penalties for violation
OF our laws, and the right 10 do so we shal
never suffer 10 be questioned by foreigners
and we do not question theirs to do the same
thing. He must wait the result of the nego
tiaiions between The two Governments
This is question not TO be settled between
him and Cuba, nor even between the UnileC
States and Spain, which alone is responsible,
for the conduct Of the Governor OF Cuba.
write in some haste, as the mail is clos
ing but you are a, liberty 10 make know
the contents Of this letter TO Mr.. Law, and t
inform him that as good citizen | presum
he will not attempt any violation OF our ner
trality laws by attacking Cuba am trul
yours, MlLLARD FILLMORE.
The Republic, commenting on this lette
says that Mr.. Law, on being aPprised o.
contents, replied, that his intentions in rel
tion to making war upon Cuba had been mi
understood. The Republic also announc
that Lieut.. Davenport has been remove
and that no other officer of the Navy will
permitted 10 enter the service OF the Comp
ny so long as its managers adhere 10 ih'
present practice of converting the visits
their steamers 10 Havana into source OF a
noyance 10 the Spanish officials.
with view Of preventing the repetti
of the injury which the failure 10 deliver I
mails, at Havana, inliicts on the mercant
interest, the Postmaster General has direct
that the mails shall not be again despatch
in the Crescent City, nor in any other Of I
sCompany's steamers, which which may ha