Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1857-12-18

our cities, murder and plumber our people, aud
usurp ouI government, we should call any
power on earth to the stretest account for not
preventing such enorinities.
Ever since the administration Of General
Washington, acts Of Congress have been ia force
% puaish severely the cinse OF setting on iooi
military expedition within the limits OF the
United States, TO proceed from thence against
nation or State with whom We are at peace.
The present neutrality act of Aprli 10Th, 1918,
is but little more than collection OF pre-ex-
istibg laws. Under this act the President Is
empowered 10 employ the land aud naval forces
ana the militia sfor the purpose of preventing
the carrying GU of any such expedition or eater
prise from The territories and jurisdiction of the
Uuited States" and the collectors of customs
are Authorized andrequired to detain any vessel
in port when there is reason to believe she Is
about to take part III such lawless enterprises.
When it vas first rendered probable that an
attempt would be made to get up another un-
Lawful expedition against Nicaragua, the
Secretary OF State issued instructions to the
narshals and district attorneys, which were
directed by the Secretaries of War and the
Navy to the appropriate army and navy officers,
recurring them to be vigilaut, aud to use their
best cxertions iu carrying into effect the pro-
visions of the act of 1918. Notwithstanding
these precautions, the expedition has escaped
from our shores Such entel prises can do no
possible good to the country, 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
r, ,N. nrhs fail IN
prove highly beneficial to al the parties con-
cerned. In pecuniary point of view alone,
our citizens have sustained heavy losses from
the seizure and closing of tue transit route BY
the San Juan between the two oceans.
The leader of the recent expedition was ar
resied at New Orleans, but was discharged on
giving bail for his appearance in the insufficient
sum of two thousand dollars.
l commend the whole subject to the serious
attention of Congress, believing that onr duty
and our interest, as we'll as our national char
acter, require that we should sdopt such
measures as will be effectual in restraining our
citizens from committing such outrages.
regret to inform you tsat the President OF
Paraguay has refused to ratify the treaty be-
tween the United States and that State as
amended by the Senate, tue signature Of which
was mentioned in the message Of my predeees-
sor to Congress at the opening of its session in
December, 1858. The reasons assigned for
this refusal will appear in the correspondence
herewith submitted.
1t being desirable TO ascertain the fitness OF
the river La Plata and its tributaries for
navigation by steam, the United States steamer
Water Witch was sent thither for that purpose
in 1858, This enterprise was successfully
carried OF until February, 1855, when, Wills!
in the peaceful prosecution of her voyage up
the pananae riuer the steamer was fred upon
By PaTaguayan tort. IIe nre wus reruTheQ
but as the Water Witch was of small force,
and not designed for offensive operations, she
retired from the conflict. The preteAt upon
which the attack was made was decree Of the
President OF Paraguay of October, 1854, pro-
hibitiug foreign vessels of~Sar from navigating
the rivers Of that State. As Paraguay, how
ever, was the owner of but one bank Of the
river of that name, the other belonging 20
Corrieutes, State of the Argentine Confed-
Grafton, the right of its government to expect
that such a decree would be obeyed cannot be
acknowledged But the Water Witch was not,
properly speaking, yessel-of- war. She was
small steamer engaged in a scientific enter
Prise intended for the advantage Of commercial
States generally. Under these circumstances,
am constrained to consider the attack upon
her as unjustifable, and as calling for satistac-
tion from the Paraguayan government.
Citzens of the United States, also, who we're
established in business in Paraguay, have had
their property seized and taken from them, and
have otherwise been treated hy the authorities
in an Insulting and arbitrary manner, which
requires redress.
A demand for these purposes will be made in
a firm but conciiatory spirit. This viii the
more probably be granted if the Executive shall
have authority 10 use other means in the event
of refusal. This is accordingly recommend
ed.
1t is unnecessary to state in detail the
alarming condition of the Territory of Kansas
at the time of my Inauguration. The opposing
parties then stood in hostile array against each
other, and any accident might have religated
the flames of civil war. Besides, at this critical
moment, Kansas was left without governor
by the resignation of Gov Geary.
On the l9;h of February previous, the
territorial 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 purpose OF
framing constitution preparatory to admission
into the Union. This law was in the main
fair and just; and it is to be regretted that al
the qualified electors had not registered them
selves and voted under its provisions.
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 government by force, and to
establish government Of their own under the
so-called Topeka constitution. The persons
attached to this revolutionary organization
abstainea from taking any part in the election.
The act of the territorial legislature had
omitted 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 ex-
tensively prevailed that design existed 10
force upon them a constitution in relation to
slavery against their will. In this emergency