Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-18
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
THE BLACK WARRIOR AFFAIR.

Mr. GIDDINGS moved to reconsider the vote by which
the message Of the President of the United States in rea
ton the seizure Of the Black Warrior at Havana
mitted yesterday referred to the Committee For
eign Affairs
Mr. G. said that on hearing the message read he had
hoped that political friend of the Administration
or leading gentleman among those who had opposed
the election of the present Executive would have called
the attention of the House and country to its exaord
nary character; but this had not been done he was
constrained himself to undertake that unpleasant duty
He narrated the circumstances of the seizure of the
Black Warrior, declaring they were few and simple.
There nothing Che said in the Spanish laws
which rendered them different from own and those Of
all commercial nations. Whenever ship entered port
of any nation she subjected herself her cargo and her
its laws and in of nfracton made
herself liable to seizure, fine, and cenfscation.
He called attention the fact that this case in all its
bearings precisely similar to the recent execution
of laws upon of the British steamers which
had violated them He could nothing extraordinary
in this seizure of the Black WARRIOR nothing to distn-
guish this from the ten thousand which had
heretofore occurred in the ports of the civilized nations Of
the globe.
This was the first instance in the history of Executive
communications, where President had travelled out Of
the record, and undertaken to force his opinions and
dictations upon this representative body.
The President in his message, says that :" there have
been the Of few past other instances
of aggression upon commerce. violations of the rights
of American citizens, and insults to the national flag by
the Spanish authorities in Cuba When and where, he
would ask had the American flag been insuted by Span
and on what occasion? When did this Government act
unworthy the American people to pocket insults
from the weak diapidated, and poweress Government
of Spain!
Coming from the people, he felt that they as their
representatives., authorized and commissioned to de-
termine upon their action and not to receive
from the President lectures upon their duties and
prety. He would have gentlemen feel the dignity of
their position and hurl back the lecture Of the Executive
whose energies, Notwithstanding the large majority by
which he was elected, were now paralyzed, and from
ho hid rfad -lax In
command majority of this any other representative
body of the nation He felt that this encroachment of
the Executive upon their dignity and rights should be
met promptly and rebuked. Other gentlemen ght set
quietly under it, but he would not
The President, in his message, continues /" The docu
ments in these volumnous, and when prepared
will be sent to Congress- Who asked the President to
send other documents Why should he intrude the
House other documents that had not been called for He
hoped he would send them for he desired to whether
the House would order them to be printed He wished
to impress the President the fact that "he is
servant, and not our master"
The President, too, spoke of the adoption Of policy
by Spain threatening the honor and security of these
States He Mr. g. need not tell the House what that
policy was; every body understood it. 1t the policy
of the emancipation of the slaves of the island Of Cuba
In what age do we live when movement made
in opposition to this proposed to release the
slaves of their shackes and set them free? This the
policy against which the House called upon to war.
Every thing which encroached the barbarsm of sla
very be crushed by the dread trial of battle This
declaration in perfect accordance with the held
by the Executive organ for year past and the entire
Southern press. This decided attempt to revolu
tonize the Government He would pronouce it such here
and every where. Nonintervention only to be ap
piled to Nebraska, while Intervention in the affairs Of
Cuba to become the watchword of the President and
that of his party He had been informed through the
public prints that resolutions were now pending in the
Legislature of Louisiana assang the President for his
supineness in not opposing civilization and emancipation
n Cuba.
Mr. PERKINS, of Louisiana explained that the Leris
ature Of that State not in session. Such
utons introduced in that body, but laid on the
table. :@ .. 49,
Mr.. GIDDINGs They were, however, introduced
| there, as understand. "* nm.
Mr.. JONES, Of Louisiana did not believe the gentle
man from Ohio had seen any such statement in the pub
lie prints, and further, that all such statements
false. ..
Mr.. GIDDINGs was happy to hearit but would tell
the gentleman he had the statement in of the
public prints .a."..
Mr. JONES rose and requested the gentleman to Weld
the floor %..".&1
Mr. GIDDINGs declined doing so, declaring that he
would not yield to gentleman who had treated him 50
discourteousy He believed, however that the gentle
man did believe him.
Mr. G. then proceeded to examine the time selected
for this attack upon Cuba, remarking that it at
period when France and England who had guaranteed her
integrity were engaged in assisting Turkey to fight the
battle of freedom He of peace but if we were
to have a warle us have fair fight.
lie hoped and trusted that the invaders of Cuba would
meet with foemen in the persons Of the emancipated
slaves Were he a Cuban and emancipado he would
welcome his invaders to an early grave.
Mr.. BAYLY of Virginia said that he would not enter
into any extended reply to the remarks made by the gen.
tlsman from Ohio. The communication Yesterday made
by the President had not yet been printed and the Com
mitee Foreign Affairs, which it was referred had
not yet had opportunity of examining all the facts
connected with this Such being the position of az
fairs it very obvious that this discussion was prema
ture. Still there some remarks which had been
made by the gentleman from Ohio which it occurred to
him ought to be noticed at once.
The gentleman could not be entirely informed as to all
the facts OF the for although he MR. knew the
gentlemans diligence occasions of this kind vet he
Mr.. B. was aware of his own, and knew that he had
not with every facility for doing So been able as vet to
inform himself thoroughly all the points suggested
The gentleman from Ohio sad the grapdraen of his
charges that the President had satisfied himself with
merely answering the call which the House made upon
him, but had volunteered message. Now, in commune
eating with the Congress of the United States there
two laws under which the President of the United States
acted. There under which he communicated in
discrimination whether he would simply do that or 20
further. But the Constitution Of the United States ex
pressly required the Presidentit further than to
authorize hmto communicate to Congress in respect
such public matters in his opinion demanded their at
| tention.'
The Constitution in his opinion required the President
10 communicate to Congress rather upon questions
with foreign affairs than upon those having
relation to our domestic concerns and for the simple
reason that the Executive Department the Government
oehg more especially placed in charge Of foreign
atons, might be supposed be better informed upon
subjects than any other branch Of the
ana was therefore especially in reference
Congress, whenever, in his judgment there occa
sion to do SO. -