Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-12-14


commo6ious routes for communication be-
tween them are by the way oil The 18th
mas Of Central America. IL is the duty
of the gpyerLment 20 secure these ave.
nues against ali danger Of Interrupt
ton.
In relation to Central America, per.
picking questions existed between The
time OF the cession of California. These,
as well as questions which subsequently
arose concerning inter oceanic communi
cation across the lsthmus, were, as it was
supposed, adjusted by the treaty of April
Is, 1850; but, unfortunately. they have
been fe opened by serious misunderstand-
Ing as To The import offs provisions, a re-
adjustment of which is now under consid-
cr4l5oa. Our Minister at London has
a.ele reuuous efforts 10 accomplish this
de,.sabo object. but has not yet found it
pos>lu:e iv bring the negotiations to a ter
tGlna, ~.
rs accidental 20 the questions. deem
Il proper 10 notice an occurrence which
happened Iii Central America, near the
cinSe OF the last session OF Congress. So
soon rs the necessity was perceived Of
establishing inter oceanic communications
across the lSthmus, a company was or
ganzed, under the authority of the State
of Nicaragua, but composed Tor the most
part, of citizens of the United States, for
the purpose # opening snch a transit way
By the river Sd Juan and Lake Nicar-
aqua. which SION became all eligible and
much used route in the transportion of
our citizens and thar property between
The Atlantic and the Pacific. Meanwhile
and in anticipation OF the completion and
Importance of this transit way. a number
of adventures bad taken possession OF the
old Spanish port at the mouth of the river
San Juan, in open defiance OF the State
o. States of Central America, which, up.
on their becoming Independent. had right
w succeeded to the local Sovereignty and
fur sdiction of Spain. These adventur-
ers undertook to change the name af tho
place from San Juan del Norte to Grey
town. and, though first preten ling to act
as the subjects of the fictitious sovereign
of the Mesquite Indians, they subsequent
~ repudiated the control of any power
whatever, assumed 10 adopt a distinct
political organization. and declared them.
selves all independent sovereign State.
Ii at some time. faint hope was enter
tanned that they might become stable and
respectable community, that hope soon
vanished. They proceeded to assert un-
founded claims 10 civil jurisdiction over
Punta Arenas, position on thu opposite
SIDE of the river San Juan, which was in
possession, under title wholly indepen-
dan, OF them. Of citizens of the United
States Interested in the Nicaragua Transit
Company. and which was ndispelsably
necessary to the prosperous operation Of
that route across the Islhmas. TIE com
pany resisted their groundless claims;
whereupon they proceeded to destroy
some of its buildings. and attempted vio-
len!ly 10 dsposess it. A. later period
they organized a strong force for The pur.
pose Of demollshing the establishment at
Punta Arenas, but this mischievous design
was defeated by the interposition Of one of
cur ships af war. at that time in the har-
Dor OF San Juan. Subsequently to this, in
May lest, body of men from Greytown
crossed over 10 Punta Arenas. arrogaling
authority to arrest, on the charge OF muir
der, captain OF one OF the steamboats, Of
the Trunsi, Company, Being we'll aware
that the claim to exercise jurisdiction there
would be resisted then, as il had been on
previous occasions, they went prepared
TO assert it by force Of aims. Our minis
ter to Central America happened 10 be
present on that occasion. Believing that
the captain of the steamboat was innocent
for he witnessed the transaction on which
the charge was iounOed, md believing, al
30, that the intruding party. having no
jurisdiction over the place where they
proposed to make the arrest, would en-
counter resistance if they PERSISTED in
their purpose, he inlerposed effec,uaIy 20
prevent violence and bloodshed. The
American minister afterwards visited Grey.
town. and whilst he was there, mob in
Guiding some Of the so called public func-
tionaries of the place, surrounded 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 dispatched from the American
steamer North Light" to release him
from the petilous situation in which he
was understood to be, was fired into by
the town guard, and compelled to return.
These incidents, together with the known
character Of population OF Greytown. and
their excited state, induced just apprehen.
sions that the lives and property Of our
ctizens at Punia Arenas would be in inn
minent danger after the departure of tie
steamer with her passengers for New
York, unless guard was left for their
protection. For this purpose, and in or.
der to ensure the safety of passengers and
property passing over the route, tempo
rary force was organized. at considerable
expense to the United States, for which
pro, ision was made at the last session of
Congress.
This pretended community, q he.erogo-
neous assemblage gathered from various
countries. and composed for the most part
OF blacks and persons of mixed blood, had
previously given other indications Of mis-
chievous and dangerous propensities. -
Early in the sams month, property was
clandes,inely distracted from the depot