The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-02-24
Another Presidential Message.

GE Congress was somewhat surprised
s. i. is said, to receive another special
and unexpected message from His Ex.
cellency, President Buchanan, on Fri
Gay last. The President seems anxious
10 show the country that he still has a
pencaant for his old-iime Federal princi-
p.es--an affection for the policy that
tends 10 concentrate power in the Nation
ri government, or at least in the Nation
al Executive. Not satisfied with the
power and patronage conferred upon him
by Tie constltutior-which lie has per-
,erted to the basest uses, to the ensiave-
rnent and corruption of the people--he has
constantly, since placed in the Executive
chair, like one Of DICKENS heroes, been
g crying for more" Ii has been but Q
few days since his dear friend SLIDELL-a
believer in free trade in niggers--at his
special solicitation, introduced q bill into
the Senate, which is now pending, pro.
posing to give him control oyer the Ma
tonal Treasury, to the amount of Thirty
Millions, TO be used at his discretion for
the very exceptionable purpose of bind
ing tie country 10 pay as many millions
more rs lie, in his executive wisdom,
may deem proper. for the purchase Of
one or two more slave states. This is
certainly asking the people to put an ex-
traordnary amount of confidence in his
honesty and his wisdom, especially in
view Of the fact that he has not recently
made any remarkable exhibition of either
the one or the other Of these traits. A
man of ordinary modesty would be 10th
10 ash ;het extraordinary powers and
means be entrusted 10 him, until be had
demonstrated his willingness and ability
10 use those already il his possession
faithfully, and to The furtherapee Of pro-
per ends. This we hardly think Mr..
BUCHANAN is conscious of having done.
But our Presidents nota modest man,
by any means. Not satisfied with the
the proposed license to finger the pub
lie funds at will, he now asks, as he has
before, that Congress should confer upon
him the war making power, which the
constitution expressly denies him. Flat
ed With the glorious results Of the Utah
expedition, which took several millions
from the now bankrup. tca3ury, and
j,
pockets OF good democrats ; or possibly,
deemng that military operations and con
guess are excellent things wherewith to
retrieve Lest popularity; or. peradyep-
tHre. being determined that his admiuis-
tration shall, like his predecessors, be
fignalized By some such deed Of desper-
atc Yalor as the bombardmenl Of Grey
town; eithc. for thee, or for other rea-
rs, lie wants con.rol over Tic army and
navy, so that lie may have the privilege,
IT will, Of pitching into the formidable
overs now ruling ever the Islhpus ofl
Panama and ihat Of Tehuantopec, and |
.iso, Il needs be, into Mexico He per-
elves lie possibility Of American citi-
easi being interrupted in their passage I
, #nl from California, when crossing tie
sthn1ua, and anticipates that the troubles y
, Msxico - llrender protection to Amer e
N citizens residing in that country, ne ;
es-a.y. The Executive governments of ,,
irea, D,ftain AID France, he says, have i
nc i wer - dee ar. war---an arrange
'nent whieb re evidently thinks COVE
'lent, and worlny of imitation. lie speaks
u TIE promptness with which they arc
thereby enabled = redress outrages
against their flags and their subjects. and
tlnAs, if our President hadt lie anne au-
tborhr, that our rights would be more
generally respected than is now the case.
..e fails tc show, however, that there is |
ANY special enlnr yercy fo;pshaiowed now :