The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-26
NO. 800.
-us sosoRA EXPEDITIONS PROC
LAMATION.

To
LAMATI0N.
Exclamation from the President appeared
:. the Union yesterday, denouncing the law
,,s.ness of the late attempts made upon Sonora
- American citizens, and announcing his pur-
10, 10 enforce the laws for their suppression.
Tbs i ike ringing the alarm-bell after the fire
has been put out Captain Walker made his
descent upon province of Mexico, some time
o,ee Recruiting stations were opened in San
r-aneisco. Large parties of armed men, des-
,;osd to aid him, marched openly through the
s.,aats Two or three expeditions sailed from
,bs port. The sham Republic was set up, put
d,1n and the buccaneers put to flight. A
,r.sk AGO. the newspapers contained full par
.;.o,ars Of all these things. Aud now, at this
a., dste for the first time we have Presiden-
,;oI Proclamation against the freebocters. Was
tbo Presiden. ignorant of the movements IN
C.liforaia! Arc the United States marshais
and attorneys and collectors on the PACING all
as,eep9 Could they not see what was gong on
u,ae- their eyes! Did they withhold informa-
49, r-o,, tho Executives In similar cases,
heretofore. the Government has had full knowi-
40 of s,ch unlawful proceedings, before the
pnor,e generally have been apprized OF them;
bu. IN this case our President seems 70 nave
been kept in the dark for month after the
occurrences, and week after the fuii disclo-
sure Of them
In the Senate yesterday, q resolution was
offered By Dir. Gwin, calling upon the Presi-
doOt for information concerning the amount OF
the naval force in the Pacific; AID, IN the
course of some remarks upon it, he expressed
tbeoninion that the Proclamation came too late
The Senator. however, in his desire to manifest
his fidelity as a representative of California,
not without an eye, we presume, TO the chances
&c a., ra-eIectjon. rather oyershot 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
ad,enturers SO aDounded there, that it was i'm
no-s;ble to restrain these lawless expeditions
without the presence and active interposition
Of a stssng naval force.
MIR. Petit. Of Indiana, brother Democrat,
who has keen scent for q blunder, whether
in friend or foe, thought the defence set up by
the Senator fer bis 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 COM
mel 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-
sirable to the eye, there. Where are such not
TO be found! And he says that his constitu-
cnts, intelligent, and worthy, and peaceable as
they are, or as he would make US believe they
are cannot restrain their own greedy, graspn G
appetites to appropriate that which belongs to
their Eeighbors, unless You surround them with
wall They are constituents that no man
ought to be proud of however proud he may
Z be-
Mr. Petit, we presume, was under some ap-
prehension that the remarks of Mr.. Gwin
would not promote his reelection.
Bot the truth is, this buccaneering spirit is
not confined TO California. There are adven-
turers, manifest destiny" men, all over the
United Stltes and it is the special duty of
the Federal Govern ment not of the individual
States 10 restrain them from the violation of
our Neutrality Laws, and from ortrages upon
the rights of other nations. Perhaps it was
the Presidents reliance upon the moral senti
meni of the People, that delayed any action
on his part, till such ou.rages had been COM
mitted and promptly punished by the Next
can authorities. For the honor of the Repub-
lie, VIC hope he will be more vigilant and
prompt hereafter.
The proclamation of the President will be
found in another column.