Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-01-13


-. --.. of the President.
Congress has been engaged for several days in dis
cussing the action of the administration in relation
to Gen. Walker, and especially tie arrest Of the
latter by Commodore Pauldng. A long and inter.
estng debate the subject took place in the Senate
on Thursday last, all of which We have patiently
read. Messrs. Toombs, Brown, Davis and Douglas
commented with some severity on the action Of Com
modore Paulding; and all Of them held that the
message of the President, which we give below,
not entirely satisfactory. That Commodore Pauld-
ing went beyond his instructions there can be no
s doubt Our sympathies and our judgment are both
against the manner in which he has acted, though
We are no fllibuster and doAot justify Gen. Walker;
yet it seems to there is nothing in the course Of
the President, or in his message on the subject, to
call for the tone which characerzes the remarks of
Mr.. Toombs and Mr.. Brown. Some of their constit-
uents may approve their attacks upon the President
yet we feel sure that the great body of the Dernoc
racy of Georgia and Mississippi will not follow them
in crusade in such a cause against the Admins
tration.
We have also read the correspondence accompa-
nyng the message of the President. The letters Of
Commander Chatard and Commodore Paulding to
w
marked contrast with the polite and cutting replies
of the great fillibuster. And are these men-Cha-
tard in neutrality-suspicious. of our naval officers?
Surely, surely not. His letter to Gen. Walker in
relation to Lieut. Cilley is coarse, blunt mpolite in
the highest degree ungrammatical and execrable in
taste and tone and the same is true in some res
spects as to Paudngs letter to Gen. W. of subse-
sequent date.
We may as we'll say what we think in relation to
the opposition now manfestng itself more or less
towards President Buchanan. Far be it from US
to ad vocate blind submission to the Pres
ident or to counsel any honest man, in Congress or
out, to pay regard to men than to principles;
yet the President and the national Democracy have
right to expect that those Democrats who dissent
from the policy of the administration should do so
only for good and substantial reasons. We can see
nothing in the policy of the President either in re-
ation to Kansas Nicaragua, to justify the OPPOSE
ton manifested towards him. We fear that this op-
position tends, and is designed by some to tend to
the disruption of the national Democracy and the
dissolution OF the Union.
Extremes appear to be meeting with this view and
for this purpose. We may be mistaken in this, but
we fear not Our confidence, however, in
the great body of tine people of the whole country is
strong and abiding. Disunion ought to be the last
a!ternative and to destroy the national Democratic
party is to render almos: inevitable that dread catas
trophe. If the black Republicans should triumph
in 1860, even with Judge Douglas at their head,
| (can such thing be possbleD no human power
would be able to prevent dissolution. Our only
hope, therefore, is in the national Democratic party
as is-in the preservation of its organization and
ascendency; and hence the deep aversion with which
VIC regard any movement, no matter by whom set
on foot the tendency of which is to demoralize and
disunite that party. No true Democrat will, at a
time like this, deliberately attempt to embarrass
| President Buchanan.
| We give below the message of the President
Message of the President in Relation to the late
| Arrest of General Walker.
In response to a call of the Senate, the President
on Thursday transmitted to that body the cores
pondence in his possession, in relation to the late
arrest of General Walker, and accompanied it with
the following message:
In submitting to the Senate the papers for which
they have called, deem it proper to make few OBJ
| servations.
In capturing General Walker and his command,
after they had landed on the soil of Nicaragua.
| Commodore Paulding has, in my opinion, committed
the communications herewith transmitted, that this
was done from pure'and patriotic motives, and in
the sincere conviction that he promoting the in
terests and vndicatng the honor Of his country. In
regard to Nicaragua, she has sustained no injury by
| the act of Commodore Pauding. This has Injured
to her benefit and relieved her from a dreaded in
vasion. She alone would have any right to COM
plain of the violation of her territory; and il is
quite certain she will never exercise this right. 1t
unquestonaby does not lie in the mouth of her in
| Lz- A. IL
rescued by Commodore Pauldng from their assaults.
The of this gallant officer consists in exceed.
ing his instructions, and landing his sailors and ma
rnes in Nicaragua, whether with or without her con-
sent, for the purpose of making upon any mill
tary ce whatever which he might find in the coun-
try, no matter from whence they came. This power
certainly did not belong to him. Obedience to law
and conformity to instructions the best and safest
guides for all officers civil and military, and when
they transcend these limits, and act upon their
personal responsibility, evil consequences almost in
evably follow.
Under these circumstances, when Marshal Ryn-
| ders presented himself at the State Department on
| the goth ultimo with General Walker in custody
the Secretary informed him that the executive depar
ment of the Government did not recognize General
| Walker a prisoner that it had directions to
give concerning him; and that it is only through
the action of the judiciary that he could be lawfully
held in custody to answer any charges that might be
brought against him.
In thus far disappearing the conduct of Commodore
Paulding no inference must be drawn that am less
determined than ever have been to execute the
neutrality laws of the United States This is my
imperative duty and shall continue to perform it
by all the means which the Constitution and the
laws have placed in my power.
Ny opinion of the value and importance of these
laws corresponds entirely with that expressed by
Mr.. Monroe, in his message to Congress of Decem.
Der Z, 1919. That wise, prudent and patriotic states
man says 1t is of the highest importance to our
national character and indispensable to the morality
Of citizens that all violations of neutrality