, 1859-02-19
Special Message from the President Of tAs
United States,
CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.-The Presldent today
transmitted message to Congress, II follows
10 Me Senate and House Of Representatives
The briet period which remains Of your pres-
ent session, and the great urgency and import.
Auce Of legislative actipn before it's termina.
tlon, for the protection Of American citizeax md
their property, whilst in transit across The 18th.
mus between cur Atlantic and Pacific posses.
sons, render il my duty to recall this subject TO
your notice. hare heretofore presented it in
my annual messages OF December 1857 and
1855. 10 which beg leave to refer. In the lat
ter l sisted that tho Executive Government of
this country, in it, intercourse with foreign MI
tions, il limited to the employment Of diploma
cy atone-where this fails it eau proceed no fur
ther. 1t cannot legitimately resort to force
without the direct authority Of Congzess, ex-
eept in res:stiug and repelling hostis att.ckr.
1t would have no authority to enter the Ter
rttos'es Of Nicaragua, eveu to prevent the de.
atruction Of the transit, and protect tho lives
and property Of our own citizens on their passa-
9es 1t is true that On h sudden emergency Of
this character, The President would direct any
armed force in the vicinity to march to their
,,n.n ~. ;.a;~;sn., - s..-...;.:,:.- 11aN 11N.
ooPo'' oet
tnesc circumstances eafncsuy recommend to
1ous1ess ue passage 0! IN act authorizing tho
President, uIdcr such restrictions as they may
deetu proper, TO employ the land and naval forces
Of the United States in preventing the Transit
from beng obstructed or cluscd by laWleSs yio-
'saes aua ~ plu1es..ee tne !,ses anu properly ol
Auiet'can c'.!zeus laseung tne1eapon; requiring,
dawn the moment t the ansep q' SUI. lave pa.ei
1"Sy. t,, mnuoat facu PROVISION, our eltizsns
era,reas m' pe ~, so ~ l'etn ~ snS,s
r;!;s 6,r H. naesane ~ e,cb ~, ~ ~ 1i' ~
lection u( tie Pana1ra and Teinantenec ro1lfe1
Annther subject eousilT imnortant demand ,be
a,tention Of 1he Senate. ct thi1, aud he lat
sesaiou Of Congress, The repuhlice south Of the
United States. On this continent haye unfortu.
natsIr. been in q s,st. Of rsyoln.ion and civil
wor sver .;rcs thev ach;eved 4be;r ;ndenen.
dance. AZ oue or smother party has prevailed
aud obla,ued possession Of their ports open to
tars;on cn,nmrrrs shsv hava se,ed md rnn6s,
coted AmcT;c.n re2aalE and 4h.ir rarcoa.
,n an arbitrary aod law,a.. ,1.near
and exactad rom thr American c;t;7ens
Nv forced ioanx and other Tiolent nrorerdiroa
10 ensble them to csrry On hostil,t;es. The Er.
ecutlve Governments Of Great Britain, France.
and other countries possessing the war making
4.over- can promptly emily the necessarT
means to entorca immaaiata radrrss far aimilcr
outra0as unon their sub{ec,s. kot 40 the Ex.
ecrtive Gnvernment ri ,he Un;ted Ststes If
The president ordsrs a vessel Of war to any Of
st. .st. ~ J.a,arJ $500. s5!Sa -.
<os er+-pcss ~,ron,;ttsd tha nGsnd!n, rsr.;oe
~. I ouH .Kcs ~ -. ~ Nue oasaunk PS9ttoo
are veil aware tLat she commander could do no
more. more 'nah femonsIate. n he ean fesort 70 no
hostile oct; the question must then be referred
70 diplomacy, and IN many cases aoeqaa1e re-
dreas can nesef Dc optAsnca. anus American
oiuzens are oep1veo OF the sane protection m
s; or sne nag & o. 1neif own country x when 'ae
for h;s ~ st. vspSe ~ .hinro en!oy aae 1emeiy
Congress, s;nee ths Gonsti.utoa M bas peo eonsdea
70 ,n! thas ooo5 alone The power to make war.
~Haout 1he aotnoi1y OF Congres8 the FFesi-
oent cannot ia"1aLs dlfecs any iorce, however
near u may DC 70 tne scene Of difficulty to entar
Granada, for the purpose Of defending the
pefaons and properly OF American citi-
1ene' even thonga they may be Tio-
!entty ASSUMED Wnf!Bt passing IN peaceful
Esnsn .s. over me lehauntepec, Nicaragua Or
1soaMa iontes. nc cannot Without transcend
nrea INTO Poft, or land seaman or marine TO
PEotecs tne lises OF our countryme on shore,
OF 70 ooalo reoIess iof q recent outrage on their
properly. me nsnaitt which lnteat our neigh.
ootlne nepanlacs o. Mexico, always Claiming 10
belong to one or the other hostile parties. might
make sudden descent upon Vera Cruz or the
Ieaaunfepec route, and he would have no pow
er TO employ lorce on ahipboard in the vlcin.
aty ioT Their relief, either to prevent the plum.
der Of our merchants or the destruction OF the
translt-
8an reference to countries where the local su-
~hass .h;s - ~. -,o""h " enforce laws, the
st;as ~ ~. ,o...ss S.et anu rye 1ocat aut%st.
+ha1 ,osss.5 .h. ;n uo pafsNal po~e1' even II
~ tna '1s ~" ~ pro'ecs onr c'szeus
%'sato tae!l i!mus recent experiences has
SHOWN mat the Executive should itself bo au-
tnorlzea 10 fenoer this protection. Snch |
Alsns ol aatnolH5 mus limited ID lts extent |