The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-05


all danger Of interruption.
In relation 10 Central America, psrplsnng question.
the time Of the ces ZION Of California These, we
qsesiions which subsequently, arose concerning inter
oceanic communication across ,ns .s.smus wsIs q, a.
1850 but unfortunately they been reepened by So
rlcus Misunderstanding ~ to tOe impc5t o. sone
OF It's provisions, u reaS1ustment Of whish u now
under consideration Our Efuater &C London has sdo
strenuous efforts accomplish this dsetrabe o5ect bus
has not yet found possible to bring tfs negotasons 70
As Incidental to these question: deem it proper t.
near the close Of the last session Of Congrsss So sod
as the necessity perceived n establishing inter-
oceanic communication across the sst company
ragua, but composed for the most part of tixens oe
the United States, for the purpose q opening such
transit way, by the river San Juan and lake Nicaragua.
which bcrame eligible and MUCK usEd route in the
transportation Of our cisizs and their property bstwee
The Atlantic and Pacific Mean while, a1d In anucipstion
Of the completion and Importance OF this trast way
number Of adventurers had taken possession OF the old
defiance Of the States Central Amevca which,
upon their becoming independents had zghtfuny suc-
ceeded to the local sovereignty and Jurisdiction OF 5pai
These adventurers undertook 10 change tho nne OF the
Place from San Juan del Norte to and though
Al hrst pretending to act the ecs OF the Acttiou
sovereign Of the Mosquito Indians they subs 1ueuty
pudaed the control Of any power whatever assumed
adopt distinct political organ and declared them
selves an independent sovereign State. IT, at time
afaint hope entertained thst they might become O.
stable and respectable community that hope
isssd They proceeded to assert untounded claims -
civil jursdction Pun,a Arenas, positior On the
opposite side OF the river San Juan, which in pos
citizens OF the United states interesed in the Ncsrs
qua Transit Company, and which ndispensa Wy ns-
ces sr TO the prosperous operation of that route sososs
the 1stlmus. The company resisted their grouniless
claims whereupon they proceeded 10 destroy OF ~
buildings and attempted violently to dispossess It.
At later period they orgn.ized strong force foRt6a
purpose Of deollshng the establishment at Puntn Are
mas but this miscellaneous design defeated BY thu in
the hsrbor Of san Juan. Sui quenty TO this In Msy
last, body of men from Greytown crossed To Punt
murder, a captain Of one Of the steamboats OF the
Transit Company. Being well aware that the
10 exercise sSsre ss would Ss |
occasions they to 1t force of arms. Our
minister to Central America happened to Be present on
that occasion Believing that the captain Of the steam
boat Innocent for he witnessed the transaction
which the charge was founded and believing also, that
the inrudng party, having no jurisdiction over the
place where they proposed TO make the arrest wouA
encounter desperate resistance Il they persisted
vent violence aud bloodshed. The American mini
ster afterwards visited Greytown, and whilst he
there, mob including certain Of the called public
functonares Of the place, surrounded the house in
wuich he was avowing that they had come to arrest
him. BY order Of some person exercising the chief su
by missile from the crowd A boat, despatched FROM
the American steamer 0orthern Light to release him
from the perous situation In which he understood
to be- was fred into BY the town guard, and compelled
TO return. These incidents, together with the known
cited state, induced just apprehensons that the lives
and ery OF citizens at Punta Arenas would b.
ot00n1oxs
with her passengers Tor New York, unless guard Was
lett Tor their protection For this purpose and in order
10 ensure the safety Of passengers and property passing
over the route temporary force organized,
siderable expense to the United States, for which pro-
vision was made at the last session Of Congress.
( This pretended community, Heterogeneous assemblage
gathered o various countries and composed for the
most part Of blacks and persons Of mixed blood, had
previously given other indications Of mischevous and
dangerous pIope ssities Early in the mouth,
property was clandcsney from the depot d
pundersrs obtained shelter there and their pursuors
were driven back BY s people who not only protected
III rudrness and violence those who sought to
Such in substance are tho facts submitted TO NV con-
liberation, and proved by Trustworthy evidence icouId
not doubt that the demanded the interposton OF
this government. Justice required that repsraton
should % macc Tor 80 many such gross wrongs and
that course OF nsolence and PLUMBER tending directly
to the insecurity Of the lives Of travellers and
Of the rich treasure belonging to citizens pass-
ing over this transit way should be peremptorily
arrested Whatever it might be in other respects the
despicabe. II was wen provided with ordnance smaN
arins and ammunition and might easily seize on the un-
passed almost daily within its rsnch. II did noe
profess to belong to any regular goyernmcnt, and
had n faet no recognized dependence on, or connec
injured citizens might apply for redress which could
be held responsiole in any way for the outrages COM
Of organized political society being neither compe-
tent 10 exercise the rights to discharge the obea-
tions OF mt, it was, in fact maraudipg es-
tablishnent too dangerous disregarded and too
guilty pass unpunished and vet ncnpable Of bene
treated in any other way than as pratca resort q
outlaws or camp OF savages depredatng on emxrsnt
trains or caravans and the frontier settlements Of cvf.
Seasonabe notice was given TO the people of revtovn
that this government required them to repair the in
juries they had done to citizens and to suit
shipofwsr would be despatched thithcr to enforce
compliance with these demands. But the notice passed
charge Of the sloop- -of-war Cyane was ordered 70
repeat the demands and TO insist upon a conpli-
anec herewith. Finding that neither the populacs
them manifested any disposition to make
the required preparation to offer thcr
il they did not give satisfaction within time specified
he would lombard the town. BY this procedure no AZ
safety To those ao who desired to avoid loss of pro
perty in the punishment about to be inflicted the Of
Tending town, he furnished the Of removing
their effects, BY the boats Of his ship and
Of q steamer which no procured and rendered
e them for that pnrpose Atensth psreeivins no ds-
quisitians he appealed to the commander Of her Bri-
tannc Majesty's schooner Bermuda, who was seen TO
the leaders bsm To erpeso anS w,ts
them 10 take some calculated to the neccss
y OF rescrtng TO the extreme Indicated in his
proclamation but that officer instead Of accediny 70
the request, did nothing more than to protest
against the contemplated bomhardrncnt No steps OF
tion required. No individuals, il any there wers who
regarded themselves responsible for the iscon-
themselves from the the fate Of the guilty The several
charges, which the demands for redress founded
bad been publicly known TO all for tme and were
sgan announced TO them. They did not dcny any
OF these charges they offered no cxplannficn.
nothing In cxtcnuaton Of their condnct; but
ciousy rcfoscd to hold intercourse with the COM
mander Of the Csne BY their obstinate silence thsy
seemed rather desrous to provoke chasemcnt than q
conduct Of wanton defiance their part IL imputsbs
chiefly to the delusive idea that the American govern
ment would be deferred from punishing them through
fear OF difrlcaslrg q formidable foreirn p,wer.
which they presumed to think iookei -vitS
ccnIlacency upon their aggressive and in :.ltine
department towards the United States. Tic t,rans
at length fred upon the town Before M "A ia
jury had been done the fire was twice suspended
der to afford opportunity for arrangement bas this
declined Most Of the buildings OF the Mace Of M
Tie value generally in the sequel destroyed but
owing TO the consderate precautions taken by naval
commander, there destruction bf life
Wden the tysne ordered to Central America II We
confidently hoped snd expected that occasion wouM