Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-19
CONGRESSIONAL,
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is.

Mr. Nichols, of Ohio, asked leave to offer ii
following: O-'' "
Whereas, in the correspondence of the New Yor
Daly Times OF the 10th, signed 'sF." and also
tue correspondence of the other papers. il
charged that a member of the Committee on Ac
, counts mas made bargain to receive money az
consideration for passing certain claims therein
, and tnat subsequently the said member demande,
money tor his services; and, whereas it is furtbe
alleged that member of said Committee compel
ied claimants to agree to give him a portion of In
bills passed before the Committee in consideratio
OF their allowance; therefore
hesolved, Ihat Committee of five be appointe,
TO investigate the said charges and report befor
the close of the session w O'i'i
Mr.. Burnett, of Ky, was tired of nyestipatin,
committees which result in nothing. He was ex
amlning into charges of corruption implicatin,
members OF the House, but in the present he rais
ed question of order, namely: that no sneci6,
charges have heen made against any member b,
name. --Si v
The Speaker decided the resolution in order
Mr. Letcher, Of Va, suggested Committee o
one, who could sooner get through the busines.
than five. '--' ''9iiieS'
Mr. Sickles, of N. z, understood the evidence
upon which the Times article was based amounted
70 TINS: A man VINO wrote a letter wear AGO
ess eassonetatlg every one from blame, now made an
afndaVlt that his former statement was false.
Mr.. Bonham, of S. c., wanted the name of the
member charged to be stated '-'
M; Nichols said that no name was mentioned in
the Times article, and that all the Committee are
involved IN the charge. Adjourned
SENATE.
AFTER the passage of few bills an important
special message was received from the President
asking congress to confer on him the power 10 nae
5ne army and navy to protect the Transit route
Inc message was debated by Messrs Mason, Doug
las and Davis more or less in its favor. and nv
Messrs. Seward and Fessenden thoroughly AGAINST
granting the powers asked. Without action the Sen.
ate adjourned '-''-'-' '-' ''i'
10 the Senate and House Of Representatives.
The brief space which remains of your present
session, and the great urgency and Importance of
legislative action before its termination for the
tectlon, OF American citizens and their proDertv
whist 10 transit across the Isthmus between our
Atantle ana PacIhc possessions, render it my duty
10 recau TINS subject to your notice. l have here
totore presented it in my annual messages of De-
eember, 1897 and 1858, to which beg leave to re.
fer In the latter stated that the Executive Gov.
ernment OF this country in its intercourse with
foreign nations is limited to the employment of
epionaey alone; when this fails, it can proceed no
turther II cannotlegitimatelyr resort to force with
out tho direct authority of Congress, except in
resisting and repelling hostile attacks II would
nave no authority to enter the territory of Mica
ragua even to prevent the destruction of the transit
and protect the lives and property of our own
SAN-4SAo OA ehCA pdoSdSG. II Is true that
sudden emergency of this character the President
would direct an armed force in the vicinity to
march to their relief, but in doing this he yyonId
act upon his own responsibility.
Under these circumstances | earnestly recom
mend to Congress the passage of an act authorizing
tue PRESIDENT under such restrictions as they NAV
deem proper, to employ the land and naval forces
OF the United States in preventing the transit from
being obstructed or closed by awless 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 mo-
me mt the danger shall have passed away. Withou,
such provision our citizens will be constantly
exposed to interference in their pregress and law
less violence And similar necessity exists for the
passage of such act for the protection of fhe
Panama and Tehuantepec routes
Another subject equally important demands the
attention OF the Congress. The Republics South
of the United States on this Continent have
unfortunately been in e state of revolution
and civil war ever since they achieved their
independence, as one or another party has pre-
vailed and obtained possession of their ports
open 10 foreign commerce, they have seized and
conhscated American vessels and their cargoes in
an arbitrary and lawless manner and exacted from
American citizens, by forced loans and other yio
lent proceedings, to enable them to carry on hos
tiihes.
The Executive Government of Great Britain.
France, and other countries possessing the war
making power can promptly employ the necessary
means 10 enforce immediate redress for similar
outrages upon their subjects. Not so the Fxee1-
tive Government of the United States If the Pres
ldent orders vessel of war to any Of these morris
to demand prompt redress for outrages Committed
the offending parties are well aware that the com
nlanuer could 90 no more than demonstrate He
can resort to no hostile act, the question must
tnen be referred TO Diplomacy, and in MANY cases
adequate redress can never be obtained Thus |
American citizens are deprived of the same pro. |
lection under the flag of their own country which
the subjects of other nations eDjoy
Inc remedy for this state Of things can only be |
supplied by Congress since the Constitution has |
e0nflded to that body alone the power to make war
without the authority Of Congress the President |
cannot lawfully direct any force however
near II may be to the scene of difficulty |
10 ehper the Territory of Mexico or Mica |
regus, or New Granada for the pur-
pose OF defending the persons and pro
Perty OF American citizens, even though thew /
may be violently assailed whilst passing in |
peaceful transit over the Tehuantepec, Nicarag-
ua or Panama routes. He cannot without trans.
cending his constitutional power direct a uun |
to be hired into port, or land seaman or mar
lner to protect the lives of our courltryrnen on |
shore, or to obtain redress for recent OUTRAGE !
on their property.
Ihe bandlth which infest our nei9hboring |
Republic OF Mexico, always claiming to belong |
to one or the other of the hostile parties, might |
make sudden descent upon Vera Cruz on the |
Tehuantepec route, and he would have no DOW
er to employ a force ON shipboard in the vicini- |
y, for their relief, neither to prevent the plum
der Of our Merchants, or the destruction Of the
transit.
In reference to countries where the local au
.hoTities are strong enough to enforce laws, the
difficulties here indicated can seldom happen,
but where this is not the case, the local author
ties do not possess the physical power, even if
hey possess the will, to protect our citizens
within their limits. Recent experience has
Ihown that the executive should itself be organ
zed to render this protection. Such grant of
thus limited in its extent, could in no
ust sense be regarded as transfer of the war
making power to the executive, but only as an
appropriate exercise of that power, by the body
o whom it exclusively belongs.
The riotin Pennsylvania in 1856 in which great
lumber OF our citizens lost their lives, furnishe
pointed illustration OF the necessity which NAV
rise for the exercise ofthis authority therefore
arnesty recommend to Congress, on which the
esponsiDlhty exclusively rests, to pass q law be-
ore their adjournment, comforting on the President
he power to protect the lives and property Of
american citizens in the cases which have indi-
ated under such restrictions and conditions. as
hey may deem advisable. The knowledge that
ach law exists would Of itself go far to prevent
ne outrages winch 1t Is intended to redress, and
ender the employment Of force unnecessary
ithont this the President of the u. s. NAV be
laced in painful situation before the meeting Of
he next Congress-
In the present disturbed condition Of Mexico and
me or more ofthe other Republics south of Us no
'erson can foresee what occurrences nav take |
lace before that period
In case OF emergency, our citizens seeing that
hey do not enjoy the same protection with the
1bjects OF European Governments, will have Just
ause 70 complain On the other hand, should the
xec1tive inierpose and especially should the ne.
1t prove disastrous and valuable lives be lost be
night subject himselfto severe censure for having