Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-01-14

WAsHISGToS, Jan. ;

committee OF the w hole on the state
of the Union, and took up the Presi-
dents message.
j. CLANCY Jones submitted a series
of resolutions referring the various
branches of the message to the appro-
pirate standing committees.
He expressed "a hope that they
should be adopted forthwith, as the
message had been before the country
nearly a month.
Mr.. Quitman moved an amendment
referring that portion in relation to the
enforcement of the neutrality laws to
select committeesof five members
He said that the country demanded
that something should be done
The gentlemen might attempt to
get rid of these questions, but they
were now forced on the consideration
of Congress. He had come to the
conclusion that the greater part of the
neutrality laws ought to be swept
away from the statute books, and he
believed that if the larger portion of
the House would investigate the sub
ject, they would arrive at the same
conclusion.
Mr. Quitman said that these were
questions which might as we'll be let
out now If an intelligent nation like
this should think proper to retain the
neutrality laws, or carry out the re-
commentator of the President, now,
he believed for the first time made from
the Executive chair-that is, to make
them more stringent-ihe must be con-
tent but he would not be content until
he could bring Congress to vote on this
important subject. He emphatically
denied that the law OF. nations requires
independent States to restrain their
citizens from hostile aggressions or
any other power. The rights reserved
to the citizens by the Constitution can
not be invaded by the Government
The powers which are limited and
specified, the so called neutrality laws,
attempt to punish as crimes acts which
are unknown to the laws of nations
He hoped that the sympathy which is
now manifested in behalf of Central
American affairs would not be re-
strained by force. Were not our citi-
zens as good Judges of their own NOR
ais as Congress for them
Mr.. CLANCY Jones said, if he under
stood the most distinguishing charac-
teristic of our Government, it was a
Government of National, Constitu-
tional and common law, hence in franz
ing his resolutions he proposed as
most appropriate to refer this subject
to the Committee on Judiciary.
AS to the Presidents position, he
understood it to be this =" If you
wish me to carry out these laws, you
must give me more power" But it
was not to be inferred as non sequitus
that the President would have any OBJ
lection to a repeal or modification of
these laws.
Mr.. Keitt took it for granted that a
special question like this might pro-
perly be confined to a special COM
mittee. He understood that the gentle
man from Pennsylvania, says that the
President waived the question, whether
or not he was in favor of a repeal or
modification of the neutrality laws,
but simply asked TO be clothed with
new power to defend them.
Mr.. Jones (explaining) says, his
impression was such. He did not say
that the President has made waive.
He meant to give no opinion one way
or the other but if the existing statutes
are to be carried ont by the courts OF
the country, it would be necessary to
have further legislation to enable him
to execute them.
Mr.. Keitt, resuming, said that the
word waive was not technically correct,
but substantially true The President
has asked to have an army and Navy
to punish citizens Of the United States
on the high seas and on foreign SOIL
Did he want an army and Navy to
prevent the sailing of an expedition
from our shores? =? We already have
an army and Navy for this purpose
Then for what purpose does the Presi-
dent want additional forces Is it to
follow the cxpcditionists on the water
and arrest them on land ? To do that
the whole neutrality law must be per-
vcrted.
If the President has the right to
make seizures in a foreign land. he has
the right of despot as communicating
chief of the army and Navy.
If men can bc captured rs these
were, they must be captured for no Of
fensc, for the pursuit of any cxpidition
beyond three miles from land is un-
lawful, and n capture on foreign soil
is also unlawful, and as the gentle
man says, il is robbery to DO it,
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, said that
he did not know what position the
Administration occupies. He belicv-
Ell that Capt Chatard, in sight OF
Punta Arenas, allowed the disembar-
kation of Walkers men, because he
had not the power to prevent it, and
that officer was recalled in disgrace
but Commodore Paulding, at that
very spot. sent his men on shore to
capture Walker aud his men, and he
is not yet invblvedi in disgrace. 1t is
a singular state sf aifairs that Captain
chatard is dis6raeed for not doing
what was done by Commodore Pauld,
ing, who is retained.
Mr.. Clancy Jones read a portion o.
the Presidents Message, to show thai
the President onlys asked the employ
ment of an additional force in case o
necessity to execute the laws of tn,
statute book, and for the fulfillment o
a treaty in which the faith of the Gov