Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-12-26
Message Of the Psss,.e.t In Relate, 10 the Prone

Message or the Prcsiient In Relation to the Promo
tlleus AGair.
The following is the Presidents message. and the
naval instructions, in the matter of the outrage up
on the Prometheus sent into the Senate on Wednes-
day:
To the Senate of the United States:
have received q resolution of the Senate, adopt
ed on the 18th inst, in the following terms:
Resolved, That the President of the United States
be requested to communicate to the Senate. II not
inconsistent with the public interest," any informa-
ton the Executive may have received respecting the
firing into and seizure of the American steamship
Prometheus, by British vessel of war, IN November
last, near Greytown, the Mosquito coast and al
so what measures have been taken by the Executive
to ascertain the state of the facts, and to vlndlcate
the honor of the country
In answer to this request, submit to the Senate
the accompanying extracts from communication
addressed to the Department OF State by JOS L.
White, as counsel Of the American and Atlantic and
Pacific Ship Canal Company. dated I'd inst. This
communication is the source OF the information re-
ceived by the Executive in relation to the subject
alluded to, and is presumed to be essentially correct
in its statements of the facts Upon receiving this
communication Instructions such as the occasion
seemed to demand, were Immediately dispatched to
the minister of the United States in London. Sufh-
cent time has not elapsed for the return of any an
swer to this dispatch from him and, in my judg-
ment it would at the present moment be inconslst-
ent with the public interest to communicate these
instructions. communication however, OF all the
correspondence will be made to the Senate at the
earliest moment at which a proper regard to the
public interest will permit. At the same time in
structions were given to Commodore Parker, com
handing the Home Squadron, copy of which, so
far they relate to the of the Prometheus, is
herewith transmitted to the Senate.
Signed WILLARD FILLMORE
Washing ton, Dec Is, 1851.
Sir-The President has learned that English
brig of war. the Express, lying in the barbor of San
Juan de Nicaragua, has recently fired upon the
American steamer PrOmetheus while in the act OF de-
parture from that harbor and compelled them to
pay certain demands alleged to be port charges and
claimed by persons protesting to act under the au-
thority of the local government The particulars of
the affair will be found in letter of the agent OF
the Prometheus already published in the newspa-
pers of New York, copy of which is herewith trans
mitted.
Whatever may have been the merits of the ques-
ton between the Captain of the Prometheus and the
authorities of Nicaragua the United States acknowl
edge no rights in the Government, or vessel OF
Great Britain to exercise any police supervision over
American merchant vessels in Nicaragua OF else
where out of British Dominions.
On the contrary, the first articles of the conven-
ton between the United States and her Britanic
Majesty relative to Nicaragua, signed April 10Th
1850 of which copy is also enclosed. expressly ex
cludes each of the contracting parties from assum
ing or exercising dominion over Nicaragua, Costa
RIGA, the Mosquito coast, any part of Central
America, You will, therefore, soon the Sara
shall be in all respects ready for sea- proceed in
her to San Juan de Nicaragua, for the purpose Of
affording protection to American commerce and in
terests that coast against any such interference
for the future and your arrival there you will
tify the officer in command of her Britannia Males
tvs naval force in that harbOr that coast,
the object of your visit; at the time you viii
assure the local authorities of the port that the U
States will not justify the non payment of any law
full and proper duties the part of their merchan
vessels, and that they desire the most friendly rela
tons with Central America. and will faithfully main
tain their part the stpulations of the treaty al
ready referred to.