Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-01-18
! MASON, our own militant Mason of tide water

by natures journeymen with combauveness-
not exactly combativeness, either, but offensive
ness In his opinion, it is not sufficient to de-
fend; we must offend, encroach, make;war and
get into all sorts of muses.. Our ancient Sena-
tor has always been somewhat bellicose, but
lately, owing to complication of circum-
stances, present and prospective; owing to- all
ments in the body s-politic-indigestion from
partaking too literally of tough Kansas beef
steaks, popular Sovereignty wind on the politi-
cal stomach, a want of circulation in the Treas
ury, coldness of the extremities, especial OF
the North,) and the downright refusal OF the
patient to swallow bred Scott emetics, or Cuba
acknowledgements with, perhaps chronic ill
humor, aided materially by alittle billionsness
and . small touch of indigestion in the body
physical, his belligerent feelings have complete
'ly got the mastery of him. The occasional mall
treatment, by foreign powers, of some wander
ing vagabond claiming protection from the stars
and stripes, stirs up the black mud of his wrath
till his pugistic apprehension becomes so mud
died that he can see no other way to setlnatters
right than to haul off our national coat, tuck
up our national sleeves, and "pitch in" and
slick" the whole foreign fraternity But find
ing Congress and 1.-THE country at large peace
fully disposed, he concludes that if he can
get the ribbns into the executive first of
s.Jeems," who propels Uncle Sans vehicle,
he can sit up on the box and control the
said digital apparatus of the said 'Jeems," and
SO drive, Jehu-like, all over sublunary creation.
Or in plain language, give these two licenses
men and means, and place the law on their side,
and they can "drub down" or beautifully
brush" any outsider, savage or civilized petty or
powerful, who might have the impudence to turn
up his nose at the American Eagle. Reasoning
thus sour Jeems" sagacously introduced a bill
into tho honorable body of which he is the
"head and 'front.'" providing
That whenever it shall be made to appear to
the President that any citizen or citizens OF the
United States have been subjected, within the
limits of any Of the States aforesaid, and with
out commensurate offense on their part, to any
act of force on the part of those claiming to DO
in authority therein, affecting the life or liberty
of such citizen or citizens, and the case, in the
opinion of the President, demands on his part
the interposition hereinafter provided, it shall
beslawfii for the President to use the land and
naval force of the United States, or such part of
them rs he may deem requisite, IN such way as
in his judgement may be most effectual by force
within the country so offending, to give full and
citizens of the United States so injured or inn
perilled, and at his discretion to obtain redress
for any wrongs so done.
Now what is to be done2 This bill must
either pass or be rejected. If it be rejected,
well; if it be passed, it may not be so well. If
it become law it will confer upon the Presi-
dent more of the some man power" than is con-
sistent with safety. 1t is, however, admirably
u Al.
Mark the expression "6e made to appear" 1t
is not at all essential that aronts shall be real;
if it can be made to appear to the President
that they exist it is quite sufficient. He may at
once call out the standing army, equip the
floating navy, and come down like tornado on
some ncighboring, friendly, defenceless nation,
or, in fact, do any other outrageous thing
authorized by this unprecedented assignment of
power. No department of governments SO in
tricate as that Of foreign relations. None re-
Quires so much cautious management. With all
the wisdom of both branches ofour national Leg
islature, we can hardly keep clear OF entangling
imbroglios. Where, then, may we expect to
draw up if the reins are handed over to the
visible head of the government. There is a
tr1te old saying about putting beggar on horse
the President the ar-making power without
Limitation, as this bill does, and our government
will very speedily go into the presence of the
same birthstone individual. But where is the ne
cessity for this change? Can one man be wiser
than hundreds Does James Buchanan know
more about what we ought TO do in the way of
thrashing the small fry around us, than both
branches of Congress? No necessity, but a
deep and dark design. Perhaps we erred in
ascribing this bill altogether to Mr.. Mason's be-
lieerent disposition We must look deeper
Nothing is done without design. The spirit of
this bill breathes in the Southern Administra-
ton party; and whatever may be the apparent
the real design is to serve the ends of that par
". 1t is only attempting in another and holder
way, what has been attempted before. 1t is a
kind of whipping the devil round the stump"
only the stump is not very clear to our mental
vision. 1t is onother way of getting at Mexico.
Cuba, and Nicaragua, by giving the President
means (he can easily find pretexts) for realizing
protectorate fillibusteriDg, and expansion ideas.
In the preamble of this bill, the States referred