The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-12-16

adopt such measures as will be effectual
in restraining our citizens from commit
ting such outrages.
| regret to inform you that the Presi
dent of Paraguay has refused to ratify
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,
1858. The reasons assigned for this refu-
sal will appear in the correspondence here
with submitted.
1t being desirable to ascertain the TT
ness of the river La Platte and its tributa-
ries for navigation by steam, the United
States steamer Water Witch was sent
thither for that purpose in 1858. This
enterprise was successfully carried on un-
til February, 1855, wbenb whilst in the
peaceful prosecution of her voyage up the
Parana river, the steamer was fred upon
by a Paraguayan fort. The fire was re-
turned but as the Water Witch was of
small force, and not desinged for offensive
operations, she retired from the coUfict.
The pretext upon which the attack was
made was a deer o of the President of Par.
aguay of October, 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 by
that name, the other belonging to Corri-
entas, a State of the Argeneine Confedrr-
alton, the right of its government to ex-
poet that such a decree would be obeyed
cannot be acknowledged. But the Water
Witch was not, properly speaking, a YES
sci She was a small steamer en-
gageds1n7 a scientific enterprise intended
for the advantage of commercial States
generally. Under these circumstances, 1
am constrained to consider the attack
upon her as unjustifable, and is calling
for satisfaction from the Parnguayan gov
ernmant..
Citizens of the United States who are
established in business in Paraguay have
had their property seized aud taken from
them, aud lave otherwise been treated by
the authorities in an insulting and arbi-
tary manner, which requires that a de-
mand for redress be made in a firm but
conciliatory spirit. This will the more
probably be granted if 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
Kansas at the time ofmy Inauguration. =
The opposing parties then stood in hos
tile array against each other, aud any ac-
cident might have re;lighted the flames of
civil war. Besides, at this critical mo.
ment, Kansas was left without a Governor
by the resignation of Gov, Geary.
On the 10Th Of February previous, the
territorial legislature passed a law provi-
ding for the election of delegates on the
third Monday of June, to a convention
to meet on the first Monday of Ssptem-
Der, for the purpose of framing a Copsti-
tuition preparatory to admission into the
Union. This law was in the main fair
and just; and it is to be regretted that
all the qualified electors had not register
ed themselves and voted under its pro-
visions.
At the time of the election for delegates,
an extensive organization existed in the
Territory, whose avowed object it was, if
need be, to put down the lawful govern
ment by force, and to establish a govern
msnt of their own, undet the sc.,alled To
peka Constitution. The persons attached
to this neutrality-suspicious. abstain
ed from taking any part in the election.
The act of the Territorial Legislature
had omit ed to provide for submitting to
the people the Constitution which might
be framed by the Convention and in the
excited state of public feeling throughout
Kansas an apprehension extensively pre-
vailed that a design existed to force upon
them a Constitution in relation to Slavery
against their will. In this emergency it
became my duty, as it was my unques-
tionable right, having in view the union
of all good citizens in support of the Ter
%ritorial laws, to express an opinion on the
true construction of the provisions con
corning Slavery contained in the organic
act of Congress of the 30th May, 1854
Congress declared it to be ''the true in
tent and meaning of this act not to legis-
late Slavery into any Territory or State,
nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave
the people thereof perfectly free to form
aud regulate their domestic institutions
in their own way" Under it Kansas,
"when admitted as a State" was to "be
received into the Union with or without
Slavery, as the Constitution may prescribe
at the time Of their admission"
Did Congress mean by this language
that the delegates elected to frame a Con-
~stitution should have authority finally to
decide the question of Slavery, or did they
intend, by leaving it to the people, that
the people of Kansas themselves should
decide this question by a direct vote p
On this subject, 1 confess, l had never en-
tertained a %serions Goubt, and, therefore,
in my instructions to Governor Walker of
the 2Sth March last, I merely said that
when ga Constitution shall be submitted
to the people of the Territory, they must
be protected in the exercise of their right
of voting for or against that instrument,
and the fair expression of the popular will
must not be interrupted by fraud or VIC:
In expressing this opinion it was far
from my intention to interfere with the de
Oision of the people of Kansas, either for
or against Slavery. From this ] have al
ways carefully abstained. Entrusted with
the duty of taking "care that the laws be
faithfully executed" my only desire was
that the people of Kansas should furnish
to Congress the evidence required by the
act, whether for or against Sla-
opd ~ khsa ,roprar s,,ootb a., "A.