The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-14
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


On motion Of Mr. j. CLANCY JONES, Of Pennsylys.
MA the House went into Committee of the Whole
the state of the Union, lMr PHELPS, OF Missouri, in the
chair and resumed the consideration OF the annual mes
sage OF the President the question being the motion
OF Mr. MAYNARD of Tennessee that portion of il he
referred 10 select committee, TO which Mr. THAYER of
Massachusetts, had submitted an amendment
Mr. CURTIS. of Iowa concluded the remarks which
he had commenced yesterday ON the Central American
question, He said it mistake for the American
people TO turn their attention to Central America to the
neglect OF their vast interior which still remained 10 be
settled and improved The great highway oi natlons
this continent destined to be land instead OF
The American people should set their faces towards
the western terminus instead OF the sickly unpromising
region of the isthmus He deprecated the policy of
government going thousand miles from its own soil TO
engage in this kind of enangng alliance for the sake OF
promoting object which could be best carried out with
In our limits. He reviewed the circumstances at
tending Che arrest Of Walker and defended Commodore
Pauldng saying that he acted under the instructions Of
the government, which he had right to take into con-
sideration as he bad
Mr.. SMITH, Of Virginia, asked whether not there
thing in the instructions Of Commodore Padng
which authorized him to act the soil Of Nicaragua
Mr. CURTIS replied that the orders not to do this
that but to stop the expedition He WAS complaining
that the orders not more definite. Commodore
Pauldng needed no defence.
Mr. CLAY of Kentucky said he for the first time
in his life TO address any Legislative assembly whatever.
He confessed that he did with all that didcnce and
embarrassment that might be expected to surround
under such circumstances He graticd that he had
the privilege Of speaking what he believed to be law
and order remarkable spectacle presented to this
country Of administration going out before the ooun
try unsustaned by its friends. The occasion
Of the Presidents sending message to Congress had
been taken to assail him and peck at his motives.
In the message which the President had the
subject of relations with Nicaragua, and in reference
to the conduct of General VIM Walker his friends
chose TO call him, he happy to say he sustained him
in every word he had written What the facts OF
the of General Walker presented to the House
and the country He not citizen of the United
States and had expatriated himself and chosen to say
that would longer live under the flag of which they
proud but arrayed himself under another fag
and became citizen OF another country What his
acts whilst citizen of that other country He was
brought home because there sympathy felt for him
here and TO his neck and for which he should have
been grateful TO the government Of the United States
His first act after obtaining liberty upon shores
again 10 levy enroll and collect arms and
munitions of for the purpose Of using them against
a country with which at peace. He had every
sympathy for the gallatry of the man. and OF those
brave spirits who with him in Nicaragua and whilst
he maintained that sympathy for him and them and
whilst he believed the whole country entertained it. he
believed it considered him, not General Walker, not
President of Nicaragua, but nothing less
than llibuser. His proceedings in ieyying wa against
Nicaragua well known TO the whole country that
it necessary that instructions should be given TO the
officers of the government to watch him and prevent him
from carrying that He brought back and held
to ball. very easily obtained because amongst his friends
and able TO pay the 81, 600 that asked That
did not stop his business for moment he proceeded
with all bis preparations He then described tho sailing
Of Walker stating that the American flag displayed
at the mast of the vessel and she passed the custom
house in proper order but she had board the armed
men of General Walker Her register obtained in
fraud Of laws and when she left the port Of Mobile
she left il in fraud of laws II his opinion that
the law that metcd out to American vessels
that to Cuba might well have been meted out TO
that vessel He believed that that vessel could have been
seized tried before courts and contscatei Gentle
had coDtended that there power 10 seize
own citizens when levyng against foreign
country with which at peace when they got out
side the marine league He believed in such doctrine.
Heeleved that il the duty of the President and the
authorities of the government under the law OF nations
to restrain citizens from any such acts Would 1t
not involve in with nations with whom are At
peace every who pleased could fit out vessel for
the purpose cf acquiring more territory In his onnon
that would he the direct consequence Of IL
Walker had exImtriaed himself aud bad no night 10 sp-
peal government for the rights of otiznsp How
did the OF this differ from that OF Aaron BUR,
except that Aaron Burr citizen and thus man rs not
So Ear as history informed them, there nothing
proved against Aaron Burr different from the conduct Of
General Walker vet the name Of Aaron Burr had been,
as il will be handed down 10 all time coupled with the
epitbet of traitor He maintained that the duty
of the President stop this gentleman from proceeding
from our shores with his against Nicaragua
He maintained that If he had come this country aud
raised one hundred with whom 70 sttnck any or-
ton of people. and afterwards had escaped w the
coast under the law OF nations and without the law
Of ISIS, the President might have directed him to be