New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-02-26

Message Of the President in Regard 10 the
Protection OF the Transit Route to Call
fornia.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is. The President to-day pr
transmitted message to Congress, as follows: CO
70 the Senate and House q Rsprsssnslvs. x...,.
,esson, and the great urgency and importance OF n
legislative action before its termination for the pro- 81
lection Of American citizens and their properly
whilst In transit across the 1shmus routes between u
our Atlantic and Pacific possessions, rendsr II my
duty again to recall this subject 70 your notice.
Ihave heretofore presented it IN my annual mes u
beg leave to refer In the latter state that the Ex
ecutve Government OF this country in its
with foreign nations IL limited 70 the employment OF
further It cannot iegitimatey resort to force with
out direct authority Of Congress- except in resisting
and repelling hostile attacks II would have no an
e enter The T e reg
lives and property Of our own citizens in their pas
sages.
II is true that on sudden emergency Of this char
acter the President would direct any armed force in
the vicinity to march to their relief but in doing this
he would act upon his own responsibility. Under {
these circumstances earnestly recommend to Con-
gress the passage Of an act authorizing the President
under such restrictions they may deem proper to
employ the land and naval forces Of the United States
in preventing the transit from being obstructed or
closed by lawless violence, and in protecting the lives
and property Of American citizens travelling there
upon, requiring, at the same time that these forces
shall be withdrawn the moment the danger shall have
passed away. Without such provision our citizens
progress and to lawless violence.
| similar necessity exists for the passagey0f such
an act for the protection Of the Panama and Tehuan
tepec routes. 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 continent have unfortunately
been frequently II state q IT,! snd S,s
As Of the party has prevailed and obtained pos
session Of the ports open to foreign commerce. they
| have seized and con6scated American vessels ana
their cargoes in arbitrary and awess manner, and
| extracted money from American citizens by forced
loans and other violent proceedings to enable them to
carry on their hostilities The executive Government
Of Great Britain, France and other countries posses
sing the war-making power, can promptly employ
the necessary means to enforce immediate redress Tor
similar outrages upon their subjects Not 80 the ex
ecutive Government Of the United States.
II the President orderers vessel Of war to any OF
these ports to demand prompt redress for the outrsgs
committed, the offending parties well aware that
in of refusal, the commander could do no more
than demonstrate. He can resort to no hostile act.
The question must then be referred 70 diplomacy,
and 10 many cases adequate redress can never be OBJ
tanned. Thus American citizens are deprived Of the
same protection under the flag of their country which
the subjects Of other nations enjoy The remedy for
this state Of things only be supplied by Congress-
since the Constitution has conded to that body alone
the power to make war.
Without the authority Of Congress the Executive
cannot lawfully direct any force however near 1t may
be to the scene of the difficulty to enter the territory
ofMexco, Nicaragua or New Granada for the purpose
Of defending the persons and property OF American
citizens though they may be violently assailed
while passing in peaceful transit over the Tehuante
pec Nicaragua or Panama routes.
He cannot, without transcending his constitutional
power, direct gun to be fred in port, OF land 8
seaman marine to protect the lives Of our country
" shore, or to obtain redress for recent out
Is The Landtti which infest our neighboring republic
10 of Mexico, always claiming to belong to one or tn
other hostile parties, might make sudden descen
,r on Vera Cruz, the Tehuantepec route, and b
board in the vicinity for their RELIEF either to proven
ID the plumber of merchants or the destruction
to the transit In reference to the countries where thu
local authorities strong enough to enforce the laws
10 the difficulties here indicated can seldom happen
but where this is not the case, and the local author
M ties do not possess the physical power, even il they
possess the will to protect our citizens within tne
"a executive should itself be authorized to rende
~ this protection.
Such grant of authority thus limited in its extent
could in just be regarded as transfer OF tn
he war-making power to the Executive but only as
appropriate exercise of that power by the body
whom it exclusively belongs.
Der Of our citizens lost their lives furnishes ponte
his illustration Of the necessity which may arise for Il
ex- exertion of this authority.
al. therefore earnestly recommend to Congress,
two whom the responsibility exclusively rests, to pass
be law before their adjournment comforting on the Pre-
dent the power to protect the lives and property
ted American citizens in the which have indie
ted, under such restrictions and conditions as th
may deem advisable The knowledge that such a Ia
and exists would of itself go far to prevent the ontrae
the which it is intended to redress, and render the
CON | ployment of force unnecessary. Without this
0A President of the United States may be placed il
painful position before the meeting OF the next Ce
. gress .5
ego one more of the other Republics south OF u.s.
or can foresee what occurrences may take ps
nth before that period. In case of emergency our
the zens seeing that they do not enjoy the same p
ne will have just to complain On the other hsl
hey should the Executive interfere and especially shot
ght the result prove disastrous and valuable lives be 10
of he might subject himself to censure for hav
ex assumed power not con6ded to him by the Consti
he ton. 1t is to guard against this contingency tina
otter now appeal to Congress. Having thus recommend
expendient for the interests and honor Of the count
lean leave the whole subject to their wisdom and disc
CITY tion .
per- w...,xe-ox "a, "a 1880 JAMES BUCHANAN
the "A'A'Nst'N -eo. -. ~;
are A QUEER AFFA1R.-Mr. Colfax writes to the st.
we're Qnd) Register that the story Of the loving cou
1"o who sat in the gallery of the House at Washing
now exchanging matrimonial kisses in full view of
our whole body is actually true. He says the SC
lasted in full view of the House. for over half an hi
e nd The happy couple occupied front seat in the lad
lone gallery, over the left side of the House he De
hern cratic side and seemed in bssfu Inconsistencies
ior all spectators till the doorkeeper sent note by
Of his deputies which ended scene that had
tracted the attention Of hundreds But it is jus
is1h to say that they not from Virginia. 1t tur
# DR. ont mon inouirv that thew were from Long Is
Lana N. Y, that the parties were an old bachelor OIL
widow who had recently been married and were
ger ing bridal tour to Washington-and that they
othsr constituents Of the Hon. Mr. Soaring who
# the whemed with congratulations over the exube
best conjugal affection that evidently prevails in his
IS the '''''
liable, r,-ua,, po,,r, .r,o, -, M,cu,o., Tbera
hour ueioh Wv ~ -,
arket Dutch population IN Michigan large enough u
it proper to provide that the message of the Cove
alures be printed in the language Of Holland. We hay
fore US pamphlet issued by order of the State
This tanning the message of Governor Bingham, sent t.
with Legislature the first day of the present year.
q the inn the title of Gouve,meuy Bngham,s Boodsf
;,,4 Ala ntoJ, ,vbio nh ba