Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-20
WASHINGTON, d. c.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1854.
THE SONORA EXPEDITIONS -PREsIDENTs PROC
LAMATION

proclamation from the President appeared
in the Union yesterday, denouncing the law
lessness Of the late attempts made upon Sonora
by American citizens and announcing his pur-
pose to enforce the laws for their suppression
This is like ringing the alarm-bell after the fire
has been put out. Captain Walker made his
descent upon a province Of Mexico, some time
since. Recruiting stations were opened in San
Francisco. Large parties Of armed men, des-
tined to aid him, marched openly through the
streets Two or three expeditions sailed from
the port The sham Republic was set up, put
down, and the buccaneers put to fight A
week ago, the newspapers contained full par
| ticulars Of all these things. And now, at this
late dato, for the first time we have a Presiden-
tial Proclamation against the freebooters. Was
the President Ignorant of the movements in
California Are the United States marshals
and attorneys and collectors on the Pacific all
asleep? Could they not see what was going on
under their eyesa Did they withhold informa-
ton from the Executive? In similar cases,
heretofore, the Government has had full knowl-
edge Of such unlawful proceedings, before the
People generally have been apprized Of them;
but in this case our President seems to have
been kept in the dark for month after the
occurrences, and week after the full disclo-
sure of them
In the Senate yesterday, resolution was
offered by Mr.. Gwin, calling upon the Presi.
dent for information concerning the amount of
the naval force in the Pacific; and, in the
course of some remarks upon it, he expressed
the opinion that the Proclamation came too late.
The Senator, however, in his desire to manifest
his fidelity as representative Of California,
not without an eye, we presume, to the chances
Of reelection, rather overshot the mark. He
seemed to think that the lands Of the Mexicans
were 50 goodly and tempting, the administra-
ton of law in California SO lax, and that daring
adventurers so abounded there, that it was i'm
possible to restrain these lawless expeditions
without the presence and active interposition
of strong naval force.
Mr.. Petit, of Indiana, brother Democrat,
who has keen scent for blunder, whether
in friend or foe thought the defence set up by
the Senator for his constituents quite unique:
.He, in effect, says that if you will surround
his constituents with bolts and bars, with war
steamers, with soldiers with arms in their hands,
they will cease stealing and marauding that
they will be honest, forsooth, if you will CON-
pei them to be honest Who would not be
honest under such circumstances Why, sir,
he says there are inviting fields Of gold, rich
mineral wealth, and broad acres that are de-
I u A. - 49, -
10 be found? And he says that his constitu-
ents intelligent and worthy, and peaceable rs
they are, or rs be would make us believe they
are, cannot restrain their own greedy, grasping
appetites to appropriate that which belongs to
their neghbors unless you surround them with
q wall They are constituents that no man
ought to be proud Of, however proud he may
bep
Mr.. Petit, we presume, was under some ap.
prehension that the remarks Of Mr.. Gwin
would not promote his reelection.
But the truth is, this buccaneering spirit is
not confined to California. There are adyen-
turers, manifest destiny = men, all over the
United States; and il is the special duty Of
the Federal Government not Of the individual
States to restrain them from the violation Of
our Neutrality Laws, and from outrages upon
the rights Of other nations. Perhaps il was
the Presidents reliance upon the moral senti.
ment of the People, that delayed any action
on his part, till such outrages had been COM
mitted and promptly punished by tho Mexi-
can authorities. For the honor Of the Repub-
lie, we hope he will be more vigilant and
prompt hereafter.
The proclamation Of the President will be
found in another column