The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-19
7 H E R e P u B L | C
w ASH N GTON:
MONDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 10. 1919
THE NICARAGUA QUESTION.
Dir. Monroe's observation-disclosures
Views of that Declaration.

neither the crisis in the affairs of the
South American republics, in 1928, when
Mr.. MONROE made the declaration, (Which,
according to Messrs. Polk and BUCHANAN,
was nothing more than the expression of
an opinion of the Executive, subject to
the deliberation and action of Congress,
nor the Panama Congress, nor the Oregon
difficulty with Great Britain, were proper
and suitable occasions for carrying the
principle of the declaration into practical
effect, but that the Nicaragua difficulty IS.
Very well, then if the present be fit
occasion for carrying out the principle,
why did not the last administration do it
Why, answers the Union, "the late ad-
ministration, it is known, properly de-
clined, within the last few weeks of its
term, doing any thing that might embar-
rass its successors. And the Nicaragua
business was among the very first mat
tiers to which the attention of Mr.. CLAY
TON was called" Miserable subter-
fuge 1t was in October, 1847, that the
British consul general at the Mosquito
shore made his appearance at the port Of
San Juan, in British frigate, and, by
force of arms, caused the Nicaragua flag
to be hauled down, and the Mosquitian flag
to take its place. In the following De-
cember, the same officer again made his
appearance at San Juan, in war steamer,
and appointed governor, port-captain and
town-major therefor. In February, 1S4S
the Nicaraguans having, in the mean
time, again taken possession of the place,
and made prisoners of those ottcers-the
Governor of Jamaica despatched to San
Juan frigate and war steamer, from
which strong force landed, and stormed
and captured the fort of Serapaqui.
What was the Union about when these
violent proceedings took place Did
it sound the tocsin of alarm through
out the land We never heard it.
Did it call for the application of the
Monroe principle to this case of Brit
ish interference in Nicaragua! Not that
we ever heard Of What did it do then !
Nothing. And what did Messrs. Polk
and BUCHANAN do Just the same, as
far as we are advised, that the Union
did-nothing-literally nothing towards
assuring the NicUaguans Of the actiUe an
reference of this Government IN their be.
haJ-nothing toVards giving the British
government distinctly TO understand that
they could not be permitted TO violqte Uih
impunity the territorial rights Of .Nicara-
qua, under pretence of protecting those
of the Mosquito king. And yet, this case
of British interference, in Nicaragua, oc-
CURED, not within few weeks of the
expiration Of Mr.. PoLK's term of service,
but more than year before he left office
Marvellous delicacy, indeed, that pre-
vented Messrs. Polk and BUCHANAN
from interfering, in any way, in the
case, for more than a year after the case
occurred, and, as is believed, for more
than year after their attention had been
specially called TO it by the government Of
Nicaragua-and all this, lest they might
| embarrass their successors The story
is incredible-it is absurd on its face.
But we are treading on controverted
ground. The Union Of the 18th of Oc-
tober alludes to what it is pleased to call
"the insidious and covert insinuations
Of the Republic against Messrs. Polk
and BUCHANAN Of want Of sympathy for,
and neglect Of, Nicaragua" and it goes
on to pronounce such insinuations /" in
every jot and title false and unfounded."
II AYERS that Gthe late administration did
oppose British aggression in Nicaragua -
Hou, uhen, and pherel We have a right
TO ask. We have made no unfounded
! insinuation or untrue averment in relation
TO the conduct Of Messrs. Polk and Blu.
cHANAN in this Nicaragua business The
Union of the 18th instant republishes part
of letter from Washington correspond.
ent Of the Baltimore Republican, referring
to conversation of Mr.. BUCHANAN, dur.
ing his recent visit to this city, on the
subject Of the course pursued by the late
administration in relation to the Nicaragua
affair. The Union itself speaks Of thi.
report Of Mr.. BUcHANAN's conversation as
being " confirmed from other quarters y
From all which we infer, and we have
right to infer, that the EDITORS of Hc
Union Themselves hare had conUerSa.
/ ton NTH Mr. Buchanan on the subject
1t would be unoccountabiy strange if they
had not VIII they, therefore, be gooc
enough to say if, in the conversation
which, We take it for granted, they sought
and had with Mr.. BUCHANAN on this sub
ject, he informed them
! j. Whether he, Mr.. BUCHANAN, 81