The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-21
L III l. DISPAT TIC III.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.

''sSNfA'fs tNVh bhfEtprsSL tf IHE
UNITED STATES.
The following message was transmitted from the
President o, the Uaited States to Congress. Fri
day:
To tie Ssnatt and House Of Representatives
The brief period which remains of your present
session, and the great urgency and importanee OF
legislative action. before its termination, for the
protection Of American citizens and their ,roperty
whilst in transit across the Isthmos routes
our Atlantic and Pacific possessions, render II my
duty against te recall this subject to your notice
| have heretofore presenicdft in my annual mes.
ssges OF December 1867 and 1883. to which beg
leave TO refer. In the latter state that "the exc
cutive government of this country, in its inter-
course with foreign nations is limited TO the em.
! ployment Of diplomacy alone. When this tails it
can proceed no further. 1t cannot iegi,imately
sort TO iorce without the direct authority of Con.
gress, except in resisting and repeiling hostile at
| tacks 1t wonId have no authority to enter the
territories of Nicaragua, even to prevent the de-
strnction OF the transit and protect the lives and
property cf our own citizens On their passage. 1t
IL true that on a sudden emergency OF this charac.
ter the President would direct any armed force in
me vicinity to march 10 their relief, but in doing
| this he wonld act upon his own respon sibility
Under these circumstances, earnestly recon-.
mend to Congress the passage of an act authors
2iRg the President under such restrictions as thew
may deem proper, to employ the land and naval
forces OF the United States IN preventing the tran
sit from being obstructed closed by law less vio.
ence, and in protecting the lives and property of
American citizens travelling thereupon, requiring
AZ tia same time ths' these fhrces shall be with
| drawn the moment the danger shalt have passed
away. Without such provision cur citizens III
be constantly exposed TO interruption in their pro-
| gress, and to lawless violence.
| "A similar necessity exists for the passage of
| such an act for the protection of the Panama and
| TehUautepec foutes."
Another subject, equally import rtant. commanded
the attention Of the senate at the last session of
| Congress.
Tie republics south of the United States on this
| continent have, unfortunately. been frequently in
state OF revolution and civil ever since they
| achieved their independence. As one or the other
party has prevailed and obtained possession of the
| ports open TO foreign commerce, they have seized
| and coufscated American vessels and their car =
| goes In AN arbitrary and Iswess manner, and ex.
| acted money from American citizens by forced
| iosns, aud other violent proceedings, TO enable
them to carry on hCssilites. The executive gov
ernments of Great Britain, France, and other
| Countries, possessing the war-m making power eau
promptly employ the necessary means to enforce
| Immediate redress for similar ootrages upon their
| subjects Not so the executive government of the
United States. 1t the President orders yesseof.
| var 20 any of these ports to demand prompt re-
dress for ontrages committed, the offending parties
are we'll aware that IN case of refusal the COM
| nander can do 10 more than demonstrate. He
| can resort to no hostile act. The question must
| then be referred to diplomacy, and IN many cases
| adequate redress eau never be obtained. Thus
american CltlZSrS are deprived OF the DrOteC
| tion, under the flag Of their country, which the
| subjects Cf other nations enjoy. The remedy for
| this state of things can only be supplied by Con-
gress, since the constitution has confided 10 that
| body alone the power TO make war. Without the
| authority of Congress, the Executive cannot law
| fully direct any force, however near il NAV be TO
the of difficulty, to enter the territory of Mex
co, Nicaragua, or New Grenada. for the purpose of
| defending the persons and property of American
citzens, even though they may be violently as
| sailed whilst passing ia peaceful transit over the
| Tehuantepecc, Nicaragua, or Panama routes He
| cannot, without transcebding bis constitutional
| power. direct gun 10 be fired into a port or land
ii seaman or marine TO protect the lives Of our
couutrymen on shore. or to Obtain redress for &
recent outrage on their property. The bandi,ti
| which intest our nsish5oriug republic Of Mexico,
| Away. claiming TO belong 70 one or the other of
the hostile parties, might make sudden descent
| on Vera Cruz or on the Tehuautepec route, and he
| would have no power TO employ the force or ship
board In the vicinity for their relief either to pre-
vent the plunder of our merchants or the deS;ruc.
| tioE of the transit.
In reference to countries where the local su-
| thorites are strong enough to enforce the laws
| the difficulty here indicated can seldom happen
| but where this is not the case. and the local ans
thOTiiies do not possess the physiCal power, even
if they possess the WILL 10 protect our citizens
within their limits, recent experience has shown
that the American Executive should itself be ayI.
ihorIEed 70 render this protection. Such n grant
Of authority. thus iimired in its extent could in
uo inst be regarded transfer Of the war
making power to the Executive, but only as an
appropriate exercise Of that power ty The body
TO whom it exclusively belongs. The riot at Pa.
| mama in 1876. in which great pumber Of our
Citizens lost their lives, furnishes pointed Illus
| tratiou Ct tue necessity which may arise for the
exertiOu Of this authority.
| !, therefore, earnestly recommend to Congress
on VI hom the responsibility exclusively rests to
pass Law before their adjournment conferring Oh
the President the power TO protect the lives and
| property of American citizens in the cases which
have Indicated. under such restric lions and con,
| dit3us as they may deem advisable The know
ledge that such Law exists would of itself go far
to prevent the outrsges which il is intended to re-
dress. and to render the employment of force uu-
| necessary.
| Without this the President may be placed in a
painful position before the meeting Of the next Con-
| gress. Ia the present disturbed condition of
| Mexico, and one or moro OF the other republics
| south o. Us, no person foresee what occur.
renees may take place before that period. In case
| of emergency, cur citizens, seeing that they DO
| not enjoy the same protection with subjects Of
| European governments, will have Just cause TO
| complain. On the other hand, should the Execu-
| tive interpose, and especially SHOULD the result
| prove disastrous, aud valuable lives be lost he
| might subject himself to severe ceDsure for hav-
| ing assumed power not confded to him by the
constitution. II is TO guard against this contih.
| gency that now appeal to Congress.
| Having thus recommended to Congress. q meas
sure which | deem necessary and expedient for
the interest md honor OF the country, leave the
| whole suhject 20 their wisdom and discretion.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
| WASHINGTON February Is, 1859.