Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1854-12-09

Time in the hurbor of San Juan. S.bse-
ouently TO this, in May last, body OF men
from Greytown crossed over to Punta Are
mas, arropating authority to arrest, on the
charge Of murder. captain OF one OF tue
steamboats Of the Transit Company. De-
inc we'll aware that the claim to esercisc
jurisdiction there would be resisted then, ~
had been on previous occasion, they went
nrepared to assert il by force of arms
Our minister to Central America happened
TO be present on that occasion. Believing
that the captain Of the steamboat was IN
nocent. for he witnessed the transaction
ON which the change was founded, and be.
lieyinp, also, that the intruding party, hay-
ing no Jurisdiction over the place where
thew proposed to make the arrest. wonid
encounter desperate resistance il they per.
sisted in their purposes, he interposed Ell.
fec,naIly, to prevent violence and blood
shed. The American minister afterwards
visited Greytown, and whilst he was there.
q mob, including Certain Of the so-ca'ied
public functionaries Of the place, surround
ed the house in which he was avowing that
they had come to arrest him, BY order OF
some person exercising the chief authorl-
ty.
While parleying with them he was
wounded by missile from the crowd. a
boat, despatched from the American steam
or, "Northern Light" to release him from
the perlous situation in which he was I'M
derstood to be, was fred into by the town
guard. and compelled to return. These in
cidents, together with the known character
Of the population Of Greytown, and their
excited state, induced just apprehensions
that the lives and property OF our citizens at
Punta Arenas would be in imminent dan
ger after the departure of the steamer, with
her passengers, for New York. unless
guard was left for their protection. For
this purpose, and in order to ensure the
safety Of passengers and property passing
over the route, a temporary force was organ
lied, at ,nsiderable expense to the United
States, for which provision was made at the
last session Of Congress.
This pretended community, hetroge-
nous asscmb age, gathered from various
countries, and composed, for the most part
Of blacks and persons OF mixed blood,
had previously given other indication OF mis-
chievous and dangerous propensities, Ear
~ in tho same month, property was clan
destinely distracted from the depot OF the
Transit Company, and taken to Greytown.
The plunderers obtained shelter there, and
their pursuers were driven back by its peo-
pie. who not only protected the wrong-do
ers and shared the plumber, but treated
with rudeness and violence those who
thatr
Sush, in substance, are the facts submit
ted to my consideration, and proved by
trust worthy evidence. ! could not doubt
the case demanded the interpostion of the
government. Justice required that repara.
ton should be made for 50 many, ind such
gross wrongs, and that q course insolence
and plumber, tending directly to the Insecure
ity of the lives OF numerous travellers, and
OF the rich treasure belonging To our cti-
zens, passing over I is transit way, should
be peremptorily arrested. Whatever II
might be in other respects, the commu nity
in question, in power to do mischief, was not
despicable 1t was well provided with or
dinance, small arms and ammunition, an
might easily seize on the unarmed boats,
ireighted with millions of property which
passed almost daily within its reach. II
did not profess to belong TO any regular gov
eminent, and had. in fact, no recognized de-
pendence on, or connection with, any one
TO which the United States, or their njur.
ed citizens, might apply for redress, or
which could be held responsible, in any
way, for the outrages committed.
Not standing before the world in the atti-
tude of an organized political society, being
neither competent to exercise the rights
nor to discharge the obligations OF gov
ernment it was, in fact, maraud!ng eslab-
lshment, too dangerous to be dsregarded,
and too guilty to pass unpunished, and yet
Of being treated in any other way
than as a piratical resort OF outlaws, or a
camp OF savages, depredating on emiyrant
trains OF caravans, and the frontier settle
ments OF civilized States.
Scasonabie notice was given the people
Of Greytown that this government required
them to repair the injuries they had done to
our citizens, and to make suitable apology
for their Insult of our minister, and that a
ship -of-war would be dispatched thither to
enforce compliance with those demands.
But the notice passed unheeded. There
upon, q commander of the navy, in charge
Of the sloop- Of war"C yane," was ordered to
repeat the demands, and to insist upon a
there with Finding that
neither the populace, nor those assuming
to have authority over them, manifested any
disposition to make the required reparation
or even to offer excuse for their conduct, he
warned them by public proclamation, that
fthey did not give satisfaction within a time
specieJ, he would lombard the town. By
this procedure he afforded them opportuni-
ty to provide for their personal snfcty. To
those who also desired to avoid loss Of prop
arty, in tho punishment about to be inflict-
ed on the offending town, he furnished the