Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-12-19
Weak and feeble States ike those of

W SstA cAo t[A1AS llAO ~ "a
Central America, may not feel themselves
able to assert and vindicate their rights
The case would be far different if expedi
tons were set on foot within our own ter
%ritorss4s to make private war against a pow
arm, nation. Il such expeditions were fit
ted ont from abroaa ssssainst any portion
Of our own country, to burn down our cit
les, murder and plumber Il people. and
tslrp our government, we should call any
W on earth to the s~trictest account for
not preventing such enormities.
Ever since the administration of General
Washington, acts Of Congress have been
in force to punish severely the crime OF set
ting oh foot a military expedition within
the limits Of the United States, to proceed
from thence against a nation or state with
whom We are at peace. The present neu-
trality act OF April Goth, 1918, is but little
more than a collection Of %pre-exisling laws.
Under this act the President is empowered
10 employ the land and naval forces and
the militia sfol the purpose of preventing
the carving on of any such expedition or
enterprise from the territories and jnrlsdlc-
ton of the United States" and the collect
ors of customs are authorized and required
to detain any vessel in port when there Is
reason to believe she is about to take part
IN such lawless enterprise.
When it was first rendered probable
that an attempt would be made TO get up
another unlawful expedition against Niear-
aqua, the Secretary of State issued instruc.
tons to the marshals and district attorneys,
which were directed by the Secretaries of
War and the Navy to the appropriate ar
any and navy officers, requiring them to be
vigiiant and to use their best exertions in
CARRYING into effect the act Of 1918. Not
withstanding these precautions, the expe-
eition has escaped from our shores. Such
enterprises can do 10 possible good TO the
country, but have already inflicted much
injury, both on its interests and It's char
acter.
They have prevented peaceful emigra-
ton from the United States to the States
Of Central America which cannot fail to
prove highly beneficial to all p arties con
cefned. In a pecuniary point of view a
lone, our citizens must have sustained
heavy losses from the seizure and closing
of the transit route by the San Juan be-
tween the two oceans.
The leader of the recent expedition
was arrested at New Orleans. but was dis
charged ID giving bail for bis appearance
in the insufficient sum OF two thousand
dollars.
/ commend the whole subject to the Sc
rious attention Of Congress, believing that
our duty aud our interest, as well as oul
national character, requires that we should
adopt such measures as will be ethfectual in
restraining our citizens from committing
such outrages.
PARAGUAY.
regret to inform you that the presi
dent of Paraguay has refused to ratiffy the
treaty between the United States and
that State, as amended by the Senate, the
signature of which was mentioned in the
message Of my predecessor to Congress at
the opening Of its session in December,
1853. The reasons assigned for this re-
tfisal appear in the correspondence herewith
submitted.
II being desirable to ascertain the fitness
OF the river La Plata and its tributaries for
navigation by steam, the United States
teamer Water Witch was sent thither fol
that purpose in 1853. This enterprise
was successfully carried on until February,
1855, when. whilst in the peaceful prose
cution of her voyage up the Panama river,
the steamer was fired upon by a Para
gnayan fort. The fire was returned: but
as the Water Wich was of small force, aud
not designed for offensive operations. The
pratext upon which the attack was made
was q decree of the President Of Paraguay.
Of October, 1854, prohibiting foreign YES.
sells Of war from navigating the rivers Of
that State.
As Paraguay, however, was the owner
Of one bank Of the river of that name, the
osher belonging to Corrientes, q state o
the Argentine Confederation, the right o
Its government to expect that such a decret
would be obeyed cannot be acknowledged.
But the Water Witch was not, properly
speaking, a vessel of war. She was Z
small teaner engaged in a scientific en-.
terprise, intended for the advantage O
commercial states generally. Under these
circumstances, | am constrained to consider
the attack upon her as unjustifiable, and as
calling for satisfaction from the Paraguayar
government. Citizens Of the United
States, also, who were established in bu-
siness IN Paraguay, have had their proper
ty seized and taken from them, and have
otherwise been treated by the authorities in
an insulting and arbitrary manner, which
requires redress.
A demand for these purposes will be
made IN a firm, but conciliatory spirit
This will the more probably be granted il
the Executive shall have authority to use
other means in the event Of a refusal
This is accordingly recommended.
It is unnecessary to state in detail the
alarming condition of The Territory Of Kan.
sas at the time of my Inauguration. The
opposing parties then stood in hostile array
against each other and any accident might
hove paE6+hfaJ tha hamas of OWL X