The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-04

GEN. QuITMAN AND THE PILLIBusTERs

Communicated.
GEN. QUITMAN AND THE PILLIBusTERs.
For some time past the eizers Of the daily press ha,s
been quite free with the Of Gen Quitman in conner,
ion with imaginary mitase,ing expeditions against Cub.
Even To-, reliable as he generally is and intelligent, and
just have always found him 10 be has far been car
ried away by false yet plausible rumors as to Join The
cry Rumors Of this sort have attracted my attention for
time past but knowing Gen. Quitnan do had
deemed them worthy Of refutatiof But now tia,
persons Of another class beginning believe the stab
story, feel il my duty to enter denial
believe that know the Aaa, Qnitman as well a. II
better than, any other person in this city Others
there who know the General and the ol.can better
but since IL only with him in the former thai We
have TO deal feel myself to be the proper one to de
fend him,
For the greater part he has been my Gamaie in poli
cal ethics he has imbued with the principles which
have ever been the basis Of his action.
Principles being immutable and omnipresent follows
that what may properly dcduce from them in one
latitude another man may in another.
Should animated by principles thus obtained arrive
at given conclusion and thereupon pursue given
Of action, II follows that he who gave them must
though far distant hare arrived at the like conclusion
unless it be that my conclusion is erroneous that he has
orsaken his principles Neither Of these is likely to
be the case and hence is that although have not con-
erred with him his last visit 10 this CITY, some ten
his position. commend the late proclamation of the
President; for while it tends to maintain our neutrality
laws, and to conserve for the legitimate power the right
to declare war; it reains from the ociousness Of
preudgng and predamnng-as did that Of Mr. Fillmoe<
those Of icow-ctizens whose sympatlics may ont,
weigh their Judgment.
do speak by authority but for the reasons afoe
said feel that he win commend the proclamation
when he shall have read it, General Quitman has hereto
fore been bitterly prosecuted for his supposed completely
with the mistaken friends of Cuba that he has been COM
PEELED to resign his position governor of his State; and
urgently this completely charged upon him that the
late administration rendered itself ridiculous by instu
ting proceedings against him which it could not carry
further than arrest
This failure of powerful opponent as is the federal
government to convict him, prove the smallest
Of the numerous specifications in the general charge
against him. should teach to be cautious of rcvving
the charge. As for myself Judging him BY what 50
well know of him in regard to former instances taken into
consideration with his poverbia eonstancy ofpurpose
ko that he not implicated in any proposed descent upon
any dependency Of any government
Gen. Quitman too many laurels apd is too closely
knitted to the hearts Of the American people, dear in
the affections of the people Of his State risk his
reputation in Quixotc expedition in behalf Of people
who though suffering yet causcess. He like nine
enhs of the American people feels deeply for the Cuban
in their present Of wrechedness and would n see
life them the boon of freedom if in 50 doing he
did not violate the laws of his own land.
He holds that ultimate sovereignty resides in the people
not in thrones. When the people of a colony have as
serted their sovereignty declared their independence and
struck the needinl blow, thus making TO themselves
cause he will them and not until them lend them the aid
of his good arm,
Before they have thus made up their cause yet while the
subeomaer Of the proposed issue is agated by them
should he choose % them their preraration from
purse and to give them word of good cheer win then be
purely question between himself and his God-not be-
tween himself and the law How the question thus raised
will be adudicated in Heaven let each mans breast make
answer
have to know that the unfortunate Lopez acting
in behalf of the Cuban Junta visited Gen Quitman
rendered him the absolute control Of then proposed
lutionary expedition extended scale the and
of which partially raised and the balance Of
which promised case he CGen O would command
it, and that Gen Lopez besought him accept the same
that Gen. Quman, pointing 10 the laws of his country,
and referring 10 the absence Of all proper assertions Of in
dependence the part Of the people Of Cuba declined the
offer. II he declined 50 tempting offer time when
he bitterly prosecuted home and when chances
Of success equal 10 certainty how much the
resoute he be to avoid all nractons Of the
law when the party which he belongs is power and
while who is at his personal and political friend
old eompanon-inarms-flls the executive chair and
who would therefore, from his position have bear much
Of the blame arising from such infacon by such
MANI
But at all events il Is quite certain that Gen Pierce
despite the wise head-shakngs Of the quduucs and the
holder innuendoes Of the emizershad no reference
Gen ouitman when he penned his late proclamation for
he knows the old too well TO place the
reliance in any report tending TO mplcae him in any
such i-advised measures A. G. HALEY