Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-21

and the fife summoned volunteers to 20 to Texas from the
various portions Of the Atlantic coast that the Gov
ernment was censured for no. preventing such move
ments; am defending them. No, sir. But say,
when the President issues such proclamation it is the
duty Of this Government to provide means for its
forcement and TO have that kind of force the spot
which is necessary prevent the organization of such
expeditions. That is the ground which take. With
what justice and truth any Senator charge with
defending any awless acss My constituents pay taxes
to keep up army and navy, and entitled TO the
benefit of them, either for protection against foreign
enemy TO enforce neutrality laws if that be
sary As to surrounding the country with bolts aud bars
or an army or navy, ask for such thing There IS
present but point the Pacific coast where such
an expedition could be fitted out-he harbor of San
Francisco-and that, stated before single steam
ship with gun could efectualy arrest. am not
interfering at all in regard to these expeditions de-
Tending them, but that such proclamation back
ed by force will have other effect but to ritate
! the people Of that State.
| wish to call the attention Of the Senate and the
country to the fact that there is not gun mounted
the Pacific coast that there not ship OF when
these expeditions sailed within thousands Of miles Of
wish get this information before the Ameri-
people to show the necessity of having means
OF defence there against foreign enemies well as law
/ less expeditions
! Mr. BADGER. Mr. President, / agree with the hon
orable Senator from California that there ought have
been force the Pacific coast sufficient to enable the
officers of the United States to prevent the setting out OF
this lawess expedition the successful prosecution Of
which from of the ports of the United States is cal
culated to nhct deep reproach upon national cha
racter. But must be permitted to say that think the
honorable Senator from California is mistaken in attrbu
ting blame account of the omission to have such
force there either to the present or late Administration
That Senator and myself well know that the system Of
cutting down the estimates which obtained during the
last Congress and the Congress before left both the late
and the present Administration without the pecuniary
of maintaining such force there should make
the Government at all times prepared to execute its laws
and vndcae the character of the country against these
awess depedaors upon peaceabe States adjoining to us
Now, sir, it is possible nay it IS probable, that it
might have been in the power of the present Secretary
of the Navy of the late Secretary OF his lmme
date predecessor in Office have placed sufficient force
the Pacific coast and my friend from California knows
that in order do that with the existing means OF the
Government and the amount OF naval force at his COM
mand, he would have been necessarily obliged to weaken
the naval power which the interests of the country
quire should be maintained in other parts of the world
think therefore, that far any blame be laid to
the Government this subject Of the two Houses OF
Congress must assume to foot the bill
The Administration present and the Administration
past, far as l see, both blameless upon that
subject They have stated to in their estimates what
the necessities of the country require They have asked
that the necessary amount should be voted Congress
has refused. There means by which a President
Of the United States raise money but through the IN
strumenality of act of Congress. He cannot levy
" ship-money, as the Kings of England did lie cannot
make involuntary contributions under the denomination
of " benevolences He only apply what you place
at his disposal maintain the honor and enforce the laws
suaded that if the Senator from California and myself
who always resisted in the Committee on Naval Affairs
and this floor this system of caprciously and arbitra
rly striking down the appropriations could have been
successful in views this late transaction would not
have happened-which all depore and which will be
considered abroad reproach upon national char
acter as if we were disposed look with liberation, if
not with favor upon such lawless adventures upon the
dominions of peaceful Powers in our neighborhood
thought right to say thus much because think that
while speaking in just terms ofindgnaon OF such
proceeding it is right not to inact blame where the
blame does not properly lie.
The discussion was further continued by Messrs.
BRODHEAD SHIELDS MASON, DAWSON, GWlN,
and BADGER when the resolution was laid over Tor the
present.
Mr. FITZPATRICK, in pursuance of notice, introduced
bill to relnquish the reversonay interest Of the United
States to certain reservation therein mentioned and to
confirm the title Of Charles c. Gunter thereto which was
referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims
Mr.. SHIELDS. Mr.. President. will not protrac this
debate, for what has been said by my honorable friend
from Indiana, (Mr. PETITE and my distinguished friend
from North Carolina, (r. BADGER makes 1t unnecessa-
ry for say word Sir, regretted to see the Sen
ator from California rise in his place and charge the Pre-
sident Of the United States with neglect of duty-or it
to that-in that he had not furnished sufficient
force to prevent these depredations.
Mr.. GWIN. Mr. President, the Senator from Illinois
is surely mistaken have not said any thing of the Sort
Mr., SHIELDS. What the honorable Senator said surely
amounts TO that.
Mr. GWIN. 1t certainly does not and did not intend
MIR. SHIELDS. He charges the Government of the
United States, as understand with blame and censure
for having naval force the Pacific coast to pre-
these unlawful expeditions and yet he is the chair
man of the Committee Naval Affairs, whose especial
duty is furnish that force and he has neglected
has been unable to furnish sufficient force to the Pres
dent to prevent these unlawful expeditions. So sir with
regard to the military force that coast that is also in
sufficient but cannot blame the President because he
has not furnished force which does not exist Our navy
is insufficient protect coast and our army is also
insufficient.
The Senator from California, if understand him, also
blames the President for issuing this proclamation Sir
think the President would be worthy of the position
that he holds if he did issue such proclamation He
nation absove the nation from the disgrace of these law
less unprncped vagabond expeditions The honorable
Senator to justify this pfu expedition OF forty
| five men, rs understand him
| Mr.. GWIN do not wish the Senator to msunder-
stand me at all did not begin pretend to justify it.
and have done from the first; but stated that
it went out because there force to arrest It.
| Mr.. SHIELDS. l glad to find that the Senator
does not justify it. glad to find that there is not
Senator this floor who will justify such an expe
dton Before the Senator charges the President of the
he should rise in his place and tell where the Pres
dent to find the vessels go there to protect that
coast.
Sir have more than contempt for such expeditions
this Walker expedition upon that poor, helpless de-
fenceless, and unsuspecting population My opinion B
that the men who could 60 there who could go down
upon the poor defenceless inhabitants of the frontier Of
Mexico and surprise them, as were, would do what
they have done when they meet with resistsncefy back
| to their vessels again.
repeat what said by the honorable Senator from
| North Carolina that such expeiitions bringing e.