Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-22

tiala spil'ants from those points, aaG only those
of that sty&e, will not both train and passengers
be quite likely to be smashed up before they
reach their destination the White House,
Washington, D.. {. ="
That Gov. Wisc,-who will no doubt be the
passenger, over tue Presidential road from
Charleston 10 the Whit. House, Washington,
d. c." and reach that PSrt safely-wili pur.
sue iudcious and conserT&tise course Oh all
the leading political topics o! Tue day, 50 as 10
entitle himself to the confidence of good and
lust men of all parties. no nne res!ly friendly
to him will for moment doubt. Aud that the
ENQUIRER" will uphold its traditional pei!cy-
the true principles OF the Democratic pa.ty OF
Virginia and TIC Union--no prudent aat
thoughtful observer. who loves his country and
its institutions better than the patronage and
elnoluments OF It's offices, will lor All instant
harbor suspicion. "
Message from the President Of the Uuitsi States.
The following message was transmitted from
the Presider. Of the United States TO Congress
on Friday last:
To tic Senate and House cj' Representatives.;
The brief period which remains Of your pre-.
sent session. and the great urgency anu ilnl'"F'
tance OF Legislative action, before itS teiln'na'
tlon, for the protection Of American c!tiAenS
and their property whilst III transit acros: thc
Isthmus routes between our Atlantic and "a
cific possessions. render il my duty again tore
call this subject 10 your no=ce. have hereto
fore presented il in my nnnna. messages. both
of December 1877 and 1873 q which ] beg
leave to refer. In the latter | slt.c that ''thc
executive government of this courtry. III ~
intercourse with foreign nations, is united -
the employment Of diplomacy alone. When
this fails il can proceed no further. I; caaioi
legitnatelv resort 10 force without the direct
authority of Congress. except in resisting aud
repellng hostile attacks. 1t would have no
authority 10 enter the territories Of Nicaragua,
event to prevent the destruction Of the transit
and protect the lives and property Of our own
citizens on their passage. II is true that on
sudden emergency OF this character the Presi-
dent would direct any armed force III the Vi
cinity to march 10 their relief, but in doing
this he would &C, upon his own responsibility.
Under these circumstances, earnestly :e-
colnnend to Congress the passage OF An aot
authorizing the President. under such ,rSi'ic-
tons as they may .lcem proper. TO employ the
preventing the transit from being obstructed
or closed by lawlcSs violence. and in protecting
the lives and property OF American citizens
travelling thereupon, requiring at the same
time that these forces shall be withdrawn the
moment the danger shall have passed away
Without such q provision our citizens will hc
constantly exposed 10 interruption ir thor
progress, and 10 lawlcSs violence.
Of such an act for the protection "f the Panama
and Tchuantcpcc routes.
Another subject equally important. COIN
rBandcd the attention of the Senate at the last
session OF Congress.
The republics south oi the Unitcd States on
this continent have, unfortunately, been ire
ouentlv in state OF revolution and civil war
ever since they achieved their independence.
As one or the other party has prevailed and
obtained possession Of the ports open to foreign
commerce, they have seized and coniiscated
American vessels and their cargoes in an arbi-
trarv and lawleSs manner, and cXacted money
from American citizens by forced loans, and
other violent proceedings, TO enable them to
carry on hostilities The executive govern
ments of Great Britain, France. and other
countries, possessing tho war-making power,
can promptly employ the necessary means to
enforce immediate re1ress for similar outrages
upon their subjects. Not so the executive
government Of the United States. II the Prcsl-
dent orders i ycsscl.of.war TO any of th 80
ports to demand prompt redress for ouir ISe>
committed, the offending parties are well aware
that in case of refusal the commander can ito
no more than demonstrate. lie can r sort 10
no hostile act. The question must then he
referred to diplomacy, and in many cases
adequate redress can never tc obt uncd.-
Thus American citizens are deprived o, ne
same protection. under the ia, oil their |
country, which the subjects Of other nations
eniov. The remedy inr this stare of things can
only be supplied by Congress sin e the con>t''
tuition has coniided to that body alone the pow-
or to make war. Without the authority ol
Congress, the Executive cannot lawfully dlrecl
any force. however near it may be to the scene
Of difficulty, 20 enter the tern iitOry OF Mexico,
Nicaragua. Or New Granada, for the purpsseo
defending the persons and property OF Ameri-
can citizens. even though they NAV be violently
assailed whilst passing in peaceful transit over
the Tchauntepec, Nicaragua, or Panama routes.
lie cannot without transccndins his constitn'
tional power. direct gun 10 be tlren INTO
port, or land n seaman or marine to protect the
lives Of our countrvmen on shore. or to obtain
redress for recent outrage on their property.
The banditti which infcst our neighbmins re-
public Of Mexico, always claiming TO belong t"
one or the other Of the hostile parties, might
make q sudden descent on Vera Cruz or on the
Tehauntepec route. and he would have no pow
er to employ the force on shipboard in the VI
cinity for their relief. either to prevent the
nlunder OF our merchants or the destruction ol
the transit.
In reference to countries where the local au-
thori les are strong enough to enforce inc laws
the difficulty here indicated can seldom hap
pen; but where this is not the case and inc
local authorities do not possess the physlcal
power, even if they possess the Will, to protect
our citizens within their limits. recent expert
ence has shown that the American Executive
should itself be authorised to render this pro-
lection. Such grant OF authority, thus limit
Cd in its extent, could in no Just sense DC re-
raricd as transfer Of the war.InaHlnS power
10 the Executive, but only as an appropriate
exercise Of that power by the body to whom
it exclusively belongs The riot at Panama III
1856. in which a great number Of or citizens
lost their lives, furnishes pointed illustration
of the necessity which may arise Tor III" cSer'
ton Of this authority.
J. therefore. earnestly recommend to Con
rress. on whom the responsibility ex x;usively
rests, u pass law before their adjournment
comforting OH the President the power t. pro
tect the lives and property Of American citizens
in the cases which have indicated, un ler such
restrictions and conditions as they may deem
advisable. The knowledge that such law cx-
! lists would Of itself 60 far TO prevent the out
RACES which it is intended to redress, aud to
render the employment Of force unnecessary.
Without this the President may be placed in
painful position before the meeting Of the
next Congress. In the present disturbed con-
dition Of Mexico, and one or more OF the other
republics south Of us, no person can toresee
what occurrences may take place before that
period In case of emergency, our citizens,
seeing that they do not enjoy the same protec