Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-04-14
IMPORTANT FROM SAN JUAN.

3
The causes which have led TO this highly I'M
! portant movement, are briefly as follows
| In April, 1852 the Government of the city of
| San Juan was formally transferred, by the Agent
of the Mosquito King. TO the inhabitants OF the
/ town. No reservations were made, the existing
Constitution was adopted, and since that period
the Government has been conducted by five Amer
| lean citizens, who constitutlonaly elected by
the people Since June, 1881, the American Tran
sit Company of Nicaragua, have occupied piece
/ of land situated on the north side of the Bay OF
/ San Juan as a coal DEPOT and have held the prop
erty on lease derived from the Mosquito Agent,
at the nominal rent of Cd sterling per month
with an agreement that they should vacate the
premises when required by the King for other
purposes 1t became necessary to establish a
quarantine ground and powder magazine, and
the Agent of His Majesty accordingly demanded
| from the Company the release of their claim, IN
accordance with previous stipulations so that the
ground occupied by them might be devoted 10
the new undertaking. No attention was paid to
this request The City Government, desiring 10
effect an honorable adjustment then rendered the
Company sundry grants of land on the south
side of the Bay and on the Lagroon, IN fee simple,
gratis; offering, at the time, TO meet the
expense OF removal, transportation of supplies,
&c; but these proposals likewise passed unnoticed
An ordinance requiring the removal of the Com
panys buildings within the space of thirty days
was thereupon passed by the City Council, and
created great sensation The Commercial agent
of the United States, Mr. Henry L. Stephenson,
] - { - n,
pany, and decided that the question local
one, to be decided by the local authorities but re-
ferred the case 10 his Government, and forwarded
the documents TO Washington.
The ordinance adopted by the City Council
having required the removal within five days of
the temporary building erected by the Company.
outside of their proper limits the dmoaton was
/ peaceably effected by the city officers; but the
Transit Company Agent Thomas Baldwin, was
arrested on charge of threatening and sedirious
( language. and was held 10 bail in the sum of 81
| 500 the T. :. Commercial agent and Mr.. T. D
Harper becoming his sureties.
On the 9Th February, Capt. Abraham Banck-
er arrived at San Juan 10 supersede Baldwin
| Agent of the Company. Baldwin, however, de-
clined relinquish his Junction. and proceeded TO
make preparation for the removal of his office to
dismasted vessel lying in the harbor
! On the 18th of March the legal pIeliminaries
having been adjusted, the election of The Compa-
ny's effects was TO have taken place, but at this
important juncture there appeared in the harbor
the United States sloop-of-war Cyane, commander
George B Hollins, and matters took turn.
The City Government waited upon Captein Hol
! Inns, and placed the facts in his possession The
clerk of the Transit Company also waited upon
him. The United States Agent was i'll, and did
not appear. In the evening file of marines were
landed from the Cyane, on the north side of the
! Bay, and mounted guard on the land in dispute
On the following morning, the City Marshal, &C
companied by two carpenters, proceeded TO exc
cute the writ of ejectment, but he was ordered off
( by Lieutenant of Marines.
Capt. Hollns hereupon informed the Captain
of the Port that he should prevent the execution
of the writ and ordered out another detachment
of marines. His phrase was-"depredatlons up
on the property of the Accessory Transit Com
pany." The Mayor of the City I. J. Martin,
answered that he should proceed to execute the
writ, unless illegally prevented by superior force
/ The Marines were placed under arms, and SO end
ed the writ of ejectment.
! That evening public meeting was held at the
Saranac Hotel. The members of the Govern
nent pres ented through the Mayor, the following
protest, together with their designations
GRGYrowx OR SAN JUAN DBL NoR1E)
Saturday, March ~, 1854
To tAe Commander Of the o. S Ship Of Cyane:
The Undersigned representing the Constitution
al Government of Greytown OF San Juan del
Norte, TO wit: t. ]. Martin, Mayor; w. B. Ger
ring, President of the Council Thomas Cody,
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. and H J.
Richards, Captain of the Port, beg leave to say:
That thus Government has been in existence
under its present organization since the first day
of May a. d. 1882 and during that time has ex-
ercised all the rights and privileges of an indie
pendent State, enac:ing laws under constitution.
and affordirg ample protection 10 person and
property.
The existing Government has been recognized
by the Government of the United States of Amer
lea, as is shown by the appointment of Henry L.
Stephenson, Esq Commercial Agent to this city
on the part of the United States. and by that of
Great Britain by the appointment of H. G. Fook
British Yice-Consul on the part of that Gcv
/ eminent
The proceedings of this Government in rela-
ton to the Illegal occupancy of lands belonging
TO the city by the Accessory Transit Company of
Nicaragua, has been conducted according TO the
due forms of law recognized and acknowledged
by all zrd nations
The occupancy Of a portion of this city, by
armed force from the United States ship-of-war
Cydns Tor the purpose of resisting the execution
of legal process, issued by the authorities OF
this city, without previous notice thereof being
given 10 tins Government, and the actual resist
anoe by force and arms presented to the officer
charged with the execution of said process can.
not be viewed IN any other light than as a direct
invasion of the territory of this CITY, destructive
/ alike TO IT'S Government, its laws and consequent
/ y of the welfare and safety of its inhabitants
Al