Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-03-02
.,,-t,nt Message from the President.

The brief PERIOD Whicn rehainS OF your |
.-.ssnt session, and the great urgency aud
,nortance of legislative action before its ter |
.n;rrstiou. for the protection of American
mems and their property while in transit |
s.ros, the Ithmus routes, between our At |
Isatic ard Pacific possessions, render it my |
i-,y Inty again to recall this ssbjeot to your no.
1:.s I have heretofore presented it in my |
.Dnnal messages, both of December 1857 |
In the latter state that the executive gov
-r,mspt of this country, in its intercourse
-;tb foreign nations, is limited to the en-
nloyment Of diplomacy alone. When this
t,is It can proceede 10 further. 1t cannot
i,gitimately resort to force, without the di-
-aet authority Of Congress, except resisting
md repeliug hostile attacks. 1t would hav
-, authority to enter the territory of Nicara-
~. even 10 prevent the destruction of the
:@,orsit. aud protect the lives of our own citi-
,,,,s on their passa ges. 1t is true, that on
.41Ilen emergency of this character, the
2rasiIent could direct an armed force in the !
;,;,,;.v. to march to their relief, but in doing
~. he would act on his own responsibility
ToI.r these circumstances, | earnestly
-e,,mmeud to congress the passage of an act,
s,.Loriziug the President, under such restric-
t;,ps as they may deem proper, to employ
tba land aud naval forces of the United States
n rreyentiug the transit from being obstruct
II or closed By lawless violence, and in pro-
,.e;iug the lives and property Of American
ruz.Ls travelling thereupon, requiring at
n, same time that these forces shall be with
drawn the moment the danger shall have
,.,,ra away. Without such q provision,
- -.r,.eus will be constantly exposed TO
:....Er rcrc. in the;c progress, and to lawless
,.E-.s-. ! similar necessity exists for the
Usage q such "a act for the protection Of
Fa12ma and Iehuantcpec routes An
-.2sr .u6ieet, equally Important, commanded
T., ',a'.ntiga Of the Senate, at tLe last session
congress, The republics south OF the
rri.sl States, on this continent, have, IN
is.7uately. been frequently in a state of rev
olu.i.u and civil war, ever since they achiev
cd their Independence. As one or other
party has prevailed, aud obtained possession
If the ports open 10 foreign commerce, they
have seized and couiscatad American vessels
and their cargoes, in an arbitrary and lawless
manner, aud exacted money from American
ci,i-sus, b. forced loans and ohag violent
Dgocecl.ngs, to enab,. shen 10 carry or hos
t.lit.es. The executive governmen; Of Great
Britain, F.ancc, and other countries, possGs-
employ the necessary means to enforce I'M
u.eaaiato redress for similar outrages upon
their subjects. Not so with the executive
government of the United States Il the
President orders q vessel Of war 10 any of
these ports, 10 demand prompt redress for
cutrages committed, tie offending parties are
vs-l aware lha., il case OF refusal, the com-
rs-ndc- could 10 NJ more than rem2nstrate;
he can resort to ID hostile act, The quas-
,.,a ms, than b2 referred to diplomacy. aud
ID ,l~y 2@ses adequate redress can never be
r,.. mel. Thus. american ciyizens are de-
....g.a Of lie sane protection under the flag
.EI country which the subjects Of ether uG
lions crjoy The remedy fyr this state oi
,Dipcs eau only be supplied by Congress
zircc the Constitution has confined to that
Lg4v alone to make war. Without the au
thogity Of Congress, the Executive canno
l-wrully direct any force, however near i
NAV be to the scene ofdificulty, to enter the
territory of Mexico. Nicaraguan or NV
Grenada, for the purpose of dcferdj-s the
pe.so.s and property Of American citizens,
even though they may be violently assai!ec
q-h.l-- passing in peaceful transit ever the
T,huantepcc, NiCaragUan or PAn2ma routes.
ILe cannot. without trauzccdiug his con.titu
t9nal pose. direct gun TO be fired into the
nor. = land ! seaman or marine to protec
the lives Of our cauntTymon cu shore, or t.
oItaf7 redress for recent outrage on thei
r-o-c,.y. The bandit which infest ou
aeigah5riag republic Of Mexico, always CLAIM
:-o r., belong 70 one or the other cf The hos
tile -artics, might make a sudden decent ol
Vs-s Cruz. On the TsuuaatereC ros'c, al.
be ralld have no power to employ tIe fore
or shiDboard in the vicinity for their relic
either to proycut tue Plundcr Of our merchant
ortbc destruction Of the transit.
In reference to the countries where th
Iocal authorities are strong enough to enforc
tbol,yzs the difficulties here indicated seldor
Lorners hut where this IS rot the case, au
d. local authorities do not possess the phys
rai 27r7er, even if they possess the will
r-otact our citizens within their limits, Iecel
e,Dericpce has shown. The Amer;clu exc
cutive should itself be authorized to reude
this protection Such a grant Of authority
thus limited IN its extent. could IL no Ju
cause be regarded as transfer Of the v;
making power TO the executive, but only =
an arnr5Driatc exercise Of tLat power by I'll
I,lv 10 whom Il oXciu-i,ely belongs. IL
r,o, at Panama in 1856, in which a gre
number Of our citizens lost their lives, fuI
nishes = pointod illustration Of DccesSlty whlc
may arise foa the czertion Of tbis authority
therefore earnestly Recommend to Congress
oa wl9n the responsibility exclusively rest
to pass Law before their adjournment, col
fsrTinr on the President the power 10 protc
the S lives 81 and property Of A:neri can citizen
in the case which have indicated, und
such constructions, aod conljsions, as the
may deem advisable The knowledge th
such law exists, would Itself 90 far to pr
ven. the outrage, which i; IS intended
redress. and render the cmplaJ alent Of for.
Unnecessary, without ibis the President Of Il
United States may be rlac1i in paint
Dosi,ion before the meeting of the next Col
ercss in the present disturbed condition
Mexico and one or more of the other Repu
lies south of Us No pension eau foresoe wbt
occurrences may take place before that peri'
y-.-.-a,, Our citizens sopir