Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-14

ed to differ from the President in some of their
views. Some strange things happen nowadays.
Even the Senator from New York was support
ing the Administration, and defending its at
tacks from Democrats.
MIR. Seward said the President had announced
that Walker had not only violated the laws of
the land, but the higher law, and he (Seward)
would be recreant to his duty as an advocate of
the higher law if he did not support the Pres
ident. Qaughter)
Mr.. Douglas thought the higher law very
well in its place, but not in executing the Neu-
trality laws. He would rather look at the
statutes of the United States, and see where the
authority was for the President to use the army
and navy He then defined the jurisdiction to
extend one marine league from the coasts, and
the government had no authority to make an ar
rest beyond that distance
lie was in favor of giving the neutrality laws
a fair faithful and vigorous execution. This
is government of law, and let us stand by the
laws and execute them, whether we like them
Or dislike them, SO long as they stand on the
statute book. lie had no sympathy for fillibus-
tering. Its tendency is to defeat the very OBJ
ject we have in view, viz expansion of the area
of freedom.
He was in favor of the expansion of the coun-
try, but in lawful and regular manner. He
was not willing to send our naval officers with
vague instructions fllbustering all over the
high seas under the pretence eff putting down
fllibustering. He had opposed the Clayton
Bulwar treaty because he did not wish to blind
the country not to do that it might be necessary
for its safety to do-that is to annex these Ter
ritories only half the distance to California on
the direct road.
Mr.. Davis dissented from the arguments con-
tanned in the message. The President had as
sumed that the neutrality laws, which required
that such expeditions as this should be suppressed,
also conferred upon the executive the power to
60 beyond the jurisdiction of the Uuited States
to suppress them. This seemed to be the key
to policy of the administration, which sent the
navy down to the coast of Central America, in
stead of stationing the vessels where they should
have been stationed, namely at the mouth of the
Mississippi and on the coast of Alabama.
Were this expedition all that it is described to
be, it is only misdemeanor, instead of viola
ton of the neutrality laws. The suspicion that
there was an intent to make war against nation
with which we are at peace would have justi-
fed the detention of Gen. Walker and his men
within the limits of the United States, but not
their arrest beyond our own limits. AS VIC
have no extradition treaty with Nicaragua,
they could not have lawfully been taken upon
, her soil, even had they been fugitves from JUS
tice. The President has no more power to make
such arrests than any member of Congress. If
our neghbors are too weak to protect themselves,
= we should use all lawful means to protect our
citizens from invading their territory but it is
. not within theory of our government to fit our
expeditions 10 catch half dozen, or dozen, or
hundred, or two hundred men, who may choose
Q to leave the United States, and land upon their
f shores. In this respect, he thought, we were
r making great departure from those principles
: which heretofore guided the conduct of our
t government. If it be the pleasure of Congress
!, to give the President police powers over the
: high seas, and authorize him to use the army
+ and navy as constabuary force, let it be done
It by the passage of laws with that view.
: Mr.. Brown regarded it as a little singular
It that, while the President disapproved of thei
o arrest of Gen. Walker, he at the same time ex-
IS cused the act. The arrest of Gen. Walker was
: in violation of law for if Paulding had the
right to make the arrest, his conduct is not only
d to be excused, but to be applauded. If he had
It no legal rights to do that act, then the
President owes it to the people of the country to
d condemn it. If Walker was guilty of any VIC
l. lation of law, and had been arrested and
brought back to our shores as a fugitive from
is justice, why is he not put into clutches of the
l. law? Why was he not taken to New York and
d placed in the hands of the Marshal there, then
n brought here and delivered to the Executive,
9 and then set at liberty? Why was he not car
= ried back to Louisiana by the same authority
vt that arrested him, and there put upon his trial
IS on this charge of violating the law? This was
J. farce being played out before the American
,+ob1 10 oil M
is in it. There had been trumped up this charge
in against Walker, when it was known there had
r been no violation of law. If Walker went to
o. Nicaragua, allowing that it was his purpose tc
n regain the rights of which he had been dispos
tie sessed, he did no more than he had right tt
IL do. He (Brown) had right to take his CUR
to upon his shoulder and 60 and tell the Presi
e. dent, Secretary of War, and District Attorneys
&, and Marshals everywhere, that he meant tt
is wage war against Nicaragua, or any other ma.
T! ton, and they had no right to modest him. L
OF one man had that right, two men or five hun
a. dred men have it. The mistake was that thu
~ administration were intending to punish wha
On the law never meant should be punished, name
ou ly-the intent while in the Uuited States to Fl
be out an expedition beyond the limits with hos
he tile purpose towards q nation with them which
ID, we are at peace. He had as high regard TO
t, the Navy as any other citizen, but if anything
re could bring reproach and disgrace upon tn
n. Navy, it was this precise course of action.
as would not do for the President to say that Com
ii, Paulding's act was violation of law, and thel
ny wink at it. No matter if Nicaragua does no
or complain. 1t was not for us to violate on
nd laws, even though Nicaragua does not complain
q and execute them when she does complain. Gu
lie duty is to 20 according to law. If Com. Paul
n ding has conformed to law, let him be applauded
al if not let him be condemned. He admired tn
spunk of the Senator from Illinois douglas
ci- in boldly expressing his views heretofore, al
lr- though he differed from every view uttered b
lite that Senator, on the Kansas question. Ad
Die journed till Monday.
lot HoUsE-The House went into Committee 9
lst the Whole on the Presidents Message.
le. Mr.. Thayer of Massachusetts, maintaine
as that we wish to, and shall, Americanize Contra
gh America 1t should not however be done i
ON any way that would tarnish the national homo
gn by violating treaty stipulations and laws of til
The United States, but in accordance with the higf
est laws human and divine. He expressed n
of greet that Mr.. Haskin yesterday proclaime
Or himself in favor of grand larceny. A mean,
to thing cannot be said of it than to call it by i
Of own name. He was grieved that any part
'nb snOulu De III AFor vi eiUner grand UT petlt Ia
for ceny. 1t was not only dsgraceful, but utter
mt, contemplate. The only proper way to Anne
al, icanize Central America, was by organized en-
raj gration. This might be done within thru
years, if no neutrality laws and executive int
end fered. he wanted our neutrality laws so pla
the that every man may know whether he is rigl
,as, or wrong The South, owning its sparse POI
hat ulation, cannot afford to snare its citizens b.
yere the North, in consequence of superabundal
ler- population. must have an outlet somewber
red Something must be opened to the descendan
nch of the Pilgrims Onughter.) They were no
inn orn nn,nd L, Lo4,Hoo., Ito A4la.4; OAa.., %.