Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-12-17
MESSAGE.
FROM FIRST PAGE.

there is reason to believe she is about TO take
part in such lawless enterprises.
When il was first rendered probable that
an attempt would be made to get up another
unlawful expedition against Nicaragua, the
Secretary of State issued instructions to the
Marshals and District Attorneys which were
directed by the Secretaries of War and ,he
Navy to the appropriate army and navy Off
GERS, requiring them to be vigant, and to use
their best exertions in carrying into effect the
provisions of the act of 1918. Notwithstand-
ing these precautions, the expedition has es-
capped from our shores. Such enterprises can
do no possible good to the country, but have
already inflicted much injury both on its in
terests and its character They have prevent
ed peaceful emigration from the United States
to the States of Central America, which conld
not fail to prove highly beneficial to all the
parties concerned In a pecuniary point of
view alone, our citizens have sustained heavy
losses from the seizure and closing of the tran
sit route by the San Juan, between the two
oceans
The leader Of the recent expedition was ar
rested at New Orleans, but was discharged on
giving bail for his appearance in the INSULT
cient sum of two thousand dollars.
commend the whole subject TO the serious
attention of Congress- believing that our duty
and our interest, as we'll as our national char
acter, require that we should adopt such mea-
sures as will be effectual in restraining our
citizens from committing such outrages
regret to inform you that the President of
Paraguay has refused to ratify the treaty be-
tween the United States and that State as
amended by the Senate, the signature Of which
nd IN 49,,
sor to Congress at the opening Of its session
in December. 1853. The reasons assigned for
this refusal will appear in the correspondence
herewith submitted.
1t being desirable to ascertain the fitness of
the river La Plate and its tributaries for navi-
cation by steam, the United States steamer
Water UItch was sent thther for that pur
pose in 1858. This enterprise was successful
ly carried on until February, 1853, when,
whilst in the peaceful prosecution of her voy-
age up the Parana river, the steamer was fir
ed upon by Paraguayan fort. The FIRE was
returned but as the Water With was of
small force, and not designed for offensive ope-
rations, she retired from the conflict The
pretext upon which the attack was made was
decree of the President Of Paraguay of Oc-
tober, 1854, prohibiting foreign vessels-of-war
from navigating the rivers of that State As
Paraguay, however, was the owner of but one
bank of the river of that name, the other be-
longing to Corrientas, State of the Argea
tine Confederation, the right of its government
TO expect that such decree would be obeyed
cannot be acknowledged. But the Water
WIfeh was not, properly speaking, vessel-of
war. She was small steamer engaged in a
scientific enterprise intended for the advantage
OF commercial States generally Under these
circumstances, | am constrained to consider
the attack upon her as nnjuStfahle, and as
calling for satisfaction from the Paraguayan
government.
Citizens Of the United States, also, who
were established in business in Paraguay. have
had their property seized and taken from them
and have otherwise been treated by the au-
thorities in an insulting and arbitrary manner,
which requires redress
A demand for these purposes will be made
in firm but concilatory spirit. This will the
moro probably be granted if the Executive
shall have authority to use other means in the
event of refusal. This is accordingly recon-
mended
1t is unnecessary to state in detail the alarm
ing condition of the Territory of Kansas at the
time OF my inauguration. The opposing par
ties then stood in hostile array against each
other, and any accident might have relighted
the flames of civil war. Besides, at this crit-
cal moment, Kansas was left without Cover
nor by the resignation of Gov. GEARY
On the 10th Of February previous, the ter
ritorial legislature passed law providing for
the election Of delegates on the third Monday
OF June to convention to meet on the first
Monday of September, for the purpose of franz
ing constitution preparatory to admission in
20 the Union. This law was in the main fair
and just and it is TO be regretted that all the
qualified electors had not registered themselves
and voted under its provisions.
At the time of the election for delegates. an
extensive organization existed in the Terrific
ry, whose avowed object it was, il need be- to
put down the lawful government by force and
TO establish government of their own under
the so-called Topeka Constitution. The per-
sons attached to this revolutionary organiza-
ton abstained from taking any part in the
election
The act Of the Territorial Legislature had
omitted to provide for submitting to the peo-
pie the Constitution which might be framed by
the Convention and in the excited state of
public feeling throughout Kansas an appre-
henslon extensively prevailed that design ex-
listed to force upon them Constitution in re-
lation to Slavery against their will. In this
emergency it became my duty, as it was my
unqnestionable right, having in view the union
OF all good citizens in support of the Terrific
rial laws, to express an opinion on the true
construction ef the provisions concerning Sla-
very, contained in the organic act of Congress
OF the S0th May. 1854. Congress declared
1t to be the true intent and meaning of this
act not to legislate Slavery into any Territory
or State nor to exclnde it therefrom, but 10
leave the people thereof perfectly free to form
and regulate their domestic institutions in their
own way" Under it Kansas, "when admit
ted as State" was to be received into the