FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

› TRANSMITTING

A report in reference to the Lopez Expedition.

JANUARY 6, 1852,

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and ordered to be printed.

To the House of Representatives :

WASHINGTON, January 5, 1852.

I transmit to the House of Representatives a report of the Secretary of State, relative to the persons belonging to the expedition of Lopez who were taken prisoners in Cuba, and afterwards sent to Spain, and who have now been pardoned and released by her Catholic Majesty. The appropriation, the expediency of which is suggested in the report, I cordially commend to the consideration of Congress, with the single additional suggestion, that to be available it should be promptly made.

MILLARD FILLMORE.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, January 5, 1852.

The Secretary of State has the honor to lay before the President a copy of a despatch of the 12th ultimo, addresed to this Department by Mr. Barringer, the Minister of the United States at Madrid, announcing the pardon and release, by her Catholic Majesty, of the prisoners taken in Cuba in the expedition of Lopez, and afterwards sent to Spain, together with copies of several accompanying papers.

The Secretary of State suggests to the President the propriety of recommending to Congress the expediency of making an appropriation for the purpose of defraying the expenses which may have been or may be incurred in administering to the necessities of these persons while in Spain, and until their return to the United States. Their condition is forlorn and deplorable, and such as calls for immediate relief.

Respectfully submitted,

To the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

DANIEL WEBSTER.

Hamilton, print.

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[No. 70.]

Mr. Barringer to the Secretary of State.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Madrid, December 12, 1851.

SIR: I have the greatest satisfaction in communicating to you the information, that by an act of royal clemency, her Majesty, the Queen, has been pleased to pardon all the American prisoners, whether in Spain or remaining. in Cuba, who were engaged in the late expedition against that island. The royal decree for that purpose appears, with other matters connected therewith, in the official Gazette of yesterday, a copy of which is herewith enclosed. On the day previous, his Excellency, the Marquis of Miraflores, minister of foreign affairs, addressed me a note desiring an interview at his office the same day. On meeting him, his Excellency remarked that the Queen, his sovereign, had been pleased to direct him to say to me, that she had heard with the highest appreciation and the most favorable dispositions, the various appeals to her clemency, which I had made in behalf of these unfortunate prisoners-that heretofore difficulties which I well understood, had been in the way of the exercise of her benevolent desires-that these obstacles, arising from the outrages at New Orleans, being now happily adjusted, as he believed, honorably and satisfactorily to both governments, her Majesty was happy to inform me that all the prisoners who were citizens: of the United States, naturalized or native, would be set at liberty and allowed to return to their own country.

After due expression of gratitude for this act of royal grace, and mutual congratulations on the happy termination of these painful negotiations, and with mutual wishes that friendship and peace may always continue between both nations, this agreeable conference ended.

On the following day his Excellency addressed me a note on this subject, of which I transmit, herewith, a copy; also a copy of my reply to the

same.

I have the honor also to transmit, herewith, copies of the consular correspondence in reference to these prisoners, which has taken place since the date of my last despatch. It will be seen that many of the prisoners are in the most destitute condition. The instructions which I have been able to give in this connexion, in the absence of direct authority from the Department of State, have necessarily been of a limited character, and based on the course adopted by me and approved by the Government under similar circumstances, during the last year. I am in daily expectation of instructions on the subject from the Department of State. It will be seen that the prisoners are still at Vigo. They may, probably, be sent to Cadiz, as the most convenient port from whence they may return to the United States.You will observe that your note to the Spanish minister, of the 13th November, which was shown to me in the foreign office, in our interview above referred to, is published entire in the official Gazette, and that the sentiments therein expressed and the terms of adjustment therein suggested, are fully approved as satisfactory and honorable alike to both nations.. I have no doubt a large majority of the people of this kingdom will likewise approve the arrangement thus amicably made. The leading opposition paper of this city, "El Heraldo," in an article of this morning, however, decidedly condemns the settlement as unequal, unfair and dishonorable to Spain. I beg to suggest that it would have a happy effect if the recommendation to be made by the President to Congress, in favor of the Spanish consul at New