The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-08 00:00:00

THE PANAMA DIFFICULTY.

The report of the special commissioner, Mr. Corwine,
appointed by our Government to investigate the circum-
stances attending the massacre of American citizens at
Panama by the natives fixes the responsibility of that
, fearful outrage upon the Panatnenos and upon the native
authorities. The riot which ended so disastrously was,
as was stated at the time, commenced by a native firing
a pistol at an American passenger who was intoxicated,
and Mr. Corwine has satisfied himself that the subse-
quent attack on the railroad depot and the general attack
on the passengers were the results of a plan previously
formed. He states that the evidence shows that the
police were concerned in the plan, and that the military
authorities not only failed to perform their duty, but
connived at the outrages- and excesses of the natives. It
le stated in the reports from Washington that Mr. Cor-
wine expressed the opinion that the New Grenadian
authorities are utterly incompetent to afford protection
to life and property on the Isthmus, and he therefore
regards it as the imperative duty of the Government
of the United States, if the route is to be maintained,
to occupy the Isthmus and provide for safe transit
iron' ocean to ocean, unless New Granada make ample
atonement for the wrongs endured in the past, and
satisfy our Government that she is able and willing to
give the protection to our citizens in the future. Mr.
Corwine's report, which is now occupying the attention
of the Cabinet' at Washington, is said to be a very lull
and able document. He leans very strongly to the idea
that the local Government, however it may promise, is
, wholly inadequate to the task of protecting the route,
and ho supports his views by unanswerable arguments.
He refers to the occurrences of the past few years as
showing that no reliance can be placed on the loell
authorities, and he furnishes statistics of the trade and
travel carried on over the Isthmus to prove the neces-
sity which exists for effective measures of protection be-
ing taken by the country principally interested. Every
newspaper reader is aware of the number of robberies
and mnrders which have been committed on the Isth-
mus since tLe California emigration commenced, and
yet we have scarcely the first instance of conviction
and punishment of an offender by the native authori-
ties. In the brutal massacre the authorities billowed
themselves to be in sympathy with the infuriated native
mob, and they have not since evinced any honest deter-
mination to execute justice upon the rioters. On the
contrary, their conduct has been evasive, and even if
now, under the influence of fear, they should promise
better things for the future no reliance could be placed
on their sincerity. Our Government has a delicate duty
to perform. It must give protection to its citizens at all
hazards ; and, if the occupation of the Isthmus route is
essential to that protection, it must, even against any
clamour whiCh may be raised, go to that extreme. The
Panama massacre cannot be allowed to pass with im-
punity ; and if the native authorities do not make an
example of the ringleaders in the outrage, and give com-
pensation for the property destroyed, our Government
must take the whole matter into its own hands. We
are opposed to extreme measures in any controversy
which lies between a strong Government and a weak
one, but when a Government is vicious as well as weak
its weakness should not-protect it from its just liabilities
for acts which are the r'irect consequences of its own
imtnoralitiee,—New reek San.

A NOBLE EXAMPLE.—The members of the Royal
Thames Yacht Club have subscribed upwards of 1601.
towards tho purchae of a life-boat, on Mr. Jas. Peake's
plati,lo be presented by them to the Royal National Life.
boat Institution. Thus, through the benevolence of one
individual member of the glob, who promised to contri-
bute one-half of the above amount on condition .that the
other 'members would raise amongst themselves the
other itkus; alife:boat be provided, which may be
the happy means dreaming many from A watery grAye.