Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-02-24
Presidents Message.
WAsHINGToN, Fob.

WAsHINGToN, Feb. Is.
To tie. 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 protection Of Ameri-
can citizens and their property. whilst in
transit across the Isthmus between our At
lantic and Pacific possessions, render it my
duty to recall this subject to your notice:
| have heretofore presented it IN my annu-
al messages Of December 1873, to which
BEG leave 10 refer.
In the latter / state that the executive
government Of this country. in it's inter-
course with foreign nations, is limited to
the employment of diplomacy alone.
Where this fails, it can proceed no further.
1t cannot legitimately resort to force, with
out the direct authority of Congress, ex-
cept in resisting aud repellipg hostile at
tacks. 1t would have no authority TO en-
ter the territories Of Nicaragua. even, to
prevent the destruction Of the transit and
protect the lives and property Of our own
citizens on their passages. 1t is true that
on a sudden emergency OF this character.
the President would direct any armed force
in the vicinity to march 10 their relief, but
in doing this he would act upon his own
responsibility. Under these circumstances,
| earnestly recommend TO Congress the
passage of an act authorizing the Presi-
dent, under such restrictions as they may
deem proper, to employ the land and nava!
forces of the IT, S. in preventing the tran
- ha.,, Dhcfr fad eli al hv l,xv
less violence, and in protecting Che lives
and property Of American citizens travel
ing thereupon: requiring at the same time
that these forces shall be Withdrawn the
moment the daDg-- shall have passed away.
Without such 2 1r..ision our citizens will
be constantly exposed to interference in
their progress.
And similar necessity exists for the
passage of an act for the protection Of the
Panama and Tehauntepec routes.
Another subject equally important de-
mands the attention Of the Senate. The
republics south of the United States on
this continent have unfortunately been in
state Of revolution since they achieved
their independence, as one or another par
tv has prevailed, and obtained possession
of their ports open to foreign commerce.
They hare seized and con6sca,ed meri-
can vsssels and their cargoes in an arbitra-
ry and lawless manner, and exacted from
| American citizens by forced laws and other
violent proceedings, to enable them to carry
on hostiities. The executive governments
of Great Britain, France and other foreign
countries possessing the war making pow.
err. can promptly employ the necessary
means 10 enforce Immediate redress for
similar outragcs on their subjects. Not so
with the executive government of the Uni.
ted States. If the President orders yes
sci of war to any of these ports 20 demand
prompt redress for outrages committed the
offending parties are well aware that the
commander could do no more than remon-
strate. lie can resort to no hostile act.
The question must then be referred to d.
plomacy-and in many cases adequate re-
dress can never be obtained. Thus. Amer
lean citizens are deprived OF the same pro-
lection under the flag of their country
which the subjects of other nations enjoy.
The remedy for this state of things can
only be supplied BY Congress. since the
Constitution has con6ded to thai body
.lon, tho power to make war. Without
the mower Of Congress. the President can
not lawfully dirss; any force. however near
it may be 70 the scene OF difficulty, to enter
tho territory of Mexico. or S;cagua. or
New Grenada, for the purpose of project
ing the persons ard property Of American
citizens. even though they may be violent
| " assailed whilst passing In peaceful tram
sit over the Tshauntepec. Nicaragua, or
4 Panama routes He ian hot. without
trsnscendipg his constitutional power. d.
rect gun TO be fred into q port. or lapd o
seaman or mariner to protect the lives Of
our countrymen on the shore. or to obtain
redress for recent outrage on their prop
erty. If the bandjtti which jnfest oqr