Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-29
THE WALKER EXPEDITION.
RtP,r 81 The Sraa.e's COMMITTEE on Foreign

Rtg,t 81 the !Sraa,es COMMITTEE on Foreign RI
iHi9Hs.
twas stated 10 Congressional report yesterday
that senator Mason, from the compmIttee on foreign
relations, to whom Was referred tho n-ssas- OF The
Pr-sid-u, u! the United SAFES in relation 10 The H.!
rest OF General Walker. submitted written report
thereon The report recte- the circumstances vi ID.
case, whie! have already breu made pubic. and goeS
on 10 remark that the committee are Of pni"n that
the last clause OF section eight al he neutrality act
Of Isis fully warranted tn. Instructions given To the
civil and military auhore. by the circular OF the
Secretary OF the Navy. aud those given 10 Lieuten
ant Amy TO prevent the landing 81 this expedition
81 far 10 arrest il on the high anI under III
jurisdiction OF the United States. II was the duty of
rh. President TO take that the laws b. tsilhluliy
executed. II was incumbent upon h:;n TO order the
naval forces III pursue any such expedition, If it should
leave this country. and intercept and arres; i, any
where upon the high Her. We quote The word,
Of the report:
The chip which carried Walker aud his psr.y fom
the country was an American vessel, and cleared a.
such from The port ot Mobile in Alabama under the
American dag; and il Is clear princip pie Of law thu;
the jurisdiction at the country To which the ship be
longs attends her on the high seas wherever she
On III. high seh, a. part Of the territory Of the coun
try, and Nil on bosrd rti!i within the urlstictDn
Of The United States.
If the persons on board had. before leaving ih-
country. committed offence against III. laws OF The
nited States. they WERE whilst under the ,g OF the
country the high sea-. ,ble to its authority
"a they were whilst IN the territory Of the United
States. II wa. fully competent to the law to r..
Inlre their arrest OH Tie high ses n. within The terri
tory.
4 question seems 10 have been mad- however, il
the treseut cass whether ths law OF April ISIS does
authorize direct th. executive ~ Use the public
force 10 arrest military expedition unlawful Within
The meaning o the scf,l The high s-a., amer II has
left the country II II does not, law VI cs, has
manned in all It's substantial provisions on the statute
book for more than sixty years, intended To roerce
the part OF our citizens, the Observance OF exist
ing international relations, aud thus 10 preserve The
peace Of the country. so imperfect in its provision.
M to secure immunity 10 those who may off-nd
against il. provided by deception false aud fraudu
lent practices. they can eud- the vigilance of the p
nee of the country, aud thereby escape from liz
shores
The Gih aud Sth sections of The &C, above cited OF
ISIS III The greater part literal transcripts OF seq
on- h and fth nf the act Of like character of Jun.
I.h. l79i the only material alteration being that in the
Act o 1874 the offence WAS contned tn acting on foot
or carrying on from he country military expedition
agsinrt "ths territory or dnminous of any foreign
prince State. whilst in the act Of ISIS The words
added ''or OF any colony. district people" with
whom the United States are at peace enlars
made 10 embrace the case Of such unlawiu! .xp-di
ions in aid of the revounniIts IN Mexico ard Snu,h
Americo then in arms agsins. the Spanish dominion
in ibose countries
10 the u section Of the present act 1881 il lie de-
clar-d high mis'-mrsnor within The territory or
jurisdiction of the United Stsies 10 begin or get on
foot or prepare provide the for nby military
expedition. or enterprise 10 b. carried IN from thence
against &c. The Offences is thus clearly cetned-ihe
i uf being the n,n, 10 rGrr, such expedition,
49, from the ",rrri'ory Jurisdiction Of The United
i, would be harmless hit il begun. &c, with The
tent to carry il on beyond the limits If The United
States the offence would be complete, though il should
never have left The country.
but. "a has been remNked, the law would have
b--n singniarly defective where The end Ia bs attain
ed 10 prevent such expeditions from lroriH2 the
country, il q succss.u escape 10 placed the OF
| tender beyond The rench OF the law On shore he
c,uld be arrested by judicial process, calling in aid
IT necessary. the posS; but sea he could only BE-
safely pursued by the naval power. And We lind
accordingly. 10 the 9Th section that where authority
is given 10 the Pr sident. such person "A ha sha
have empowered for the purpose 10 employ The land
and naval forces Of The United Sates nr the militia
TO take possession o! aud detan any ship or vesse
found in violation Of tb- provisions Of that set
where any process issuing out Of any court of ID.
United States shall be dI.obeyed resisted vher
used to carry into effect the provisions If tina.
lion. the like power TO the land and naval forces
lie given, 'dso, for the purpose Of preventing the car
ryng on oil any such expedition &c, Jrom the Terri