Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-21

tney were operated upon Dy nigh and
nous feeL ngs am as much opposed to fbustering as
anv man this floor; but tell you, sir that il will
arise and viii continue to arise, until you skirt the
whole of Won Pacific coast with naval power sufficient
TO intercept all Of these expeditions and we not
hound TO do Il great and powerful nation like the
United States houd stand upon its honor and discharge
every obligation due to other nations We do
it, sir until both the great parties in this country concur
in giving strength TO the Executive Of the Govern
ment sufficient to carry out our treaty obligations.
Mr.. GWIN i ,aye no desire to occupy the attention
of the Senate any urther All have say in reply to
the Senator from irgnia s that II this proclamation
means any thing il that the President Of the Unit
ed States has powa to execute it. If it is not
paper proclamation e intends to use that power which
the laws and the Cons ituon have placed in his hands
for its execution. And undertake to say, without any
special authority the subject that the President has
issued orders to the and military commanders on the
Pacific to do ever, thing which the Senator from
Virginia says it would DO great outrage to authorize
Mr.. MASON. Will the Senator allow me to interrupt
him for moment Do 4 understand him to say that the
President of the United Sta te by virtue Of any power
in himself has authorized my portion of the army
navy proceed in the execu ton Of the laws at ALL
cept auxiliary to the civil power to execute the pro-
cess Of the courts ?
Mr. GWIN | understand t. he power of the President
of the United States be- sc that the laws faith
fully executed, and the treaties made with foreign Gov
ernments enforced by the laws and therefore think
that if in his opinion, any poi Mt OF the United States
there is expedition fitted out citizens OF the United
States against the territory Of mother Government, in
violation Of the treaties Of the UL ed States he has the
right to stop that expedition until is ascertaned by the
courts OF the country whether it is ega or not That
what mean to saw have no d ubt such is the power
that has been conferred the Pres ident But how can
you stop until this investigation takes place IN the courtsf
do not however want to enter upon that question now
In regard to what the Senator from Pennsylvana says
about there being necessity for pass ing the resolution
do not wish TO continue the discussion did not intend
to provoke it but when procamatit IN OF that sort -
issued against citizens my State getn Cup expeditions,
wanted to state the acknowledged fact that there was
an invitation If may say, from tht people OF the
country invaded to into such exped tons for they
have Government protection and th scitzens OF the
United States wherever they CO. afford lat protection
which those people do get from their nominal Gov
ernment. There was great temptation to enter upon
the expedition, no doubt about it.
Mr.. BADGER. / would very respectful suggest to
the Senator from California that doubt yery much whe
ther ought to adopt this resolution. ope, OF oil
events the Senate viii allow IL to remain nm til another
day. 1t seems to me- sir that the resolution SO far as
any specific information is desired which the president
may be supposed have at his command is all eady an
swered The Secretaries Of War and of the Navy IN their
annual reports communicated with the presden rs
sage have stated the disposition made of the mt y ana
naval forces Of the United States And think as to the
question Of opinion for which it is proposed to * the
President by the resolution whether the naval fo ce OF
the United States was sufficient to have prevented u act
being DONE that is which ought not proper TO
put to the President of the United States because far
am able to see, without any reasonable foundation ln
any facts known to u.s. implies that he might haver re-
vented what he nevertheless has not prevented and Ss
him the question whether he could have dol 10
better with the naval force than he actually has done.
Then, after we have got the correct information vii
be nothing but what have now. 1t to thai
the Senator from California had idea of presenting the
matter in that shape It is slightly deficient in respect
towards the President in asking him whether the force
sufficient to have enabled him to prevent the occur1
of these transactions We must take it for granted
that it not or he would have prevented them. What
is this: that if the President had anticipated this
event, and had dsposabe naval force his command
he undoubtedly would have prevented it. To imply that
he would not the inquiry to do that he might
have been reluctant negligent in doing it. is in some
degree, casting implied censure upon him for the
transaction. know the Senator does not mean to do
that and very respectfully suggest that the resolution
had better not be adopted.
Mr.. GWIN. The resolution drawn up hastily; but
had intention of casting any reflection upon the Pre-
sident Of the United States by it. simply wished to
show the Senate and the country that there was no
force be employed there to prevent the expedition
did not intend to any body. only wanted the
facts properly presented to the country willing to
let the resolution be passed and if there any thing
to be corrected in its phraseo!ogy shall not be opposed
to its being done.
Sothe resolution was passed over