The Yazoo Democrat., 1852-01-14
THE Dem OCR AT.
THE PROMETHEUS CASE.

to of American merchants residing in
San Juan de Nicaragua, or Greytown as
the British call it, on the subject of the
assault of the British brig-ofwar Ex-
press upon the American steamer Pro
metheuS. The purpose of the mani
testo is to show that the steamer was
in fault. The grounds of this opinion
are that Greytown is a free port, gov
erned by city council, who have i'm
posed certain harbor dues, which all
vessels have paid without dispute ex-
cept the PrometheuS. The owners of
that vessel have constantly refused, on
the ground that they did not recognize
the authorities of the port The refu-
sal to pay, according to these signers,
authorized the collection by any means,
including the interference of British
vessel of war firing Shotted guns and
threatening to sink the vessel if she did
not comply with the demands of the
council of the free port" of Greytown.
The objection of the captain of the
PrometheuS to pay these charges is one
thing; the conduct of the British YES
sci in interfering to collect them anoth-
er, and altogether different question:
If a lawful debt was due to rightful
authorities, it would not excuse the vi
olence of a British national vessel to-
wards a merchantmen of the United
States How came British brig-of
war to be the police agent or deputy
tax collector of Greytown in Nicaragua?
That is the point which involves more
difficulty than the simple attack upon
an American vessel, for it includes all
the disputed questions between the Uni
ted States and Great Britain relative to
the assertion by the latter of juriSdic-
ton in Central America, under cover of
the prOtectorate of the Mosquito King
dom. The United States, on the prin-
cipleS SO often avowed, can acknowl-
edge no rightful authority in Greytown,
not sanctioned by the authorities of
Nicaragua, within which Republic it is
During the pendency of
right of sovereignty over the
territory, there might be good reason
for admitting possession in fact and
treating with existing authorities; but
the United States have never allowed
that the Mosquito Kingdom ever exist
ed in fact, or that there ever has been
any possession, actual or constructive,
OF this place, adverse to Nicaragua, ex-
cept really by Great Britain under cover
of a pretended right in the chief of
band Of half-naked savages. The Uni
ted States have always denied this pre-
tended Indian title, and contested the
protectorship founded upon it, by
which Great Btitain has assumed pow
ers of real sovereignty; and it was
thought that the abandonment Stipula-
ted by the Bulwer Clayton treaty, had
put an end to any further discussions
upon so material point which in
wolves the integrity of Republic Of
Central America and the freedom of
commerce and transit abross the 18th
mus from European control. E
But the existence of ansauthority in
Greytown, independent of Nicaragua
and supported by the British navy, is a
fact utterly Inconsistent with the stip-
ulations of the Bulwer treaty, and in
total antagonism to all that the United
States have asserted in respect to the
true sovereignty Of the country. It is
the assertion of a military protectorate
by Great Britain OF the port of San
Juan; and circumstances have shown
that it is in consonance with q
long and deliberate purpose to control
the port for her own commercial pur.
poses The firing upon the Promethe-
US. therefore, becomes significant of a
national purpose; theavoWal of a ma