Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-23
rressnge from the President.

NhGASt6c HUM the EEcSAOcHss
The Louisville papers of Saturday contain the
following message from the President, which was
telegraphed there. Owing to q failure of the mail
due here yesterday, we did not receive the Wssh>
ingtOn papers containing the message. We, there
FORE publish it we find it in the Louisville papers
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is The President to- day
transmitted message to Congress, as follows:
To the Senate and the House Of Representatives. -
The brief period which remains of your present
session, and the great urgency aud Importance of
legislative action before its termination, for the
protection Of American citizens and their property
while in transit across the Isthmus routes between
our Atlantic and Pacific POSSESSIONS render it my
duty again to recall this subject to your notice
have heretofore presented it in my annual message
both of December 1857 and 1853 to which beg
leave to refer. In the latter state that the Excess
utve Government of this country in its intercourse
with foreign nations, is limited to the employment
of diplomacy alone; where this fails it can proceed
no further. II cannot legitmatey resort 10 force
without the direct authority of Congress- except in
resisting and repelling hostile attacks. 1t would
have authority to enter the Territories of Mica
rsgua TO prevent the obstruction of the transit
and to protect the lives ami property Of our ctz
on their passage. Ii is true that on q sudden
emergency of this character, the President would
direct any armed force Ia the vicinity TO march to
their relief but in doing this he would act upon his
own responsibility. Under these circumstances, 1
earnestly recommend to Congress the passage of an
act authorizing the President, under such restrc-
tons as they may deem proper, to employ the land
and naval forces of the United States in preventing
the transit from being obstructed closed by law
less violence, and in protecting the lives and prop.
erIy of American citizens travelling thereupon; re-
curing at the time that these forces shall be
withdrawn the moment the danger shall have passed
away. without such provision our citizens will
be constantly exposed TO interference in their pro-
gress and to laWiess violence similar necessity
exists for the passage OF such for the prolec
ton Of the Panama and Tehauntepec route
Another subject, equally important, commanded
the attention of the Senate at the last session
of Congress. The republics South Of the Uni
ted States on this continent, have, unfsrtu-
natey, been frequently in state of revolution and
civil war, ever SINCE they achieved their ndepend>
ence, as one or the other party has prevailed and
obtained possession of the ports opened TO foreign
commerce. They have sliced their cargoes in an
arbitrary and lawless manner, and exacted money
from American citizens by forced loans and other
violent proceedings, TO enable them to carry on hos
Titles The executive governments of Great Britain
France and other countries, possessing the war max
ing power, promptly employ the necessary means
to enforce immediate redress for similar on RACES
upon their subjects.
Not so the Government of the United States. If
the President order vessel of war 10 any of these
ports to demand prompt redress for outrages COM
mitted the offending parties are we'll aware that in
case of refusal, the c.mmander could do no more
than demonstrate. He can resort to no hostile act
The question must then be referred to diplomacy
and in mGny cases adequate redress can never be
obtained Thus American citizens are deprived of
the protection under the flag their country, which
the subjects of other nations enjoy. The remedy
for this state of things can only be supplied by Con-
gress since the Constitution has confded to that
body alone the power to make war. Without the
authority of Congress the Executive cannot lawfully
direct any force, near, 1t may be, TO the of
difficulty, to enter the Territory of Mexico Nicara-
qua, or New Granada for the purpose of defending
the persons and property of American citizens even
though they may be violently aseaied while passing
in peaceful transit the Tehauntepec, Ncsragus
or Panama routes. He cannot, without transcend
ing his constitutional power direct gun to be fred
into port, or land seaman or marine to protect
the lives OF our countrymen shore, or to obtain
redress for q recent outrage on their property.
The banditi which infest our neighboring Re-
public Of Mexico always claiming to belong
to one or the other Of the hostile parties, might
make q sudden descent on Vera Cruz OF the Te-
huantepee route and he would have NO power to en-
ploy the force ship-board, in the vicinity, for
their relief, either TO prevent the plumber of our
merchants, the obstruction Of the transit route
In reference to countries where the local authorities
are strong enough to enforce the laws the difficulty
here indicated, can seldom happen; but where this
is not the case the local authorities do not possess
the physical power, even if they possess the WILL to
protect citizens within their limits Recent ex-
perien5e has shown that the American Executive
should itself be authorized to render this protection
Such grant of authority, thus limited in its ex-
tent could, in ne just sense, be regardeda as trans
fer Of the Warmaking power to the Executive, but
only appropriate exercise Of that power by the
body to whom it exclusively belongs. The riot at
Panama in 1856. in which great number of our
citizens lost their lives, furnishes pointed ustra-
lion Of the necessity which may arise for the exer>
else Of this authority l, therefore, earnestly re-
commend to Congress, on whom the responsibility
exclusively rests to pass law before their adjourn
ment comforting upon the President the power to |
protect the lives and property Of American citizens
in the cases which have indicated under SUI re-
strictions as they may deem advisable. The knowl-
edge that such Law exists would of itself 20 far to
prevent the ourages which II Is ntendedto redress
and render the employment Of force unnecessary. |
Without dis the REesidsnt d the gntted States