and proper that I should make such use of the military force at my disposal as might be necessary to protect the federal officers in going into the Territory of Utah, and in performing their duties after arriving there. I accordingly ordered a detachment of the army to march for the City of Salt Lake, or within reach of that place, and to act in case of need as a posse for the enforcement of the laws. But, in the mean time, the hatred of that misguided people for the just and legal authority of the government had become so intense that they resolved to measure their military strength with that of the Union. They have organized an armed force far from contemptible in point of numbers, and trained it, if not with skill, at least with great assiduity and perseverance. While the troops of the United States were on their march, a train of baggagewagons, which happened to be unprotected, was attacked and destroyed by a portion of the Mormon forces, and the provisions and stores with which the train was laden were wantonly burnt. In short, their present attitude is one of decided and unreserved enmity to the United States and to all their loyal citizens. Their determination to oppose the authority of the government by military force has not only been expressed in words, but manifested in overt acts of the most unequivocal character.

Fellow-citizens of Utah! this is rebellion against the government to which you owe allegiance. It is levying war against the United States, and involves you in the guilt of treason. Persistence in it will bring you to condign punishment, to ruin, and to shame; for it is mere madness to suppose that, with your limited resources, you can successfully resist the force of this great and powerful nation. If you have calculated upon the forbearance of the United States-if you have permitted yourselves to suppose that this government will fail to put forth its strength and bring you to submission-you have fallen into a grave mistake. You have settled upon territory which lies geographically in the heart of the Union. The land you live upon was purchased by the United States and paid for out of their treasury; the proprietary right and title to it is in them, and not in you. Utah is bounded on every side by States and Territories whose people are true to the Union. It is absurd to believe that they will or can permit you to erect in their very midst a government of your own, not only independent of the authority which they all acknowledge, but hostile to them and their interests.

Do not deceive yourselves nor try to mislead others by propagating the idea that this is a crusade against your religion. The constitution and laws of this country can take no notice of your creed, whether it be true or false. That is a question between your God and yourselves, in which I disclaim all right to interfere. If you obey the laws, keep the peace, and respect the just rights of others, you will be perfectly secure, and may live on in your present faith or change it for another at your pleasure. Every intelligent man among you knows very well that this government has never, directly or indirectly, sought to molest you in your worship, to control you in your ecclesiastical affairs, or even to influence you in your religious opinions.

This rebellion is not merely a violation of your legal duty; it is without just cause, without reason, without excuse. You never made a complaint that was not listened to with patience. You never exhibited a real grievance that was not redressed as promptly as it could be. The laws and regulations enacted for your government by Congress have been equal and just, and their enforcement was manifestly necessary for your own welfare and happiness. You have never asked their repeal. They are similar in every material respect to the laws which have been passed for the other Territories of the Union, and which everywhere else (with one partial exception) have been cheerfully obeyed. No people ever lived who were freer from unnecessary legal restraints than you. Human wisdom never devised a political system which bestowed more blessings or imposed lighter burdens than the government of the United States in its operation upon the Territories.

But being anxious to save the effusion of blood, and to avoid the indiscriminate punishment of a whole people for crimes of which it is not probable that all are equally guilty, I offer now a free and full pardon to all who will submit themselves to the authority of the federal government. If you refuse to accept it, let the consequences fall upon your own heads. But I conjure you to pause deliberately and reflect well before you reject this tender of peace and good-will.

Now, therefore, I, JAMES BUCHANAN, President of the United States, have thought proper to issue this, my proclamation, enjoining upon all public officers in the Territory of Utah to be diligent and faithful, to the full extent of their

power, in the execution of the laws; commanding all citizens of the United States in said Territory to aid and assist the officers in the performance of their duties; offering to the inhabitants of Utah, who shall submit to the laws, a free pardon for the seditions and treasons heretofore by them committed; warning those who shall persist, after notice of this proclamation, in the present rebellion against the United States, that they must expect no further lenity, but look to be rigorously dealt with according to their deserts; and declaring that the military forces now in Utah, and hereafter to be sent there, will not be withdrawn until the inhabitants of that Territory shall manifest a proper sense of the duty which they owe to this government.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed to these presents.

Done at the city of Washington, the sixth day of April, one thousand [L. S.] eight hundred and fifty-eight, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-second.

BY THE PRESIDENT:

JAMES BUCHANAN

LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State.

June 14, 1858.

No. 51. Convening an Extraordinary Session of the Senate.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS an extraordinary occasion has occurred, rendering it necessary and proper that the Senate of the United States shall be convened to receive and act upon such communications as have been or may be made to it on the part of the Executive:

Now, therefore, I, JAMES BUCHANAN, President of the United States, do issue this my proclamation declaring that an extraordinary occasion requires the Senate of the United States to convene for the transaction of business at the Capitol, in the city of Washington, on the fifteenth day of this month, at twelve o'clock at noon of that day, of which all who shall at that time be entitled to act as members of that body are hereby required to take notice.

Given under my hand and the seal of the United States, at Washington, this fourteenth day of June, anno Domini, 1858, and of the indepen[L. S.] dence of the United States the eighty-second.

BY THE PRESIDENT:

LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State.

JAMES BUCHANAN.

No. 52. Respecting an apprehended Invasion of Nicaragua.

October 30, 1858. BY JAMES BUCHANAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS information has reached me from sources which I cannot disregard that certain persons, in violation of the neutrality laws of the United States, are making a third attempt to set on foot a military expedition within their territory against Nicaragua, a foreign State, with which they are at peace. In order to raise money for equipping and maintaining this expedition, persons connected therewith, as I have reason to believe, have issued and sold bonds and other contracts pledging the public lands of Nicaragua and the transit route through its territory as a security for their redemption and fulfilment.

The hostile design of this expedition is rendered manifest by the fact that these bonds and contracts can be of no possible value to their holders, unless the pres

ent government of Nicaragua shall be overthrown by force. Besides, the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of that government in the United. States has issued a notice, in pursuance of his instructions, dated on the 27th instant, forbidding the citizens or subjects of any nation, except passengers intending to proceed through Nicaragua over the Transit Route from ocean to ocean, to enter its territory without a regular passport, signed by the proper minister or consul-general of the republic resident in the country from whence they shall have departed. Such persons, with this exception, "will be stopped and compelled to return by the same conveyance that took them to the country." From these circumstances, the inference is irresistible that persons engaged in this expedition will leave the United States with hostile purposes against Nicar agua. They cannot, under the guise which they have assumed, that they are peaceful emigrants, conceal their real intentions, and especially when they know, in advance, that their landing will be resisted, and can only be accomplished by an overpowering force. This expedient was successfully resorted to previous to the last expedition, and the vessel in which those composing it were conveyed to Nicaragua, obtained a clearance from the collector of the port of Mobile. Although, after a careful examination, no arms or munitions of war were discovered on board, yet, when they arrived in Nicaragua, they were found to be armed and equipped and immediately commenced hostilities.

The leaders of former illegal expeditions of the same character have openly expressed their intention to renew hostilities against Nicaragua. One of them, who has already been twice expelled from Nicaragua, has invited, through the public newspapers, American citizens to emigrate to that republic, and has designated Mobile as the place of rendezvous and departure, and San Juan del Norte as the port to which they are bound. This person, who has renounced his allegiance to the United States, and claims to be President of Nicaragua, has given notice to the collector of the port of Mobile that two or three hundred of these emigrants will be prepared to embark from that port about the middle of November.

For these and other good reasons, and for the purpose of saving American citizens who may have been honestly deluded into the belief that they are about to proceed to Nicaragua as peaceful emigrants, if any such there be, from the disastrous consequences to which they will be exposed, I, JAMES BUCHANAN, President of the United States, have thought it fit to issue this my proclamation enjoining upon all officers of the government, civil and military, in their respective spheres, to be vigilant, active, and faithful in suppressing these illegal enterprises, and in carrying out their standing instructions to that effect; exhorting all good citizens, by their respect for the laws and their regard for the peace and welfare of the country, to aid the efforts of the public authorities in the discharge of their duties.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed to these presents.

[L. S.].

Done at the city of Washington, the thirtieth day of October, one thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and of the independence of the
United States the eighty-third.

BY THE PRESIDENT:

JAMES BUCHANAN.

LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State.

No. 53. Convening an Extraordinary Session of the Senate of the United

States.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS an extraordinary occasion has occurred rendering it necessary and proper that the Senate of the United States shall be convened to receive and act upon such communications as have been or may be made to it on the part of the Executive:

Now, therefore, I, JAMES BUCHANAN, President of the United States, do issue this my proclamation, declaring that an extraordinary occasion requires the Senate of the United States to convene for the transaction of business at the

Feb. 26, 1859.

Capitol, in the city of Washington, on the 4th day of next month, at 12 o'clock at noon of that day, of which all who shall then be entitled to act as members of that body are hereby required to take notice.

[L. S.]

Given under my hand and the seal of the United States, at Washington, this 26th day of February, anno Domini, 1859, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-third.

BY THE PRESIDENT:

JAMES BUCHANAN.

LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State