The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-12-24
MESSAGE
OF THE
President OF the United States.
DECEMBER s. lsIc.
MESSAGE

reasons cenlmuutc tied 10 Congress, deem
ed i important as a measure Tor securing
u speedy peace ~iIh Mexico, that sum Of
money should be appropriated and placed
IN the power OF he Executive, similar to
that which had been made upon two for.
mer occasions, during The administration Of
President jefferson.
Ca the 26ik Feb, 1904, an appropria.
lion Of s. 000,UO was made, aud placed
al the disposal OF The President. lis OBJ
Ject is well known. Ii was al that time IN
contemplation to acquire Louisiana from
France, aud II was intended to he applied
as part Of The consideration which might
be paid for that territory. On The 18th Of
Feb, le06, the same sum was in like man
ner appropriated, with view to the pur-
chase Of the Flo'iIas from Spain. These
appropriations were made 10 facilitate ne
gotIaiions, and as a means to enable The
President 10 accomplish The important Oh
jects in view. Though /, did not become
necessary for the Pgesdeat 10 use these
appropriations, vet state Of things might
have arisen in which /, would have been
highly important for him to 10 50, and the
wisdom Of making them caunu, be doubt.
ed. Its believed that the measure recon.
mended at your last session met wilh The
appreciation of decided majoriiies IN both
houses Of Congress. Indeed, IN different
forms, a bill making an appropriation OF
S2,000,0 900 passed each House, and II is
much to be regretted that II did not be.
come a law. The reasons which induced
me to recommend the measure at that time
si,ll exist; and again submit The subject
for your consideration, and sl'ggest The i'm.
portance Of early action upon il. Should
the appropriation be made, and be not need.
ed, il will remain in the easury should
1t be deemed proper to apply it in whole
or in part, It will be accounted for as 9th.
er public expenditures,
Immediately after Congress had recog.
nised The existence Of The war with MeXI.
CO, my attention was directed TO the dan
ger that privateers might BE fitted out IN
the ports Of Cuba and Porto Rico to prey
upon the commerce Of the L. States and
| invited the special attention Of the Span.
ist government 10 tie 4th article OF our
treaty with that Power OF The 2C,h Of DC.
tober, 1895, under which the citizens and
subjects of either nation who shall take
commissions or letters Of mafqle 70 act as
priYateers against HE other shall be pun.
lshed as pirates.
Il aff1rd5 me pleasure % inform you
that | have received assurances from the
Spanish government hat this article Of
the treaty shall be flubiully observed on
its part. Orders for this purpose we're i'm.
medIately transmitted from that govern.
meni 10 the authorities of CUBA aud Porto
Rico 10 exert their ulm0s. vigilance 10 pre-.
venting any attempts 10 iit out prlyaleers
IN those islands against the United States.
From the good faith 81 Spain | am fully
satisfied that thIs treaty vii be executed
10 It's spirit as we.l as its letter whilst the
L. States viii, on their part, faithfully per.
form all the Obligations which it imposes
on them.
Information has been recently received
at the Department. Of State that tie Mex,
lean goyernnen, has sent t. Havana blank
commissions to prlya'eers, aad blank Ger.
tlhcates Of naturalization, signed BY Gen.
Salas, the pre~eH: head Of The Mexican
government. There Is, also, reason to
upprehend that similar documents have
been transmitted % other parts Of the
world. Copies Of these papers, in trans
latlon, are herewith transmitted
As The preiminarics required by the
practice OF civilized nations tor commits.
sioning Prirateers and regulating their con.
duct appear not 10 have been observed
and as these commissions are in blank, to
be filed up with the names OF citizens and
subjects Of all nations who may be willing
10 purchase them, the whole proceeding
can only be construed as an invitation 10
oil the freebooters upon earth, who are
willing TO pay for The privilege, 70 cruise
against American commerce. 1t will be
for our courts Of justice to decide whether,
under such circumstances, these Nexcan
letters Of marqae and reprisal shall pro.
iect those who accept them, and COMM,
robberles upon the high scas under tneir
authority, from the pans and penalties Of
piracy.
AZ the certificates OF naturalization thus
granted be intended BY Mexlcu to shield
Spanish subjects from the guilt aud pun.
ishment Of pirates, under our treaty with
Spain, they vii! certainly prove unaya..
ing. Such a subieffoge would be but a
weak device to defca! he provisions Of
solemn treaty.
/ recommend that Congress should i'm.
medlately provide by law Tor the Trial and
punishment as pirates Of Spanish subjects
who, escaping the vigilance OF their gov.
ernmeni, shall be found guilty. If priyateef.
ing against the l. States. do no, an.
prehend serious danger from these prlya.
teers. Our navy viii be constantly On the
alert to protect our Commerce, Besides.
IN case prizes should be made Of Amer.
can vessels, the utmost slg llGce will be
exerted by our blockading squadron to
prevent the captors from taking them into
Mexican ports, and it is not unprecedented
that any nation wil violate ils neutrality
by suffering such prizes to be condemned
No. gf- u.