Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-12-17

forces ard the militia "tor the purpose Of prevent
ing the Carrying Oh Of any such expedition or en-
terpriSe from the territories and jurisdiction Of tn
United States" and the collectors of customs ar,
authorized and required to detain any vessel il
! port when there is reason to believe she is abou
to take part in such lawless enterprise.
When it was first rendered probable that al at
tempt would be made 10 get up another unlawful ex
petition against Nicaragua the Sectetary of Stat.
issued instructions to the marSas and district attor
news which were directed BY the Secretaries 0
War and the NAVY to the appropriate army anc
navy officers requiring them TO be vigilant and tt
their best exertionS to carry into effect the &C
fists. Notwithstanding thase precautions the
expedition has escaped from shores. Such en
terprises do possible good to the country, bu
have already inflicted much injury, both on its in
tcrcsts and its character.
They have prevented peaceful emigration from
the United States to the States of Central Amercs
which cannot fail to prove highly beneficial to al
parties concerned Ina pecuniary point OF view
lone, our citizens must have sustained heavy losses
from the seizure and closing of the transit route b,
the San Juan between the two oceans.
/ The leader OF the recent expedition was arrest
! ed at New Orleans, but was discharged on giving
bail for his appearance in the insufficient sum o
two thousand dollars.
/ commend the whole subject the serious attcn
tentiou of Congress, believing hat our duty ant
our interest us well as orr national character re-
quircs that we should adopt such measures as vii
/ be eifcc;ua in restraining our citizens from com
mitting such ou.ra:es.
/ Paraguay.
regret To inform YOU that the President of Para
quay b ~ refused to r,fy the treaty between the
United States and that state, As amended by the
Senate, the signature of which was mentioned in the
message of INV predecessor to Congress at the open
;no ot he I'm Dacrp,hor lS53 Tho reasons
assigned for this refusal appear III the correspond
cnce herewith submitted.
II being desirable to ascertain the fitness oil the
river La Plata and its tributaries for navigation by
steam, the United States steamer Water Witch
was sent thithcr for that purpose IN 1898 his en-
terprisc WAS successfully carried on until februiry,
1858, when, whilst in the peaceful prosecution OF
her voyage up the Panama river, the steamer was
fired upon by Para yuayan fort. The fire was re
tnrncd but as the Water Witch was OF small force
and not designed for offensive operations, she re-
tired from the conflict. The prctcxt npOn which
the attack made decree OF the President
OF Paraguay, OF October, 1881 prohibiting foreign
vessels ofwar from navigating the rivers OF that
Suite.
A. Paraguay, however, was the owner Of but one
bank of the river of that name, the other belonging
to Corrienties, state of the Argentine Conicderl
ton, the right Gifts government 10 expect that such
u decree would be obeyed cannot be acknowledged.
But the Water Witch not, properly speaking,
vessel of war. She was 4 small steamer engaged
in scientific enterprise, intended tor the advantage
of commercial states generally. Under these cir
cunistances, am constrained TO consider the at
tack upon her as unjustfablc, and rs calling for
satisfaction from the Parasuiyan government
Citizens of the United States also, who were estib
lishcd in business i'll Paraguay, have had their prop
eriy seized aud taken away from them and have
otherwise been treated by the authorities IN an III
sultin" and arbitrary manner, winch requires re-
dress.
4 demand for these purposes Will c made III
firm. Tut conciliatory spirit. This Nil the more
probably be granted II the Executive shall have au-
thoritv tn use other means in the event ofreusIi-
Tn. /. accordingly recommended
Kansas.
IL is unnecessary TO state IN detail the alarming
condition of the Territory OF Kansas AZ the time OF
nv Inauguration. The opposing parties then stood
in hostile array against each other, AMI any acci-
dent mi ght have reghted the haneS oil civil war
Besides, at this critical moment. Kansas was left
withou, Governor BIZ the resignation OF Gov Get
RS.
On he 18th of February previous, the Terrtor-
Al Legislature had passed Law providing for the
election oil delegates on the third Monday OF June to
convention to meet on The first Monday ot oepte.n-
ber for the purpose Of forming Constitution, PFC
p,ra,ory To admission into the Union. This law
was i'll the main, fair aud just; and 1t was 10 be re-
GREETED that ali the qualified electors had no. regis
tered them selves and voted under It's rovlsons
At the time Ut the election for delegates, in ex-
tcnsve organic iton existed III the territory whose
avowed object it was, il need be, To put down the
lawful government 10y force, and 10 establish gov
crnment OF their own under the So-called Topeka
Constitution. The persons attacked to this revolu.
onary organic ltion a5stlined from taking any part
in the election.
7. 1..t tfaI
10 proyide for suhm 4 NJ to the people the Const
tuition which NIL i,t be framed by the Convention,
and in the excited o. public feeling throughout
Kansas an apprehension extensively prevailed TINT
:, design existed to lore. upon them constitution
in relation 10 slavery against their will. In this
emergency il became M duty. rs it vas my IN
question be right, having in view the union of all
good citizens in support OF the territorial laws 70
press an opinion on the true construction OF the pro-
visions concerning slavery cont .inei in the Organ.
ic Act of Congress ofthc Goth My, 1854.
Congress declared it to be "the true intent ard
meaning OF this act not to legslltc slavery into any
Territory or State, to exclude it thereirom, but
10 leave the people thereof perfectly free to form
and regulate their domestic Institutions in their own
way" Under il Kansas "when admitted
State" was 70 abe received into the Union," with
OF without slavery, as Their Constitution may pre-
scribe at the time OF their admission.
Did Congress mean by this language that the del
egates elected to frlmc a constitution should have
authority finally to decide the question of slavery,
or did they intend by leaving it to the people that
the people of lnsis themselves should decide this
question by a direct votel On this subject | con-
fess hid never entertained a serious doubt, and,
therefore in my instructions to Governor Walker on
the 18th March last, merely said that when al
institution shall be subm tied TO the people OF that
territory, they must be protected in the exercise OF
their right OF voting for against that instrument,
and the fair expression of the popular will must not
be interrupted by fraud or violence.
In expressing this opinion it was far from my in
tention to interfere with the decision of the people
of Kansas, either for or against slavery. from this
| have always carefully abstained. Intrusted with
the duty of taking scare that the laws be faithfully
executed" my only desire was that the people OF
Kansas should furnish to Congress the evidence re-
auired 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 dependence into that of sovereign
State it was their duty in my opinion, to make
known Their will by the votes OF the ljority on the
direct que ston whether this mport,nt domestic in
stitution should or should not continue to exist
Indeed, this was the only possible mode i'll which
their will could be automatically ascertaned.
The election of delegates to convention must
necessarily take place in separate districts. From
his cause it may readily happen ar has often been
tic case, that majority of the representatives from
the several districts into which it is divided may be
upon the other side. This arises from the fact that
in some districts delegates my be elcctedby sm,ll
whilst others thOse of different mt