Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-12-13

Paragraph Is, has something of only moder
ate interest about Mexico.
Paragraphs %, 90, "a, rs, 26, 81 and %, giv'
an account Of the Grcytown affair and as much
very much has been scribled on the subject pr
and con, we commend the version of Presiden
PIERCE to all:
GAS identical to these questions deem i
proper 10 notice an occurrence which happened
in Central America, near the close of The las
session of Congress. So soon as the necessity
was perceived of establishing inter-oceanic cum
munications across the isthmus, company was
organized, under authority of the State Of Nj
caragua, but composed, for the most part o.
citizens of the United States, for the purpose o
opening such.a transit way, by the river San
Juan and Lake Nicaragua, which soon became ar
eligible and much used route in the transporta
tion of our citizens and their property between
the Atlantic and Pacific. Meanwhile, and in an.
ticipaion of the completion and importance ol
| this transit way, q number of adventurers had
taken possession of the old Spanish port at the
mouth of the river San Juan, in open defiance
of the State or States of Central America, which,
upon their becoming independent had rightfully
succeeded TO the local sovereignty and jurisdc.
ton of Spain. These adventures undertook 10
change the name of the place from San Juan
del Norle to Greytown, and, though at first pre-
tending TO act as the subjects of the fictitious
sovereign Of the Mosquito Indians, they subse-
quenty repudiated the control Of any power
whatever, assumed to adopt district political
organization, and declared themselves an inde-
pendent sovereign State. IT, at some time, il
faint hope was entertained that they mi ght be-
come stable and respectable community, that
hope soon vanished. They proceeded to assert
unfounded claims to civil jurisdiction over Punta
Arenas, position on the opposite side Of the
river San Juan, which was in possession, under
title wholly independent Of them, of citizens
of the United States, interested in the Nicaragua
Transit Company, and which was indispensably
necessary to the prosperous operation Of that
route across the lshmus. The company resisted
their groundless claims; whereupon they pro-
ceeded to destroy some Of its buildings, and at
tempted violently 10 dspossess it.
At Il later period they organized Il strong force
for the purpose Of denclishng the establishment
at Punta Arenas, but this mschicyous design
was defeated by the interposilion of one of our
ships Of war, ut that time in the harbor of San
Juan. Subsequently TO this, in May last, a body
of men from Greytown crossed over TO Pun,a
Arenas, arrogating authority to arrest, on the
charge of murder, II captain of one of the steam
boats of the Transit Company. Being well
aware that the claim to exercise jurisdiction there
would be resisted then, as it had been on previ-
Gus occasions, they went prepared TO assert ii by
force of arms. Our minister to Central Amcrl-
ca. happened to be present on that OCCASION. Be-
cving that the captain of the steamboat Wos
innocent, for he witnessed the transaction on
which the charge was founded and believing,
also, that the intruding party, having no juris-
diclion over the place where they proposed TO
make the arrest, would encounter desperate re-
sistancc if they persisted in their purpose, he
intcrposcd, eliec;ually, TO prevent violence and
boodshed. The American minister afterwards
visited Greytown, and whilst he was there mob,
including certain of the so-caled public func-
tionaries of the place. surrounding the house in
which he was, avowing that they had come to
arrest him by order Of some person exercising
the chief authority. While parleyng with them,
he was wounded by q missile from the crowd.
boat, despatched from the American steamer
T" Northern Light" to release him from the peril
Gus situation in which he was understood 10 be,
WAS fired into by the town guard and compelled
TO return. These incidents, together with the
known character of the population Of Grrytown,
and their excited state, induced just apprehen-
sions that the lives and property of our citizens
at Punta Arenas would be in imminent danger
after the departure of the steamer with her pas
sengers for New York, unless a guard was left
for their protection. For this purpose, and in
order to insure the safety of passengers and
property passing over the route, a temporary
force was organized, at considerable expense to
the United States, for which provision was made
at the last session of Congress.
This pretended commurity-a heterogeneous
assemblagc, gathered from various countries, and
composed for the most part of blacks and per-
sons of mixed blood-had previously given other
indications of mischevous and dangerous pro-
pensilcs. Early in the same month, property
was clandeslinely abstracted from the depot of
the Transit Company and taken to Greytown.
The plunderers obtained shelter there, and their
pursucrs were driven back by its people, who not
only protected the wrongdoers and shared the
plumber, but treated with rudeness and violence
those who sought to recover their property.
Such, in substance, are the facts submitted to
nv consideration, and. proved by trustworthy
evidence could not doubt that the case de-
manded the interpostion of this Government.
Justice required that reparation should be made
for 50 many and such gross wrongs and that Il
course of insolcnce and plunder, tending directly
to the insecurity of the lives of numerous trav-
ellers, and of the rich treasures belonging to our
citizens, passing over this transit way, should be
percmptoriy arrested. Whatever it might be in
other respects, the community in question, i'll
power to do mischief, was not despicabe. 1t was
well provided with ordnance, small arms and
ammunition, and might easily seize on the un-
armed boats, frcghied with millions of property,
which passed almost daily within its reach. 1t
did not profess 10 belong to any regular govern
ment, and had, in fact, no recognised dependence
on or connection with any one to which the u.
States or their injured citizens might apply for
redress, or which could be held responsible in
any way for the outrages committed Not stand
inc before the world in the attitude of m Or
ganized political society, being neither compe-
| tent TO exercise the rights nor to discharge the
obligations of government, it was in fact a
maraudiug establishment, too dangerous to be
dsregarded, and too guilty 10 pass unpunished,
and vet incapable of being treated in any other
way than as a piratical resort of outlaws or Il
camp of savagcs, depredaling on eInigrant trains
or caravans and the frontier settlements of ciyii-
zed States.
Scasonable notice was given TO the people OF
Greytown that this Government required them
TO repair the injuries they had done 10 our cili-
zens, and to make suitable apology for their insult
to our Minister, and that ship-of-war would be
despatched thilher to enforce compliance with
these demands But the notice passed unheeded
Thereupon commander of the navy, in charge
of the sloop.of-war Cyane," was ordered to re.
peated the demands, and to insist upon com
plianee Herewith. Finding That neither the
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