Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-12-14


ation.
As incidental to these questions. / deem it
proper to notice an occurrance which happen
ed IN Central America near the close of the
last session of Congress. So soon as the
necessity was perceived of establishing inter-
oceanic communications across the Isthmus, q
company was organized, under authority of
the State of Nicaragua, but composed, for
the most part, of citizens of the United
States; for the purpose of opening such
transit way, by the river San Juan and Lake
Nicaragua, which soon became an eligible
and much used route in the transportation of
our citizens and their property between the.
Atlantic and Pacific.
Meanwhile, and in anticipation of the COM
pletion and Importance of this transit way,
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 juris-
diction of Spain. These adventurers under
took to change the name of the place from
San Juan del Norte to Greytown, and though
at first pretending to act as subjects of the
fictitious sovereign of the Mosquito Indians,
they subsequently repudiated the control of
any power whatever, assumed to adopt dis
tinct political organization, and declared
themselves an independent sovereign state.
If, at the same time, a faint hope was en-
tertained that they might become a stable
and respectable community, that hope soon
vanished. They proceeded to assert unfound-
ed claims to civil jurisdiction over Puentos
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
indispensable necessary to the prosperous
operation of that route across the Isthmus;
The company resisted their groundless claims
whereupon they proceeded to destroy some of
its buildings, and attempted violently to dis
possess it.
AT a later period they organized strong
force for the purpose of demolishing the
establishment at Puento Arenas; but this
mischievous design was defeated by the inter-
position of one of our ships of war, at that
time in the harbor of San Juan Subsequent
ly to this, in May last, body of men from
Greytown crossed over to Puenta Arenas, ar
rogating authority to arrest on the charge of
murder, a captain of one of the steamboats,
of the Transit Company Being well aware
that the claim to exercise Jurisdiction there
would be resisted then, as it had been ON pre-
vious occasions, they went prepared to assert
it by force of arms
Our minister to Central America happened
to be present ON that occasions Believing
that the captain of the steamboat was inno-
cent, for he witnessed the transaction on
which the charge was founded, and believing,
also, that the intruding party. having no jur-
isdiction over the place where they proposed
to make the arrest, would encounter desperate
resistance if they persisted in their purpose,
he interposed, effectualy to prevent violence
and bloodshed. The American minister after
wards visited Greytown, and whilst he was
there, mob, including certain of the so
called public functioharies of the place, sur
rounded the house in which he was, avowing
that they had come to arrest him, by order of
some person exercising the chief authority.
While parleying with them he was wounded
by missile from the crowd. A boat, des-
patched from the American steamer ''North-
ern Light" to release him from the perilous
situation in which be was understood to be,
was fired into by the town guard, and COM
PEELED to return. These incidents, tsogether
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 Puento Arenas would be in
imminent danger 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 ovel
/ the route, a temporary force was organized
at considerable expense to the United States
| for which provision was made at the las
session of Congress.
This pretented community, Heterogeneous
assemblage gathered from various countries
and composed for the most part, of black:
| and persons of mixed blood, had previousl,
| given other indications of mischievous ant
dangerous propensities. Early in the SAM
month, property was clandestinely abstracteS
from the depot of the Transit Company ant
taken to Greytown. The plunderers obtain
ed shelter there, and their pursuers wer'
driven back by its people, who not only pro
tected the wrongdoers and shared the plumber
but treated with rudeness and violence thost
/ who sought to recover their property.
Such, in substance, are the facts submitted
to my consideration, and proved By trust
worthy evidence. 1 could not doubt that the
case demanded the interposition of this gov.
ernment. Justfce requirSu tnae rSPai a'ioi
should be made for so many and such gros'
wrongs, and that a course of insolence ane
plunder. tendingsdirectly to the insecurity o
/ the lives of numerous travellers, and of th,
rich treasure belonging to our citizens, pass
ing over this transit way. should be perennpt
orily arrested Whatever it might be il
other respects, the community in question, il
power to do mischief, was not despicable,
was well provided with ordnance, small arms
and ammunition, and might easily Seize o.
the unarmed boats, frefghted with millions G
/ L.