Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1858-01-19
From the Southern Citizen.
The Neutrality Act of g.


The only pretence of authority for the seizure of
Gen. Walker and hia men is in the charge that he
wse acting in violation of the Act of 1918. The
only sections of that act having any relevancy to
his expedition (assuming it to have been unlawful
in the first instance), are the following:
SIC. 8. That If any person shall. within the ter
rorv or Jurisdiction of the United States, begin or
set foot or provide prepare the means for,
any military expedition enterprise, TO be carried
on from thence against the territory or dominions
OF anv foreign prince state. or Of any colony,
district people, with whom the United States are
Tat1 peace every person. offending, shal be
deemed guilty of hi~h misdemeanor, and shall be
fined not eTcPedipg three thousand dollars, and
imprisoned more than three wears.
SIC That the district courts shall take cogn-
zance Of COMPLAINTS bv vbomaoevpr instituted, in
of captures made within the noters of the
United Stotes. u;tbin a marine league of the
coasts or ShOreS thereof
SIC 8. That in every case in which a vessel shall
be fitted and armed, attempted to be fitted out
and armed or in which the force of any vessel of
war cruiser other armed vessel shall be incrpas-
ed or augmented, or in which any military expedi
ton or enterprise shall be begun Get Oh foot,
contrary TO the provisions and prohibitions of this
act; and IN eperv of the capture of a ship or
vessei ,oithi tie jurisdiction protectior of the
United Stntes nsbefore defined, and in IN
phsch ann process issuing out of any court of the
C"tted states Sh1H be dtS0bcued Teststed DIV any
person persons having the custody OF any vessel
of war, cruiser or other armed vessel of any for
eign prince state, Of any colony district, or
people, or Of any subjects citizens of any for
eIgn prince or state. of any COLONY district or
people, in ry such it shall be lawful for the
President of the United States, such other perN
son as he shslI have empowered for that purpose,
to enpios such port of the land or of naval forces
of tie limited States or of the militia thereof for
the purpose Of taking possession of and OBTAINING
any such chip vessel, with her prize or PRICES, il
any. in order to the execution of the prohibitions
and penalties of this act, and to the restoring the
prize or prizes in the cause in which restoration
shall have been sdjudged and also for the purpos-
of preventing the carrying on of any such erpeds
ton enterprise from the territories j,tris0sc
ton of tile United States against the territories or
dominions of any foreign prince or state Of any
colony, district or people, with whom the United
States at peace.
SIC 9. That it shall be lawful for the President
of the United States such person "a he shall EN-
power for that purpose to employ such part of the
land and naval forces of the United States or of
the militia thereof shall be necessary to compel
any foreign ship or vessel to depart the United
States in all cases in which. by the laws of nations
the treaties of the United States they ought not
to remain within the United States.
SIC. 10. That the owners or consignees of every
armed ship or vessel sailing out of port of the
United States. belonging wholly or in part to the
citizens thereof shall enter into bond tn the United
States with sufficient suretes prior to clearing out
the same, in double the amount of the value of the
vessel and cargo on board including her armament,
that the said ship vessel shall not be employed
by such to cruise commit hostili'ies
against the sutjects citizens, or property, of any
foreign prince stste Of any colony, district
people, with whom the United States are at peace.
SEC. IL. That the collectors of the customs be,
and they are hereby respectively authorized and
required to detain any vessel manfestly built for
warike purposes, and about TO depart the United
Stltes, OF which the cargo shall principally consist
of arms and munitions of war, when the number of
men shipped on board, other circumstances,
shall render it probable that such vessel is intended
to be employed by the owner or owners to cruise
or commit hostilities upon the Subjects of any for
eign prince state, of any colony, district,
people, with whom the United States are at peace,
until the decision of the President be had thereon,
or until the owner or owners shall give such bond
and security is required of the owners of armed
ships by the preceding section of this act.
III it should be assumed, we have said, that
Walker violated this act ian assumption however,
which is successfully cont overted) before after
going on board the Fashion there is authority of
law either domestic international, for bis seizure
after he had passed beyond the jurisdiction OF the
United States.