The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-08


ton has had peace and paciicaon for its sole object
and has studiously and consistently consulted that
object from the outset of its march.
Those who charge the President with having levied
war without the authority of Congress- guilty Of
wilful perversion of fact, stupid incompetency
to discriminate between the constitutional duty Of
the Executive to preserve the peace and take care
the United States, and constitutional restrictions
forbdding him to make war against foreign power.
Even Congress itself cannot declare against
Utah; because Utah is not foreign power, but a
domestic dependency. Ii was not for the President
to await the authorization of Congress to send mill
ary posse into Utah. for the constitution makes it the
duty of the Executive, independently Of the order
of Congress to take care that the laws be faithfully
executed"
The distinction is clear between enforcing the laws
of the United States within the federal jurisdiction
and the exaction OF national rights against for
eign power. In one case the duty is aingly that Of
the Executive; in the other it is for Congress to
take the initiative by declaring If the project
had been to send forward the army against Utah as
declaration of war from Congress would have been
awaited and force despatched of very different pro-
portions and appointments from that which was sent
by the administration. AS it was, an uncomfortable
body of troops were sent out to military depart
ment under the jurisdiction of own government,
and in the occupation of our own people. TWAS sent
not for purposes Of war, but in obedience to the
J,t
of Congress faithfully executed in our own territory,
and the citizens of our country protected from the
tomahawk and rifle Of the savage.
The House of Representatives has resolved by a
large vote, that the Territory of Utah is in open
bellion against the government Of the United States.
In resolving thus they have conceded the whole case.
For the duty of the Executive to enforce the laws
being an executive duty imposed by the constitu-
ton independently Of Legislative authorization to
solve that Territory is in state of rebellion is pso
ao to resolve that tho Executive was bound to take
prompt and effective measures for suppressing it.
The expenses for that purpose were not provided
in the last annual act of appropriation; and, to
the forces heretofore sent out have had to be incur
red, and as to the forces about to be despatched,
Will nave 10 be incurred, during the current Scal
year II is these expenses that constitute the prin
cipa items in the deficiency bill pending before Con-
gress and it is because they were not included in
the annual appropriation act for 1878, an act
passed in the winter of 1857 that they embraced
in this deficiency bill To object to the bill merely
for it's name, is bubble The insurgents of Utah
are armed and mbodied in large numbers and
threaten the existence of our little army which is
more than thousand miles from succor and rein
forcement-an army sent there under flag of truce,
as to an ordinary military department Of the country
to enforce the laws of the United States, and protect
its emgrant citizens from Indian murder and depre-
dations Reinfcrcements cannot movo, will notmove,
to the support Of this little army without the passage
of this bill We cannot believe that their safety
will be ieopardized their very existence threatened
upon bubble. Surely the security of our army,
and of its valuable lives surely the supremacy Of
the laws and authority Of the Union over its own
domain, is of more Importance than bubble like
this.