New Orleans daily crescent., 1857-12-15

ent 10 Their Iate, ana must Always reJ0ce IN Lnelr
prosperity. Unfortunately both for them and for u.s.
our example and advice have lost much of their infu
ence in consequence of the awless expeditions which
nave been fitted out against some Of them within the
limits Of our country. Nothing is better calculated
to retard our steady material progress or impair
character nation than the liberation OF such en-
terprises in violation Of the law Of nations. Is
It is.one OF the first and highest duties Of any in
dependent State In its relations with the members OF
the great family of nations, to restrain its people
from acts of hostile aggression against their citizens
or subjects. The most eminent writers on public law
do not hesitate to denounce such hostile acts as rob-
berry and murder.
Weak and feeble States like those of Central
America, may not feel themselves able to assert aud
vindicate their rights. The case would be far differ.
ent il expeditions were set on foot within our own
territories to make private war against powerful
nation. If such expeditions were fitted out from
abroad against any portion of our own country, to
burn dewn our Cities murder and plunder our people,
and usnrp our government, we should call any power
on earth to the strictest account for not preventing
Ever since the administration Of General Washing.
ton acts Of Congress have been in force to punish Sc
verely the crime Of setting on foot military expedi-
ton within the limits of the United States to proceed
from thence against nation or State with whonlswe
are at peace. The present neutrality act of April
20th lSlS is but little than collection of pre-
existing laws. Under this act the President is EN-.
powered to employ the land and naval forces and the
militia for the purpose Of preventing the carrying
on of any such expedition enterprise from the ter
riteres and jurisdiction Of the United States,n and
the collectors of customs are authorised and required
to detain any vessel in port when there is reason to
believe she is about to take part in such awless enter
prises. a
When it was first rendered probable that an attempt
wonld be made to get up another unlawful expedi-
tion against Ncaragna the Secretary of State issued
instructions to the Marshals and District Attorneys
which were directed by the Secretaries of War and
the Navy to the appropriate army and navy officers
requiring them to be vglant, and to use their best
exertons in carrying into effect the provisions OF the
act Of l8l8 Notwithstanding these precautions the
expedition has escaped from our shores Such enter.
prise can do no possible good to the country but
have already inflicted much injury both on its inter
ests aad character. % They have prevented peaceful
Central America, which would not fail to prove highly
beneficial to all the parties concerned In pecunary
point view alone, citizens have sustained heavy
losses from the seizure and closing of the transit
route by the San Juan, between the two oceans.
The leader OF the recent expedition was arrested at
New Orleans, but was discharged on giving bail for
his appearance in the insufficient sum of two
thousand dollars. II
/ commend the whole subject to the serious atten.
tion Of Congress, believing that our duty and our in
terest well as our national character REQUIRE that
should adopt such measures as will be effectua in
restraining our citizens from committing such out
RACES. lssS5- i55 81 E. r =
regret to inform, you that the President of Para
quay 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 open
ing Of its session in December, 1865. The reasons
assigned for this refusal will appear in the cores
pondence herewith submitted. u
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 thther for that purpose in 1863 This enterprise
was successfully carried on until February, 1856
when, whilst in the peaceful prosecution up the Pan
anna river, the seamer was fired upon by Paraguyan
hnt thn UytoI,
was OF small force, and not designed for offensive
operations, she retired from the conflict. The pre-
text upon which the attack made was decree Of
the President Of Paraguay Of October, 1854, prohibit
ing foreign vesselso war from navigating the rivers
OF that State. AS Paraguay, however, was the
owner of but bank of the river of that name the
other belonging to Correntes state of the Argentine
the right Of its government to expect
that such decree would be obeyed cannot be ac-
knowledged. But the Water Witch was not, properly
speaking, yessel-ofwar. She was a small steamer
engaged in scientific enterprise intended for the ad
vantage OF commercial States generally. Undertbese
circumstances am constrained to consider the at
tack upon her as unjustfabe, and as calling for sat
istaction from the Paraguayan government.
Citlzens OF the United States, also, who estab
llshed IN business IN Paraguay, have had their prop
erty seized and taken from them and have otherwise
been treated by the authorities in an insulting and
arbitrary manner, which requires redress. l..9
demand Tor these purposes will be made in
hrm but spirit This will the more prob
to use other means in the event of REFUSAL This is
accordingly recommended
1t s unnecessary to state in detail the alarming
condition of the Territory of Kansas at the time Of
in hostile array against each other and any accident
might have relighted the flames of civil war Be.
sides, at this critical moment Kansas was left with
out governor by the resignation of Gov. Geary
On the 18th OF February previous, the Territorial
Legislature had passed law providing for the cleo
tion of delegates the third Monday of June to
convention to meet on the first Monday of September
for the purpose OF framing constitution preparatory
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 extern
slVe organization existed in the Territory whose
avowed object it was, if need be, to put down the
lawful government by force, and to establish gov
erment of their under the socalled Topeka CON
stitution The persons attached to this revolutionary
organization abstalned from taking any part in the
election. B RI
The act of the Territorial Legislature had omitted
to provide for submitting to the people the constitu
tion which might be framed by the convention and,
in the excited state of public feeling throughout Kan
sas, an apprehension extensively prevailed that a
design existed to force upon them a constitution in
relation to slavery against their will In this emer
gency 1t became my duty, as it was my nnqueston-
able right having in view the union of all the good
citizens in support of territorial laws to express an
opinion on the true construction of the provisions
concerning slavery contained in the organic act of
Congress Of the Both May, 1854. Congress declared
it to be the true intent and meaning of this act not
to egsate slavery into any Territory State nor to
exclude it thererom, but to leave the people thereof
perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic in
stitutlons in their own way" Under it Kansas,
=" when admitted rs a State" was to " be received
into the Union with without slavery as their con-
stitnton may prescribe at the time of their admission
Did Congress mean by this language that the dele
gates elected to frame constitution should have au-
thorty 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 ques
ton by direct vote? On this subject confess
had never entertained serious Doubt and therefore,
in my instructions to Gov. Walker of the 2Sth March
last merely said that when " constitution shall
be submitted to the people of the Territory, they
must be protected in the exercise of their right of
voting for against that instrument and the fair ex
preston of the popular will must not be interrupted
by fraud or violence
In expressing this opinion, it was far from my in
tenton to Interfere with the question of the people of
have always carefully abstained Entrusted with the
duty of taking that the laws be faithfully exc
cuted," my only desire that the people of Kansas
should furnish to Congress the evidence required by
the organic act, whether for against slavery and
in this manner smooth their passage into the Union.
In emerging from the condition of territorial depend
ence into that OF sovereign State it their duty
in my opinion to make known their will by the
votes of the majority the direct question whether
this important domestic institution should or should
not continue to exist Indeed this was the only
possible mode in which their will could be authenti
cay aScertained. ...