New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-22
IN had listened stteo,

.,s invaded by Paulding Ho haa ns'e eu;O.sa
lively TO ths xtmsrks Of the csna ~, ~ ,uInv was
IN gtoe eoS' u RI President had said that Il was
crave Offence. and although the IIeS 80 ;na r., !,
s,tsmrt 10 raat. il, be did ncs a..einP mp ~ fair
upon any lega. greuoa'i il was when Walker Was
eeeton IN 10 lad been called pirate. III so,
elec,eo' hi had the Executive to turn a
Wtat nehI ,non the streets Of Washington.
pirate ocse ,esrsble pretext, these facts being
But tnls 60 the act of Paulding All he asked was
Cagress should disown and condemn IL, ana thc
copde%nston was placed on me express ground tna
tne a. - been avowed by the Executive, he should
10 asked Congress to pass vote OF censure egalnst
the preideui or Secretary OF the Navy, or whoever
cave the order. We had, indeed, fallen on strange
49, wben Pauldng could say 10 the Secretary OF the
Esvy: "You fogy-you nincompoop-you are med
:" dIipe with matters you know nothing about Inc
Secretary of tho Navy nreply instead JrePrmandng
Pau,dng said be rather thought he had the rIght TO
1890 III the naval forces as he pleased If such
fer had been addressed by Porter, Ehott' or any
of the old Captains to such Secretaries oI tne
NAVY "a Smith, Thompson or S0utharo, ne w0uid
have been forthwith rebuked and punished: IL inc
nresent Secretary does not think fit to ivndcate his
ocia conduct be can let it Alone Inc resolution OF
the Senator from Wisconsin proposes 10 give medai
to Psuldng for gallant conduct UIest zoo rauuihg,
Commanding one hundred guns, with five hundred or
civ bundred men Captured Walker and a handful Of
follower who laid down their arms at the hrst sum
mons. Was Congress for this called upon to vote
extraordinary gallantry. He (Mr. Brown supposed
that the next thing would be, if our army shah APP
preach Salt Lake and make q desperate charge and
capture the women, Congress would DO called
upon 10 vote the soldiers medals for extraordinary
gallsntry (Laughter.l That would be much more
gslant than the act OF Paulding, and much more de-
serving of medals Renewed laughter.] He under
took to say that the expedition was not unlawful
The men had right to expatriate themselves. There
il no proof that the expedition set foot in the
United States. They had right to go to Nicaragua
taking the consequences OF their acts. lie repeated
that be would not vote fos medal to man VINO Vio
lated the laws Of his country and VINO the fresdent
says comitted grave error.
Mr.. PCGH said that if, as has been charged,
" alkeg and his fugitves from justice, why
were they not handed over to the Marshal for the
District OF Louisiana where the Offense was commit
ted II is idle to say that they wr arrested as usi-
tiyes The argument that the President, as Com
mander in hef OF the army and navy has right to
pursue the fugtiyes beyond the United States is out
OF the question. If arrested as pirates, they could be
tried at the very first port. If pirates why were not
Walker and his followers, when in New-fork ana
Norfolk committed to prison Was 1t true that the
President could, of his own will, without authority
from Congress, send not only the navy but the
army to q foreign country to carry on war
The law is susceptible of no such construction. Inc
power Of the President under the neutrality laws, is
10 use tho army, navy and militia to prevent unlawful
military expeditions being fitted out aud carried on
from our territory. If the expedition escape, his
power is at an end. That should escape nothing
more than an every day If the President
wants more power, let him ask Congress to grant it.
II W alker went to peaceful country and committed
an oense he deserved the severest reprehenson but
he went to country distracted for years and took
upon himself and his followers all the consequences OF
war, he did nothing more than persons have always
done. He should vote for no medal. The question
was one which touched the rights Of every American,
and involved the salvation of the Government If the
President could, passing from the high seas 60 INTO
foreign country, and that country could arm him
with despotio power it was time that some limit
should be placed TO such absolute and extraordinary
proceedings
Mr.. Pesrce obtained the floor.
The Senate then adjourned till Monday