The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-08-02
In support Of this grave charge, we adduce

In support Of this grave charge, We adduce
THE TESTIMONY OF ANDREW j.. DoNELsoN.
When the news Of the atrocous massacre
reached Washington, Doneson wrote and pub
lished the following comments on the outrage
Gus conduct Of President Fillmore:
CUBA AND THE FILLMORE ADMlNrsrRAr1oN.-
Our readers will perceive that affairs on the
Island of Cuba are yet in state Of uncertain
ty 1t is useless for US to attempt to unrayel
the tangled skein of conflicting statements.
But there is one fact about which there is no
doubt. Who stands out, bold and prominent,
from bloody background Fifty Of our citi-
zens have been seized on the Gulf, carried to
Havana, and shot within two hours-but little
more than the time necessary to disembark
them and march them to the place of execu-
ton We have no hesitation in saying that
the fifty men executed at Havana were not
tried. They may have been tried in gross,
and carried through mock triaI-nothing
more was possible; and that was no more a
trial than If they had been, each of them, shot
as they walked from the Habanero to the
shore. Let us ask, how could 1t happen that
those fifty American citizens could have been
tried, condemned, and executed, and yet the
American people be left in doubt as to where
they were taken-how they were taken
whether they we're armed when takeny Again,
we say the idea is preposterous; and we say
J so with more confidence, knowing that the
National Intelligencer is too apt to err in its
efforts to uphold and sustain the Spanish au-
thority in Cuba.
Al accounts agree that The 1merscaa CoasM
at Harana dill not intcrposc 10 prerent The mr.
, ried massacre IN that city. 10 Is stated that ne
excused himself from interfering By Mr.. FH-
morris proclamation Of The 25M Of April last
t,co months and ten days before the rising an
: Cuba. The proclamation states that "here Is
J reason to bcliere that military expedition is
! about to be fitted out in the United States"
intended for the invasion Of Cuba &c. The
9 proclamation then asserts that "such exped-
tons can only be regarded as adventures for
7 pluader anu robbery" Truly this was unnec-
essary. The administration Mlicued, on the
25th of April, that military expedition was
about to be fitted out from our shores, and
then went on to denounce the persons who
. might engage in such expedition as robbers
| and plunderers! WE FEEL NO HESlTA
] TION IN SAYING THAT THIS PROC
f LAMATION EMBOLDENED THE SPAN
ISL AUTHORITIES TO BUTCHER
) OUR CITIZENS AS THEY WOULD
5 HAVE BUTCHERED DUMB BEASTS.
r WITHOUT THIS PROCLAMATION,
: THE SPANISH AUTHORITIES WOULD
= NOT HAVE DARED TO PURSUE THE
y COURSE THE HAVE PURSUED. Here
: we must again lament that the President
e should censure our citizens in advance, as
II robbers nnd plunderers and proclaim to foreign
= powers that they might massacre them at
If pleasure. The followers of General Lopez
d embarked after an outbreak had taken place
d in Cuba, and declaration of independence
; had been promulgated on that Island.
If The outbreak took place, and the dcclara-
y ton promulgated on the 7th of July; yet on
'f on the 25th of April the President denounced
d all who should attempt to give effective aid to
y the Cuban patriots as robbers and plUmderers!
II As soon as it was ascertained that the people
II of Cuba had turned on their oppressors, the
y Executive left Washington, leaving, at the
m same time, our interests in the Gulf uncared
of for. Why did he not issue a new proclama-
y tion suited to the new eyentsy The organs
IS of Me Administration came to the rescue, de.
IL nonncing our citizens as piratical mar0uders,
ID and as enemies of the law Of nations, thus
I'd urging and melting the Spanish authorities to
,e greater atrocities. Will the Intelligencer--
will the Republic, in its official zeal--dsclosc
G. to us the evidence on which they denounce
n our murdered citizens? Will they detail tc
X us the evidence on which these men were brD
al tally executed? Will they point us to the pro
ct visions or principle of the international Law
ID which calls for such barbarity? Will they un
III dertake to answer the cogent reasoning o
Or Mr.. Webster's celebrated letter to Mr.. Fox
to No, indeed Like certain professed philar
n thropists, their humanity is expended abroad
re they have but little of the milk of huma
lr kindness for humble republicans-too muc
vn for the rotten monarchies of the Old Worlt
he Such is the fault Of diseased conservatism
IN 1t looks to the future with despair--to tn
ms present with Indifference. 1t lives in the pas
all only. Its soul is welded to the things tha
vii are behind US; and whenever a despotism fall
to to the EARTH such conservatism feels as If
ch dagger had been driven into its yitals,
1t was ia this style that Donelsen bore tel
OF timony to the agency of Fillmore in the butcl
'he cry of American citizens at Havana an
es. arragned him before the bar OF public opinion
Let us hear no more prating about Amer
fhaco NIL