Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-12-18

\ II Oeing deslfaOIe TO ASCERTAIN inc ntncS
Of the rive La Plata and its tributaries fo
navigation ly steam, tho United States
steamer "Water Witch was sent thilhel
for that purpose in 1858. This enterprise
was sue ;cssfllly carried on umtil Feb, sb5
when, whist IN the peaceful Prosecution o.
hor voyage up the Panama river, tho steam
er was tred upon by n Paragaayan forte
Inc nc hre was returned; but as the "Watcl
witch was f small force, and not design
e1 Tor offensive operations she retired from
the Conflict Tho pretext upon which thu
attack was made was decree Of the Pres
ident 81 ParnSuay OF October, 1854, pro
nlhiting foreign vesscls-of-war from naviga
ting the rivers OF the State.
AS Paraguay, however was the owner o
out ono bank OF the river Of that name, thc
other belonging to corricntes, state 0
the Argentine confederation, tho right 0
us government to expect that such a decree
would DO obeyed cannot he acknowledged
bnt tho water witch was not, properly
speaklng' vessel OF war. She was smal
Icamer engaged IN scientific enterprise
intended Tor the advantage OF commercial
states generally. Under these circumstan
-ceS' l am constrained to consider tho attack
upon ner as unJustiiiable, and as calling for
Satisfaction from The Paraguayan govern
men.
Citzens OF the United States, also, who
were established IN business in Paraguay,
nave mad Their property seized and taken
rom them, and have otherwise been treated
IN an insulting and arbitrary manner, which
requires redress.
demand for these purposes will be
made IN a tirm but conciliatory spirit. This
VIII the more probably bo granted If the
Executive shall have authority to use other
means IN the event of refusal. This is ac-
eordingly recommended.
1t 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
have rellghted the flames of civil war
Besides at this critical moment, Kansas
was lett without governor by the resigna-
ton OF tfov Geary.
On the lvlh OF February previous, the
the territorial legislature had passed a law
provlding Tor the election OF delegates on the
tniru MONDAY OF June TO convention to
meet on the hrst Monday IN September, fol
'he purpose OF framing constitution pre-
paratofy 10 admission INTO inc Union'-
L MS law was IN the nam tar and just; ana
1t Is to DC regretted that all the qualified
electors had not registered themselves and
Vo'ed unuer It's provisions
AT 'he 'l'ne LOT .ne eiectlon lor deiegates
n,l ext. nSlVe orga'ilza''on cN'stec IN the Ter
,i'ory' whose "Vo"ed opJect IL was II need
o'i " P", uo"i 'he lawful government oy
.o'e'' auu ~ es'"o'ish government o.
.ne" o"1 ~, u''1er 'iie 81 eal'eu topeka consul
,u'io". LUG persons at'acheo 70 tnis rcVo'
,u'io'i"'y .y organiz",ion ans'ained rom Ia
AinS any P"r' in tIe elcction,
tno "et ol 'iie erri'ofia, legislature nau
oin'l,eo 70 ProVlae I"r Su1'ni'ting TO inc
peolio 'ne oo"s'itu'lch ""'et' migne oe
o " ."o t1;I eIn'c'i,lo"' uiu II, 'le gA'''
.eu W S'a'o o' Puollc leellng throughout nan, :,
s'S' "' 'aPino"ou',oi eA'e''Si'eiy Pre'aiieu
'na' I" ues'en eN'S,eu % .orce upon the'h
~ .pns''eeo" M :" ,e'"'io'' " slavery ag"'hs'
t"ei' WIZ l" 'n's emergency ~ oeca"'e my
uu'y' as II was my unques.ionaole right
n''ns III VIC" 'ne un'on o' a'' goou citi
1sn' !" e"PPo'. VI ''e 'eiri'ori"i laws, &c
cSPtesS "n op."'on Oh 'he 'fue CONSTRUCTION
u 'pe P'1''''o'' eo"oe'n.ng S"'e'y con
.aheu III 'ne organic ac' Oh congress OF inc
'oIn may 9o4. :.
OohgreSs "eelareu II 10 DC the true In
'en' anu meaning oi th's act no. 70 leglSiate
slavery in'o any lerrl,ory or ota'e, nor tc
exclude 1t .rereirom' out TO leave tne peo
PIE 'nereoi pencctiy lree TO form ana regu
ia'e tneir aomesuc institutions tneir owr
way ohaer II h"nsas' when admi'te'
as a state, was 10 "he received INTO tn
oh'on Win our without slavery, as thel
constitution may prescribe at the time o
'heIr ADMISSION
pa congress mean oy TINS language tina
tho delegates elected to frame constitution
should nave authority hnally to decide thu
question OF slavery or dld they intend b,
leaving IL the people that the people
hansaS themselves Should decide tins ques
tion oy direct votof on this subject
confess never entertained serious doubt
ana therefore IN my instructions to Gov
walker OF the ZSth March last, ] merel,
sad that when "a constitution shall be sub
united 10 the people OF the territory the,
must be protected IN the exercise OF thcl
nsnl oil xoting Tor or against that instru
IN t.NV,fl