The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-12-10


limits Of the United States, 10 proceed from
lhesce against a nation o. state with whom
we are at peace. The present neutrality
act Of April 20th, ls4S, is but little more
than = collection Of pre-existing lsws.-
Under this act the President is empowered
to employ the land and naval forces and the
militia "foE the purpose Of preventing the
carrying on OF any such expedition or en-
terpfise from the territories and jurisdiciion
Of the United Staies," and the collectors OF
customs are authorized and required to dc.
tain any vessel in port when there is rea-
son to believe she is about to take part in
such lawless enterprises.
When 1t was first rendered probable that
an attempt would be made to get up anoth-
er unlawful expedition against Nicaragua,
the Secretary Of State issued instructions
to the m rshala ard district attorneys,
which were directed by the Secretaries Of
War and the Navy to the appropriate army
and navy officers, requiring them to be
vigilnnt, and to use their best exertions in
carrying into effect the provisions OF the eet
Of 1913. Notwithstanding these precautions,
the expedition has escaped from our shores.
Such enterprises can do no possible good to
the county, but have already inflicted much
injury both on its interests and its character.
They have prevented peaceful emigration
from the United States to the States Of
Centrnl America, which could not fail to
prove highly beneficial to all parties con.
cerned. In q pecuniary point Of view alone,
our citizens have sustained heavy losses
from the seizure and closing OF the transit
route by The San Juan between tie two
oceans. "'
The feeder Of the recent expedition was
arrested at New Orleans, but was dscharg-
ed on giving bail for his appearance in the
insufficient sum Of two thousand dollars.
| commend the whole subject to me seti.
GUS attention of Congress, believing that
our duty and our interest, as well as oGr
national character, require that we should
adopt such measures as will be effectual in
restraining our citizens from committing such
outrages.
/ regret to inform you that the Presi.
dent Of Paraguay has refused to ratify the
treaty between the United 'Stdtes and thdt
State as amended by the Senate, the sig
niture OF which was mentioned In the mes.
sage Of my predecessor to Congress at the
opening Of its session, in December, 1853,
The reasons assigned for this refusal will
appear it the correspondence herewith SUBJ
nilted. -r .+
1t being desirable to sscertain the fitness
of the river La Plata and its tributaries for
navigation by steam, the United States
steamer "Water Witch" was sent thither
for tnat purpose in 1858. This enterprise
was successfully carried on until February,
1866, when, whilst in the peaceful prosecu
tion Of her voyage up the Panama river, the
steamer was fired upon by Par lguayan
fort. The fire was returned; but as the
"Water Witch" was of small force, ardnot
designed for offensive operations, she retired
from the conflict. The pretext upon which
The attack WIS made was q decree Of the
President of Paraguay, of October, 1854,
prohibiting foreign vessels of war from navi-
gdting the rivers OF the State.
AsParaguay, however, was the owner Of
-but one bank of'the river of that name, the
other belonging to Correntes, a state of the
Argentine Confederation, the right of its
government to expect that such o decree
would be obeyed cannot be acknowledged
But the Water Witch was not, properly
speaking,a vessel of war. She was small
steamer, engaged in a scientific ENTERPRISE,
ihtended for ihe advancement of commercial
states generally. Under these circumstances
| am constrained to consider the attack upon
her as'unjHstiha lie, anti rs ca Iliug for salts.
faction from the 'Paraauayan government.
Citizens Of The United States, also, who
were established in business in Paraguay,
have had their property seized and akril
from them. aud have otherwise been treated
in an insulting and arbitrary manner, which
demands redress.
demand for these purposes willbe made
in finn but conciiato~y spirit. This vi /
the more probably be granted if the Ex4cu.
tive have authority to use other means ~ the
event Of a refusal. This is accoGdiD. " re.
commended.
1t il unnecessary to stat in detuil the al.
arming condition of the Territory of Kansas
at the time of my inauguration. The oppos.
ing parties then stood in hostile array
dgdinst each other, and any accident might
have reighted the flames of civil war. Be.
sides, at this critical moment, Kansas was
eft without governor by the resignation Of
Gov. 'Gcary.
On the 10th Of February previous, the ter.
ritorial legislature had passed law providing
for the election of delegates ON the third
Monday Of June 10 convention to meet on
the first Monday Of September for the pur-
pose of ffratniug a'cohstitutioh preparatory to
admission into the Onion. This law was in
the main fair and just; and it is to be regret.
ted that all the qualified electors had not
registered themselves and voted under it's,
provisions.
AT the time for the election for delegates,
organization existed in the Ter
ritory, 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 persons attached to this revolutionary
organization abstaiRed from taking any part
in the election.
The act of the territorial Legislature had
oihmittea TO provide for submitting to the
people the constitution which might be
framed by the convention, andrin the excited;
state of public feleing throughout Kansas,
an apprehension extensively prevailed that
a design existed to force upon them con-
stituti9n in relation to slavery against their
will. In this emergency it became my duty
as 1t was my unquestionable right, having
in view the union of all good citizens in sup.
port Of the territorial laws, TO express an
opinion on the true construction Of the pro.
visions concerning slavery contained in the
oaganlc act of Congress Of May 80, 1864.
Congress declared it to be the true intent
and meaning Of this act not to legislate 81 Ia
very into any Territory or State, nor to ex.
clude it therefrom, but to leave the people
thereof free to form and repulafe their do