The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-21

The Presidents Message and the Factions In
Congress-Members Must Work Now or In
the Summer.
The special message of the President to Con-
gress, on Friday last, is the genuine expression
of what every man of sense and patriotic feeling
has experienced for long time past
Our existing treaties with New Granada and
Nicaragua compel us to guarantee the neutrality
of the Isthmus routes through their territories,
and yet Congress has failed to grant to the
President the requisite power to comply with
them. Our citizens are increasing their inter
course with Mexico. under the liberal policy of
its constitutional government the stimulus OF the
opening of the Tehuantepec Transit, and the in
creasing trade between our Pacific ports and
those Of Mexico, while the ravages of the ban
ditti who infest that country subject them to
continual danger and spolation. Yet the Presi-
dent has no other power for preventing the con-
tinuance of these evils or procuring their redress
than the sending of diplomatic notes, and as a
last resort, Withdrawing our legations He has
called the attention of Congress, in two annual
messages, to the necessity of altering this state
of things, and removing stain upon our 60
vernment, because of its laxity in protecting its
own honor and the lives and interests of our
citizens, which has caused the name of American
to become byeword and reproach throughout
the anarchical countries south of us. He has
urged upon it the establishment of policy in
our foreign relations, and particularly in refe-
renee to Cuba, which, had it been followed
would have made our country respected, our
citizens safe in their pursuits abroad, and Sc
cured us the benefits Of lasting peace.
Congress has given no heed to the wisdom and
urgency of his advice. With a strong working
majority claiming to support the administration,
it has been compelled to rely upon the patriot.
SIN of those opposed to it for the passage of all
its measures. A set Of selfish cliques and fac
iOus FOOLS with their imbecile ambitions fixed
upon their own petty chances for the succession,
has striven to delay every measure calculated to
advance the public good, to elevate our national
policy, or to redeem the country and the
government from their disorganized eand
disgraceful condition Delay and dispute
for precedence Of measures in discussion
have been resorted to in both houses, not with
the honest purpose Of advancing the measures
they pretend to have at heart, but in reality to
smother and kill them, because they fear that
their success may give the President or some
rival pretender popularity that may defeat
their sixpenny claims to Presidential nomina-
ton. And these are not the acts of black re.
publicans or Know Nothings, but of men claim
ing to be democrats; and after they have by
their factious selfshness prevented the ad-
vance Of any measure before Congress they bic
them to Mr.. Buchanan, and hypocritically pre-
tend to have labored to forward the views of the
government, blaming others for not having
given way upon some measure that perhaps
would have been brought to conclusion but
for their own factious proceedings.
In this way they have dilly -dallied on the
Cuba proposition, which could have been brought
to vote long since. In this way they strove
to defeat the admission of Oregon. In this way
they have fought over parcel of inane dis
tinctions in the revenue measures. the diplo
matte bill, the public expenditures, measures of
public economy, and every other matter that
has been brought before them. Their proceed
ings have been marked with treachery to party
affiliations and to patriotic duty, and have de-
graded the character of the representative
branch of the government. Three days more
of such disgraceful conduct and they will leave
the President no resort but the obnoxious
measure Of calling an extra session Of Congress
early in the summer.
The state of Europe demands more than ever
that the President should have all the power and
moral support which the action of Congress can
give him. A failure to pass the Cuba PROPOSE
ton by either branch will leave him without
moral weight in The direction of our foreign re-
lations. Its passage by the Senate can save this
point, and that body should pass it without de.
lay. When this sanction is given, let Congress
pass at once to the consideration of the other
measures OF Importance Finish up as you go
along, and let US have no speeches for bun
combe and no factious and time consuming dis
putes for precedence. In regard to our rela.
tons with Mexico, Central and Spanish America
their condition has long been known TO every
man of sense in the country, and if any
member of Congress now wants the whole
nation to wait while he can learn some
thing about them, he is no statesman.
and should Immediately resign and 90
home TO his constituents, and tell them what
is the truth-that he is not fit to be public or
a representative man.
Mr.. Buchanan has done his duty nobly,
periodically, and with single eye to the good
of the country and our citizens; and we now