Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-02

Spec; al Message from the Presid MT Of the U. S..
The following message was transmitted from the
President of the United States to Congress on Fri
day last:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives.:
The brief period which remains of your present
session. and the great urgency and importance Of
Legislative action before its termination for the pro-
lection of American citizens and their property
whilst in transit across the Isthmus routes between
Atlantic and Pacific possessions, render it my
duty again to recall this subject to your notice.
have heretofore presented it in my annual messages
both of December, 1857 and 1858, to which beg
leave to refer In the latter state that "the
uive government of this country in its intercourse
with foreign nations is limited to the employment
of diplomacy alone When this fails it can proceed
no further 1t cannot legitinately resort to force
without the direct authority of Congress- except in
resisting and rcpelling hostile attacks. 1t would
have no authority to enter the territories of Ncara-
gla ever to prevent the destruction of the transit
and protect the lives and property of own cti-
zens on their passage 1t is true that sudden
emergency of this character the President would d.
rect any armed force in the vicinity to march to
their relief but in doing this he would act upon his
own responsibility
Under these circumstances, earnestly recon-
mend to Congress the passage of an act authorizing
the President under such restrictions as they may
deem proper to employ the land and naval forces of
the United States in preventing the transit from be-
ing INSTRUCTED closed by lawless violence and in
protecting the lives and property Of American cti-
zens travelling thereupon, requiring at the same
time that these forces shall be withdrawn the mo-
mcnt the danger shall have passed away. Without
such provision our citizens will be constantly ex-
posed to interruption in their progress, and to law
less violence.
A similar necessity exists for the passage of such
f,rt ~, bo md T.,h
antepcc routes
Another subject, equally important, commanded
the attention of the Senate at the last session of
Congress
The republics south of the United States on this
continent have, unfortunately, been frequently in
state of revolution and civil war ever since they
achieved their independence AS or the Other has
party prevailed and obtained possession of the ports
open to foreign commerce, they have seized and
tiscated American vessels and their cargocs in an
arbitrary and lawlcss manner, and eXactcd money
from American citizens by forced loans and other
violent proceedings to enable them to carry hos
ttics The executive governments of Great Brit
ain France, and other countries, possessing the
making power, Can promptly employ the necessary
means to enforce immediate redress for similar out
RACES upon their subjects Not so the executive
government of the United States. Ifthe President
orders veSSel-ofwar to any of these ports to de-
mand prompt re.'c SS for outragcS committed, the
offending parties are we'll aware that in case of re-
fiSal the commander can do no more than ren,nn-
Strate He resort to no hostile act. The cues
ton must then he referred to diplomacy, and in
many adequate redress can never he obtained
Thus American citizens are deprived of the
protection, under the flag of their country, which
the subjects of other nations enjoy. The remedy
for this state Of things Only be supplied by Con
gross, since the constitution has conhdcd to that
body alone the power 10 make war; Without the
authority of Congress, the Executive cannot lawful
ly direct any force, however near it may he to the
of difficulty, to enter the territory of Mexico,
Nicaragua, New Granada, for the purpose of de-
Tending the persons and property of American citi-
zenS, even though they may be violently as>aed
whilst passing in peaceful transit the Tehaun-
tcpcr, Nicaragua, or Panama routes. lie cannot.
without traSccnig his constitutional power direct
a gun 10 be fired into port or land seaman or
marine to protect the lives of orr countrymen
shore, or to obtain redress for recent outrage
their property. The banditt which nest our
ncighborng republic of Mex CO. always claiming, to
belong to the other of the hostile parties.
might make sudden descent on Vera Cruz or on
the Tchauntcpec route, and he would have no pow
or to employ the force Shipboari in the vicinity
for their relief either to prevent the plumber of
merchants the destruction Of the transit.
In reference to countries where the local authori-
tics strong enough to enforce the laws, the diff
this is not the case and the local authorities do not
possess the physical power il they possess the
will, to protect citizens within their limits, re-
cent experience has shown that the American Exc
cutivc should itself be authorised to render this pro-
lection. Such grant of authority, thus limited in
its extent could in just sense be regarded as
transfer of the war-makin. power TO the Executive,
but only appropriate exercise of that power by
the body to whom 1t exclusively belongs The riot
at Panama in 1876, in which great number of oGr
citizens lost their lives furnishes pointed ustra-
ton of the necessity which may arise for the eXer
ton of this authority
| therefore earnestly recommend to Congress, on
whom the responsibility exclusively rests, TO pass
law before their adjournment comforting on the Pres
ident the power to protect the lives and property of
American citizens in the cases which have ndica
ted under such restrictions and conditions as they
may ,lcen, advisable. The knowledge that such
law exists would of itself go far to prevent the out
RACES which it is intended to redress and to render
the employment of force unnecessary.
Without this the President may bcplaccdina pain
full position before the meeting of the next Congress
In the present disturbed condition of Mexico. and
one or more of the other republics south of us 10
person can forcscc what occurrences may take place
before that period In Of emergency, our citi-
zens, seeing that they do not enjoy the same pro
lection with subjects of European governments, will
have Just cause to complain. On the other hand,
should the Executive nterpose, and especially
should the result prove disaSti Gus, and valuable
lives be lost he might subject himself to
sure for having assumed power not confidcd to
him by the constitution 1t is to guard against this
contingency that now appeal to congress.
Having thus recommended to Congress measure
which deem necessary and expedient for the inter-
est and honor of the country, leave the whole sub
iect to their wisdom and discretion
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON, February 1S, 1859.
| DR.. S. L. LOVE. OF HAYwoOD-We acknowledge
| to strong feeling may call it prejudice, in
favor of the men who unAinchingly maintain Dem
ocratic principles who never look to personal con-
sequences,-but unhesitatingly follow out their Po-