The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-19
WASHINGTON CITY.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1889
IIssAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT or THE UNITED
STATES

ident of the United states 10 Congress yesterday
I ~ Rs Sagas end House u R,,1rescnaalcsss EE ~
The brief period which remains your present Session.
and the great urgency and Importance of legislative
ion, before its termination, io the protection Of Amer
lean citizens and their property whilst IN transit across
the Isthmus routes between Atlantic and Pacific pos
sessions render 1t my duty sgain to recall this subject 10
your notice have heretofore presented il in my an
nual messages, both OF December, 1857 and 1853 10
which beg leave 10 refer In the latter state that
q the executive government Of this country ia ts inter
course with foreign nations Is limited 20 the employ
OF diplomacy alone When this fails ii can pro
coed further, II lrgtmately resort 20 force
without the direct authority OF Congress except resist
ing and repelIing hostile attacks IL would have no
authority to the territories of Nicaragua even 10
prevent the destruction Of the transit and protect the
lives and property Of citizens on their passage
It Is true that asuden emergency of this character
the President would direct any armed force in the ycn
ity 10 10 their relief but in doing this ne would
act upon his responsibility. ~ ra
Under these circumstances, / earnestly recommend
Congress the passage Of an act authorizing the Pres
dent under such restrictions they may deem proper
employ the hand and naval forces Of the United States in
preventing the transit from being obstruete closed by
awlcss violence and in protecting the lives and property
of American citizens travelling thcreupon requiring at
the time that these forces shall be Withdrawn the
moment the danger shall have passed away. Without
such provision citizens win be constantly exposed
to interruption in their progress and TO awless violence
similar necessity exists for the passage Of such
act the protection Of the Panama and Tehuantepec
routes" Y.
Another subject, equally important, commanded the
attention of the Senate at the last session OF Congress
The republics south of the United States on this con
tinent have unfortunately been frequently in state of
revolution aud civil they achieved their
inl,n As 10Th has, Hal
and obtained possession Of the ports open foreign
merce they have seized and eonscated American vessels
and their cargocs in arbitrary and lawlcss manner
and exacted money from American citizens by forced
loans and other violent proceedings to enable them
to carry on hostilites. The executive governments
of Great Britain, France, and other countries
possessing the making power, promptly
poy the necessary means TO enforce immediate rc'res
for similar outrages upon their subjects Not the ex
ecutiye government of the United States If the Prcs
dent orders vessel ofwar to any of these ports to de
mand prompt redress for ontages committed the offend
ing parties well that in refusal the com
mander do moro than demonstrate. He can
resort to hostile act The question must then be
ferred TO diplomacy and in many adequate redress
can never be obtained Thus American citizens are de-
pved of the protection, under the flag of their
country which the subjects of other nations enjoy The
remedy for this state of things only be supplies,
to that body alone the power TO make war
Without the authority Of Congress the Executive
cannot lawfully direct any force however it
may the of difficulty to enter the territory of
Mexico Nicaragua, New Granada, for the purpose of
defending the persons and property of American citizens
even though they may be violently assaled whilst pass
ing in peaceful transit The lehuantepec Nicaragua
or Panama routes. lie cannot without transcendng his
constitutional power, direct gun to be fired into port
| 80 an. \.
countrymen on Shore to obtain redress for
outrage their property, The banditti which niest
our neghboring republic Of Mexico, always claiming
belong to one other of the hostile parties might make
sudden descent Vera Cruz the Tehuantepec route
and he would have power to employ the force ship
board in the vicinity for their relief either to prevent
the plumber merchants the destruction of the
transit i4s5 gt ~ H
In reference countries where the local authorities
strong enough to enforce the laws, the difficulty
here indicated seldom happen but where this is not
the case and the local authorities do not possess the
physical power if they possess the w to protect
our citizens within their limits, recent experience has
shown that the American Executive should itself be au-
tlorized TO render this protection Such grant of author
ty, hus limited in It's extent, could Ia no just sense be
regarded as transfer Of the making power 10 the
Executive but only appropriate exercise of that
power by the body to whom it exclusively belongs The
riot at Panama in 1896, in which great number OF
our citizens lost their lives furnishes pointed iIlustr
ton of the necessity which may arise for the exeron of
this authority. Eaha8.s.1.as
T. therefore, earnestly recommend to Congress- on
whom The responsibility exclusively rests to pass law
before their adjournment comforting the President the
power protect the lives and property Of American eit
zens in the which have indicated under such
strictons and conditions they may deem advisable
The knowledge that such law exists would of itself 60
far to prevent The outrages which il II intended 10
Without this the President may be placed in painful
position before the meeting of the next Congress Ia tho
present disturbed condition of Mexico and
the other republics south of person forses
what occurrences may take place before that period In
case OF emergency citizens seeing TINT they do not
enjoy the same protection with subjects Of European gov
ennents, will have inst cause to complain. On the
other hand should the Executive nerpose and especial
ly should the result prove disastroa and valuable lives
be lost he might subject himself TO FOR
having assumed power not coidel 10 him by the
sttution 1t is to guard against this contingency that
now appeal to Congress. M r& as
Having thus recommended to Congress a measure
which deem necessary and eSpcdient for the interest
and of the country leave the whole subject to
their wisdom and discretion.
JAMES BUCHANAN z
WASHINGTON, February IL, 1859. &
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MADAME MARIo's LECTURE
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