Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-01-20
MESSAGE OF TIE PRESIDENT IN RELATION TO
TILE ARREST OF GENERAL WALKER.

dent transmitted 10 that DOuy Tie corresp'n-
,Ience in his possession in. relation to the late
arrest Of General Walker, and accompanied 1t
with the following
MESSAGE.
In submitting to the Senate the papers for
Which they have called, deem it proper to
make few observations.
In capturing General Walker and his COM
nland sat{gr tHtS had itsse, ON the sdii ofNicd.
ra-lIa, Commodore Palllding has, in my opinion,
committed IL grave error. 1t quite evident,
however from the communications herewith
transmitted, that this was done from pure and
mlri, tic motives, and in the sincere conviction
that lie was promoting the interests and Tlndi-
eating the honor Of his country. In regard to
Nicaragua, she li;.s Sustained nO injury by tue
act uI Commodore Paulding.
This has ennrrd tu her benefit, and relieved
her from dreaded INVASION She alone would
have any right 10 complain of the violation OF
her territory; and it is quite certain she Will
never exercise this right. 1t unqueStlonably
does not lie in the mouth OF her invaders tu
complain in her name that she has been rescued
by Commodore Pauding from their assaults
The error of this galant officer CONSISTS IN en-
cecling his instructions, and landing his salorS
and marines in Nicaragua, whether with or
without her consent, for tue purpose OF making
war upon any military force whatever which LIE
might find in the country, no matter IRON
whence they culne. This power certainly did
not belong to him. Obedience to law, and con-
iurmity to instructions, are tie best and safest
gntIes tur all officers, civil and military, and
When they transcend these limits: and act upon
thcir own personal responsibility, evil conse-
qucnces almost inevitably follow.
Clle" these circumstances, when Marshal
Ryuders presented himself at the State Depart
ment on the oDth ult., with General Walker in
custody, the Secretary informed him that the
Executive department of the Government dld
not rcr,gnisc General Walker as u prisoner; !;
that it had no directions to give Concerning
him ard that it is only through the action OF
the judiciary that he coull be lawfully held in
c,lurly, to answer any charges that might be
brought against him.
In thus far disappearing the conduct o.! Com.
Paul,lng, 10 inference must be drawn that
am less determined t!tail Lave ever heen to
execute the neutrality laws OF the United States
! This is my imperative duty, and shall conlln-
uc 10 perform it by all the means which tie
Constitution and tine laws haze placed III ny
power.
Nv opinion Of the value and importance of
these laws corresponds entirely will that en-
pressed by Mr. Monroe in his Message to Con-
arrss Of December I, 1919. That wise, rru-
dent, and patriotic statesman says: II Is oi
the highest Importance to our national c!arac-
ter and indispensable to the morality ot our
citizens, that all violations of our neutrality
should lie prevented. sieuidT6e,ls:
open for the evasion of our laws; no opportu-
nifty afforded to any who may be disposed to
take advantage OF it to compromlt the interest
or the honor Of the nation"
The crime of setting on loot or providing the
means Tor military expedition within the Cni-
ted States to make war against iorelgn Stale
with which we arc at peace, is one OF all agsre-
waited and dangerous character, and early CHI
~awcd the attention nf Congress. Whether tnc
Executive government possesses any, or what
mwer, under the Constitution, independently
Uf Congress, to prevent Or punish thls anu S'tlll-
lar o,lcn,.es against the law uf nations, was
subject which engaged the attention oi ulsr most
eminent statesmen i'll the time ot the Admin
istlaliun Of Gen. Washington: and on the occl-
sioa Of tine Frcnc! Revolution. The act ii
Congress Of the 9Th June, lT94, fortunately re-
moved all the difficulties Oh This question which
ind heretofore existed. Tic ath and 18th Sec
tio,,s of this act, whici relate 10 the present
uuc,tinn, arc the saline il sub,ialIcc with the
9TH and Slh sectors ui the act "l April -olh,
1918, anI have now been i'll force lor period
Of more than sixty years.
The military expedition rendered criminal ny
the act must have its origin, must begin VI
be "set on foot" in the United States; but the
great object ut the law was To save lore States,
with whom we were at peace, from the lavaseS
Of these awleas expeditions proceeding from our
shores The seventh section alone, therefore,
which simply defines the crilIc ami It's punish
mrnt, would have been inadequate To accomplish
this purpusc AMI enforce our international duties.
In order to render the law eilrcGa: it WAS ne
rrssary 10 prevent 1.-THE carr ing "n" oil such
eyucditiunS to their conSu,naia'lun alter they
had succeeded in leaving our Snrrs.
This has been done rlitclutll y, AMI IN clear
and eyulicit langagc. BY the authority given To
the President u.ulcG the Sth section ot the act
tn employ the land and naval forces ot tue
United States "Ior The purpose Of preventing
the carving un of any such expedition or enter
prise from the territories Or jurisdiction of the
limited States against the territories Or d,:nsain
Of any foreign prince or State, ur al ANY colo
ny, district, or people, WITH Whom Inc O'''e''
States are at peace" MI
p,r lLe;,. reasons had Commodore Paulding
;n,erceptel tile steamer Fashion," with Gen.
Walker and his men on board at any period be-
fore they entered the port of San Juan de Mica
rarua. and conducted them back to Mobile, this
would have prevented them from CARRYING on"
the expedition, and have 1eeil not only ]Isii-
fable but praisewovtly act.
After commenting OH the evils OF i''llbuster'
ing the President says;
But if motives Of duty weFc not sufficient to
restrain Us from engaging in such laHleSs enter
ntisgs. uif evident interest ought to dictate this
mcy. These expeditions arc the most ciicc-
tual mode Of retarding American progress; al
though to promote this is the arowetl object of
the leaders and contributors inSuch undertakings
1t is beyoud question the destiny of our race
to spread themselves over the continent OF North
America. and this at no distant day, should
events be permitted to take their natural course.
The tide of emigration will flow to the South,
and nothing can eventually arrest its progress.
If permitted to gn there peacefully. Central
America will soon contain an American pnpua-
ton, which will confer blessings and benefits as
well uuon the natives as their resp ctive govern
ments Liberty, under Tic estrant OF law. will
preserve domestic peace; whilst the different
transit routes across tie Isthlnrs in Which We
are so deeply interested will have assured pro-
lection.
Nothing has retarded this happy condition of
affairs so much sthe unlawful expeditions which
have been fitted out in tic United States to
make war upon the Central American States,
Had one-llalii of the number of American citi-
zens who have miserably perisl.ed in the first