The Sierra citizen., 1854-02-25
More about the Fillibusters.
PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT.

PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT.
President Pierce has issued the follow
ing proclamation which will be interesting
to those entertaining fillibustcring inten-
tions, and from which we infer that there
is likelihood of collision occurring be-
tween the army and navy of Presidents
Pierce and Walker:
Whereas, Information has been re-
ceived by me that an unlawful expedition
has been fitted out in the State of Califor-
MIA with a view to invade Mexico, a nation
maintaining friendly relations with the
United States, and that other expeditions
are organizing within the United States
for the same unlawful purpose; and uherens,
certain citizens and inhabitants of this
country, unmindful Of their OF legations
and duties and of the rights of friendly
power, have participated and are about to
participate in these enterprises, so deroga-
tory to our national character and so
threatening to our tranquility, and are
thereby incurring the severe penalties I'M
posed by law against such offenders;
"Nou, therefore, /, Franklin Pierce Pre-
sident Of the United States, have issued
this my proclamation, warning all persons
who shall connect themselves with any
such enterprise or expedition, that the
penalties of the law denounced against
such criminal conduct will be rigidly en-
forced; and eXhort all good citizens, as
they regard our national character, as
they respect our laws and the law of
nations, as they value the blessings of peace
and the welfare of their country, to dis
countenance and by all lawful means pre-
vent such criminal enterprises; and | call
upon the officers of this Government, civil
and military, to use any efforts that may
be in their power to arrest for trial and
punishment any such offender.
+" Given under my hand and the seal of the
United States, at Washington, this
eighteenth day of January, 1854, and
the 18th of the independence of the
United States.
FRANK PIERCE.
/" BY the President:
"W. L. MARCY, Secretary of State. :"
SENATOR GwIN recently laid before the
Senate the Importance of providing suffi-
cient naval force On the Pacific before
issuing proclamations for the arrest Of FL
libustering expeditions.
He warned the country that unless the
Government was efficiently exercised, they
could not expect the citizens of California
to stand still when they were invited into
those magnificent countries, and when they
could get them, with the will of the inhabi-
tants, by taking them. The proclamation
was too late. He was anxious to observe
the neutrality laws
Whereupon the venerable Senator was
soundly berated by Mr.. Petit, of Ind, for
having such constituency Of outlaws.
Hear him:
"Mr Petit remarked that the Senator
said, in effect, that if you will surround
his country with bolts and bars, with war
steamers, with soldiers with arms in their
hands, they will cease stealing and maraud-
ing; that they will be honest, forsooth, if
compelled to be honest. Who would not
be honest under such circumstances The
Senator says there are inviting fields of
gold, rich mineral wealth, and broad acres
that are desirable to the eye; and that his
constituents, intelligent and worthy, and
peaceable as they are, cannot restrain their
own greedy, grasping appetites, to appro-
pirate that which belongs to their neigh
bors, unless they are surrounded with
wall. Such were constituents that no man
ought to be proud of. He regretted to
hear in the Senate of the United States
that any portion of its citiz MS must be con-
strained in body, in order to keep them
in the bounds of duty as citizens of this
republic towards other nations. In all
communities there were law breakers, but
he never before supposed that the charac-
ter pertained to whole communities and to
localities. 1t was in effect saying that the
rights of neighborhood could not be maill-
tained.'
W