Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-09
From the Washington Union


The report of the Senate committee for foreign AT
fairs upon the Presidents special message concerning
the aeizure of Walker by Capt Paalding in Nicara'
qua, is published in our columns to-day 1t was sub
mtted yesterday, and read in the Senate by the
Chairman, Mr. Mason. Like the message ITSELF it ls a
paper which admits of answer, and fairly slences
all honest objection by the weighty logic aud moral
power of it's augmentation.
Its clear calm statement Of the facts Of the whole
subject and its admirable colocation OF those clauses
of the law of 1918 prohibiting hostile expeditions from
being fitted out and carried from shores against
nsighborng States absolutely cuts up by the roots eve
ry doubt which might have been felt by candid men
this subject The report is one which entities the able
statesman who presdes over the responsible commit
tee of foreign sairs to the thanks of the Adminstrs
| ton and the country.
This dignlfed and admirable paper goes further, II
will be seen into The facts of the subect than did the
special message. The indignant exposure it makes
OF the claim that this expedition was lawful in its in
| ception, through the false manifest ii palmed upon
the Mobile collector, and bald preteIt of peaceful
emigration, throws light upon the transaction which
will prove destructive TO liz defence as the fableu
| gaze of the basilisk.
1t will be that the report, while honoring the
motives Of Capt Pauding, very properly objects to
the part Of his conduct for which he had no warrant
| in Ills instructions. Senators and members who
have e1toled that officers action have not duly
weighed the Importance Of discriminating in 40 doing
against stretches of authority by naval officers n
those waters. 1t is not only intrinscay unsafe fol
the executive and legislative departments OF our gov
erunent to counenance breach or stretch of nstruc
tions the part of military officers entrusted with
armed forces at distance from the seat of autho
rity, but there is special reason why our gov
ernnment should not, by overlooking usurpstion'
of authority by it's own officers in Central Ameri
ca, estop itself from resisting and resentng like
pations by the officers of other powers. We were
therefore, prepared to see the wise discrimination
which was made by the President in regard to ,h'
act OF Capt. Pauldipg. seconded by the Senate Com
nttee on Foreign Affairs, intimately associated will
the Executive that committee is in the conduct %
| our relations with foreign governments
| Ii natural that there should have been some
efervescence Of feeling in the country at the mr. hr'
riews Of the capture Of Walkers expedition. me
strenuous efforts, too, that were subsequently maze
to manufacture fairy on the subject which never ex
listed at s were also TO have been expected from tht
dsvotees of "senss,ion" and the professional dealer
| in indignation" But the sober, second thought u
the country sooner or later in all such cases, is
to find true and whitening expression, in such EN-
! phatic utterances Of serene craftsmanship, IT.,
Special message and this admirable report Of Senator
| Mason.