Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-19
Friday Morning, October 10. 1s4e.
rag NICARAGUA QUESTION.


T THE NICARAGUA QUESTION.
Some weeks sace, we took occasion 70 CA
press our qualification that some OF 'ne iaS'''
organs, had endorsed and avoweo' as an
administration measure, the Monfoe' 'aeN-
.A.and Polk acknowledgement permitting
spy new foreign colonies oil monarcn'cai gov
e,nmen;s on this continenl-which had been re-
undated by The Wings, when declared oy MI
DALI A, The same time, The Wing said there
,v,.no ground for our surprise, as il was news 10
them. that the Wing parry had held any other
on;nions on the subject Subsequently, we read
and commented on, with pleasure, The reception
address Of Mr. Souier, the lately appointed MIN
ister 10 Nicaragua, which contained Inc ioiloW
ing significant passage:
"a cardinal principle in this policy is total
exclusion OF ioreisn iofi acnce from the domestic
md International affairs of the American Re>
nnblics And while we would cultivate TREND
ly intercourse, and promote trade ana commerce
with all the world, and invite 10 our SHORES ana
to Inc enjoyment OF our institutions Inc people OF
all The nations, we should proclaim IN language
firm ard distinct, that the American continent
belongs 10 Americans, and IS sacred 10 lePuon-
can freedom. We hould also let il be under
.,ood thai If foreign powers encroach npon The
territories or invade the rights OF any one oil Inc
American States, they innici An injury upon ALL
which il is alike The duiy and determination OF
all 10 see redresSed.
This language is momenious, following upoo
the letter OF Mr. ChaIfeld, the British Consal
Gpa,emsls, addressed 10 the Nicaragua Cos
vernmept, which speaks in the following bold,
decided and imperative terms:
"The Queen Of Great Britain has decided to
sustain the rights OF the Mosquito King, and IN
CONSEQUENCE, whatever act may be done against
him, Will infalibly draw down on Nicaragua
the mos, severe chas;isement"
Great Britain, ard the public generally, oil
course, regarded Mr.. Squres Address as ON
cial, ard its substance as expressly written down
in The instructions from our Government he
reasser,. Mr. Alonroe's doctrine in regard TO the
colonization Of any part OF this continent, and de-
signs directly TO apply that doctrine to The British
settlements in The Mosquito country. Indeed, he
not only declares that the American continent
must be owned by Americans, but that an IN.
vasion OF The rights of Nicaragua must be ie
dressed as an injury 10 the United States.
By the positive language OF our Minister,
Mr. Squier, we seem to have fairly taken Mica
ragua under our protection, and assumed The
responsibilities OF guardian. What was cur
surprise, then, to see our government repudi,
ating The acls OF its own Minister, and backing
out from the bold and manly attitude assigned
to them by their leading organs! The follow,
ing article has lately appeared in the New York
Courier and Enquirer, well informed organ OF
the powers that be:
The news from Nicaragua which we publish |
ed Yesterday is VI good deal Of Interest ard i'm
porlance. The arrivs Of Nr. Squer, our Min.
lister, seems 10 have been REGARDED as most In>
ponant event for that country and was taken as
an indication OF our readiness 10 interfere on |
their behalf against the designs OF aggrandiz:>
ment and aggression evidently entertained by |
Great Britain. The remarks made by Mr. Sqnier |
which we published yesterday, were well calcu.
laled 10 strengthen that impression. IL he were
10 be regarded by them a speaking by auihoti-
~ OF our Government. they might wei! have
inferred from his remarks that we were ready al
once to take our stand upon 'he declaration OF
Mr. Monroe aid TO resist every A. empl oi Great
Britain 10 gain a ioo'ho'd VI acquire any priV-
leges upon thai portion OF the American conii>
neat Such step, OF cours,. would be highly
acceptable u them; but We 90 mol believe that
exp.dtent al tins momen', TO revive This question,
elmer Theoretically or practically. We certain
iy see no reason why they should do so, and there
are many evident considerations which would
render il inexpedient.
Our Government we cannot doubt, will do
every thing 10 is power 10 promote easj and
rapii access to our newly acquired dcninions
on the Pacific coast. The railroad across the
Rocky Mountains wha,cvst Iance5 may be
;na. its ard uiililV and
whatever plans may be devised Tor It's cons!ruc
tion canno be built Tor mTny years, granting
that il will be built al all. But The necessities vi
the country require some means a. once oil reach
ing California and OF carrying on tie immense
traffic which must very soon spring up between
thai country and the Uniied States Ii will IN
Quesionatly be the interest and The policy oil inc
Administration to encourage, 10 The utmost OF us
DO wer, ersrY plan by which This result can be
attained. The railroad across the lsthmus oil |
Panama has already received lhs support oil The |
Government, and will be pushed forward 10 |
speedy completion. A plan 10 also on foot TOT a |
canal across Tehua nlepec, and We have no |
doubt that this also will be regarded with the |
utmost favor, and will receive all possible aid |
from the Administration. The project OF |
canal through the river San Juan and the Lake
OF Nicaragua is still further advanced and our
Government, has already gwen evidence oi Inc
deep interest it feels in its prosecution and sue
cess, By having sent Minister hitler with full |
instructions TO give the project his aid and sup.
port.
We apprchend that msconcepio2 exists in
the pubic mind as 10 The policy and require.
ments of the British Government in regard IL |
this matter. |. is qai:e natural tina, they should |
have regarded with some degree OF Apprehension |
the entire and exclusive possession by the United
States, OF all The means OF crossing the lsihmus; |
and that they should therefore have been DESTROYS
70 prevent us IRON getting any exclusive rign, |
10 build a canal through Nicaragua, from the |
use OF which the English shoa'd be excluded |
Nor do we believe that our Government desire
any such exclusive possession. We presume |
they would be Quie willing that the canal shall |
be open 10 all the world, and that they will ouly |
insist upon the right OF the American people |
TO the perpetual use OF il upon as favorable
terms as may be granted 10 any other nauon.-
With this proviso have doub, that our
Government would be quite willing that The
canal should be made by The English, The French,
or any other people that choose 10 make II. Bu'
they will unqucs,iona5ly resist any pretension
that Great BEain or any other Power may put
forth, no matter aaGer wha, p,elex!, that shall Tor
bid or prevent The construction Of such canal,
or interfere with The perpetual use of ii by The
Uniled States. Great Britain has no interest IN
taking any 81 ch ground, nor do we believe that
she, when the question shall come 10 be under
Stood, will have any inclination 10 do so.
The National Ia!elligencsr "adopts" the above:
because it embod dies substantially our own
ideas upon the subject and because, We are Tree
10 ayow, our cniet uneasiness concerning this
question took its rise from certain publications
made on the subject, some mon his age, in h.
Courier and EuGui;er ITSELF, though perhaps not
edilorialiy. We should not be surprised, indeed,
if MIR Sqnier had himse scen those articles be-
fore his departure from New York, and So far
as he is no; 10 be "resarded as speaking" on the
occasion referred to, "by authority ct our Gov
eminent" uuered sentiments imbbed from puo.
LEGATIONS in the newspapers before he received in
slruclions'fro his own Government"
A Washington correspondent Of the same N
Y. Courier contains The following:
ut is stated 90 good authority iha, Mr.. Squer,
our Charge al Central Amc,ica, had aoIbs.is! au>