Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-12-17


If expeditions we're set cn foot within our
owu territories 10 make priysso war
aoaIIst powerful nation. Il saeh ex |
psti,i5E. wsTe fitted out ifua sbr14d |
tgtIust any portion ef our 5st rousr5,
to bnn dCwp oar sitiss, m1riur r-d
! p.Ialer our psgp'e, aud usufp orr -Oy'
erumgnt, We sh lld e.E any toE.r oa
earth 10 tie grictysl a,eoual tgr act pre-
venting such enorm.,its.
Ever since the administrator Of Gen.
Washington, acts Of Congress have
been in force to puaish severely The
crimes oil 2ottiog on foot a military ex'
peditiou within the limits Of the United
States, to psocsed from thence against
nation or state With whom we are at
peace, Th3 present neutrality act Of
April Goth, lS48, is BIT little more than
a collection Ofpre-Oxistiug laws. Under
this act the President is empowered to
o LplOy the land and naval farces aud
the militia "iOr the purpose o. preven'
ting the carrying on of any such expe'
dition or enterprise from the terfitCues
jurisdiction Of the United States" and
the collectors or customs are authorised
aud required to deain any vessle in port
when there is reasonto believe she is a.
bout to take part in such laWless enter
prises.
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
institutions to the marsbals and dis.
triot attorneys to use their best exer
tions in carrying into effect the proyis.
ions Of the act of 1918.
They have prevented peaceful emf
grafton from the United States to the
States Of Central America, which could
uot.fGil to prove highly beneficial to all
parties concerned. In q pecuniary
point Of vi3W alone, our cititizeus have
sustained heavy losses from The seisure
and closing of the transi! route by the
San Juan between the two oceans.
The leader of the recent expedition
was arrested at New Orleans, but was
discharged Oh giving bail for his appear
ance in the sufficient sum of two thoa.
sandsdollars.
| commend tho whole subject to gthe
serious attention of Congress, believing
that our duty and cur interest, as we'll
as our national character, require that
We should adopt such measures as will
be eifectual in retaining our citizens
from committing such ouVages.
| regret to inform you that the presi,
: dent OF Paragua has refused to ratify the
treaty between the Uuitei States and
. that State as amended by the Senate
: the signature of which was mentio oned
in the message of my predecessor to
Congress at the opening of its session,
F. in December, 1858. The reasons as,
. siguod for this refusal will appo ar 10 the
Q correspondence herewith submitted.
1t being desirable to ascertain the fit
ness of the river La Plata and its tributa
: ries for navigation by steam, the Unite
States steamer "Water Witch" was ser
: thither for that purpose in 1853. Thi
c enterprise was successfully carried on unit
Il February, 1855, when, whilst in the peace
J full prosecution OF her voyage up the Pana
% ma river, the steamer was fired upon by
e Paraauayan foIt. The fire was returned
b but as the "Water Witch was Of smaI
% force, and not designed for offensive oper
l alious, she retired from the conflict. Th
l. pretext upon which the attack was mad
% was a decree of the President of Pargua
# of October, 1854, prohibiting foreign YES
sells, of,war from navigating the rivers c
Us the State.
10 AS Paraguay, however, was tho ownc
1t Of but one bank Of the liver Of that name
70 the other belonging to Couientes, a stat
ofthe Argentine Confederation, the rigl
!, of its government to expect that such
I. decree would be obeyed cannot be at
ID knowledgeed. But the Water Witch Wa
l. not, properly speaking, a vessel of war;
She was small steamer engaged in a SC
= entifc enterprise intended for the advar
~ tage of commercial states generally. Vi
10 der these circumstances, am constrane
10 to consider the attack upon her as unjust
% fable, and as calling for satisfaction frol
a. the Parsguayan government.
g. Citizens of the United States, also, wi
III were established in business in Paragua,
8. have had their property aeized and take
re from them, and have otherwise been trea
n ed by the authorities in an insulting au
'r arbitrary manner, which requires redress
IS A demand for these purposes will b
y made in firm but conciIitatory spirit
Il This will the more probably be granted
le the Executive shall have authority to us
a, other means in the event Of REFUSAL
s. This is accordingly recommended.
L 1t is unnecessary TO state in detail til
IS alarming condition of the Territory of KaI
- sas at the time of my Inauguration. I'll
a opposing parties then stood in hostile arra
T. against each other, and any accident migl
d have relighted the flames of civil war;
Besides, at this critica! moment, Kansi
/, was left without a governor BY the resg
ct nation of Gov. Geary.
of On the 10Th of February previous, til
III territorial legislature had passed law pre-
to yidiug for the election of delegates on th
Il third Monday of June to convention
ar meet on the first Monday of SeptelnbC
or for the purpose of framing a coaStitutiO
We preparatory to admission into the Uniol
This law was in The main fair and just;a
N it is to be regretted that all the quahfe