The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-01-20
NICARAGUAN AFFAIRS.
Message Of the President to the Senate in Ref
ence TO the late arrest of Gen. Walker.

ence TO the t0ae arrest 81 Gen. Walker.
In response to a call Of the Senate. the FRESH
dent vest rday r. nsmitted to that body the cor
rcspondcnce in his possession in relation to The
late arrest Of Ten. Walker, and accompanied it
with the following
MESSAGE.
In submitting to the Senate the papers for
which they have called, l deem it proper to
make few observations.
In caltu ing General Walker and his COM
mand, after they had landed TN the soil of Mica
ragua. Com. faulding has. in my opinion, COM
mittcd grave error. II is quite evident, how
ever. from the communications herewith trans
| mited, that this was done from pure and patti
otto motives, and in the sinscre conviction that
he was promoting the interests and indicating
the hon,r Of his country. In regard to Mica
ragua. she has sustained no injury by the act of
| Com. Paulding. This has e,,,,red to her bcne-
! fit, and relieved her from dreaded invasion.-
She alone would ave any right to complain of
the violation of her territory and it is quite
certain she will never exercise this right. 1t
| UNIQUE stionably docs not lie in the mouth Of her
invaders to complain in her name that she has
been rescued by Com. Paulding from their as
saults. The error of this gallant officer consists
in exceeding his instructions and landing his
sailors and marines in Nicaragua, whether with
or without her consent, for The urpos. Of max
ing war upon any military force whatever which
| he might find in the country, no matter from
whence they came. This power certainly did
not belong 10 him. Obedience to law and con-
formity to instructions arc the best and safest
guides for all officers. civil and military, and
when they transcend these limits and act uron
their own personal responsibility, evil colsc-
quenccs almost inevitably follow
Under these circumstances when Marshal
| Rynders presented himself at the State Depart
| mcnt on the s9:h ult., with Gcnaral Walker in
! custody, the Secretary informed him that the
executive department of the government did
not recognise General Walker us prisoner :;
that it had no directions to give concerning him !;
and that it is only through the action Of The
judiciary that he could be lawfully held in Gus
todv to an.werany charges that mightbc brought
against him.
In thus far disaprroving the conduct of CON-
Paulding. no inference must be drawn that am
less determined than ever have been to exc
cite the neutrality laws of the United States
| This is my imperative duty, aud shall con.insc
| to perform it by all the means which the con-
stitution aud the laws have placed in my
power.
MY opinion of the value and Importance of
these laws correspond entirely with that express.
ed hy Mr.. Monroe in his message to Congress
of Dec. 7th, 1879 THIS wise, prudent and
|
Importance TO our national character and indis.
pensible TO the morality of our citizens that all
violations of our neutrality should be d..
No door should be left open for the invasion of
our laws. no opportunity afforded to any one
who may be disposed to take advantage OF ii to
compromit the interest or the honor Of the M.
| ton"
The crime Of setting on foot orp:o, idiny the
means for a military expedition within the
United States to make war against foreign
state with which we are at peace, is one of an
aggravated and dangerous character, and carly
engaged the attention of Congress. Whether
the executive government possesses any, or what
power, under the Constitution. independently
of Congress, was a subject which engaged the
attention of our most eminent Statesmen in the
time of the administration of Gen. Washing
ton. and on the occasion of the French rev IL
ton. The act of Congress Of the 5th June,
1874, fortunately removed all the difficulties on
this question which had heretofore existed
The 9Th and 18th sections of this act, which re-
| late to the pres: mt question, are the same in
substance with the 9Th and eth sections of the
act of A Iril 10th, 1913. and hive now been in
force for period Of more than sixty years.
The military expedition rendered criminal by
the act must have its origin, mcst "bcgin" ar be
''set on foot in the United States but the
great object of the law was to save foreign
States with whom We were at rcacc from the
ravages of these lawless expeditions proceeding
from our shores. The seventh section alone,
therefore, which simply define the crime and
its punishment, would have been inadequate 10
accomplish this purpose and enforce our inter-
national duties. In order to render the law
effectual, 1t was necessary to prevt mt "the car
rying on Of such expeditions to their consume
nation after they had succeeded in leaving our
shores.
This has been done effectually, and in clear
and explicit language. by the authority given to
the President under the Sth section of the act
to employ the land and naval forces of the
United States 'for the purpose Of preventing
the carrying on of any such expedition or en-
tcrprsc from the territories or ul isdicion of the
United States against the territories Or domain
of any foreign prince or State, or of any COLONY
district. or people with whom the United States
are at peace"
For these reasons. had Com. Paul,ling inter-
cepted the steamer Fashion with Gen Wal
ker and his command on board. at any cr;od
before they entered the port of San Juan de
| Nicaragua and conducted them back 10 Mo-
bile, this would have prevented them from scar
| rying on the expedition, and lave been not
only j. stifab!e but praiseworthy act.
The crime well deserves the severe punish
ment inflicted upon it by our laws. 1t Violates
| the principles of Christianity, morality, and liu
mainly held sacred by all civilized nations and
by none more than by the people of the United
States. Disguise it as we may, such military
expedition is an invitation to reckless and law
less men to enlist under the banner of any adj
venturer to rob. Il,nder, and murder the unof.
tending citizs MS of neighboring States WHO have
| never done them harm. 1t Is a usurpation of
the war-making power, which belongs alone to
Congress; and the government itself. at least
| in the estimation of the world, becomes an &C.
complice III the commission of this crime, unless
1t adopts all the means necessary to event and
to p,nish it. 1t would be far better, and more
| in accordance with the bold and manly ch1rac
ter OF our countrymen. for the government it,
selfto get up such expeditions than 10 allow them
to proceed Under tie command of irresponsible
adventures. We could then, at least, exercise
some control over Orr own agents, and prevent
Them from burning down cities and committing
other acts of enormity of which We have read
The avowed principle viii, h lies mt the foun-
datiOn of the law Of nations is contained in the
Iivine command that call things whatso, yer We
would that men should Go to YOU, do We even
SO t. tho M Tried by this uncrring rule, we
should be severely condemned if we shall not
use our best exertions to arrest such xreditions
against our feeble sister republic of Nicaragua.
One thing is very certain. that people never ex-
listed who would call any other nation to a
stricter account than we should ourselves, for
tolerating lawl. IS expeditions from their shores
to make war upon any portion Of Cur teIr.to-
res.
BY tolerating such expeditions. we shall soon
lose the high character which we have enioved
ever since the days of W ashington, for the faith
| full performance ofour international obligations
and duties, and inspire dstrrst against us among
the members OF the great family ofcivilized ma
ti0ns.
But If motives of duty were not sufficient to
restrain rs from engaging in such lawless enter.
plises, our evident interest ought 10 dictate this
policy. These expeditions are the most ef,cc-
tual mode Of retaiSling American progress al.
though to promote this is the avowcd object of
n oar nd t,s&> ,k~,.c 81,