Demoine courier., 1854-12-21
3ates of a0bmtisina.

siderable expense to the United States,
for which provision was made at the last
session of Congress.
This pretended community, he,ero-
geneous assemblage gathered from vari-
Gus countries, and composed, for the
most part, of blacks and persons of mix
ed blood, had previously given other in
dica,ions of mischievous and dangerous
propensi,ies. Early in the same month,
property was clandes,inely abs,racted
from the depot of the Transit Company.
and taken TO Greytown. The plunder-
ers obtained shelter there, and their puf-r
suers were driven back by its people.
who not only protected the wrong-doers
and shared the plumber, but treated with
rudeness and violence those who sought
to recover their property.
Such, in substance, are the facts sub.
mitted to my consideration, and proved
by Trustworthy evidence. I could not
doub. that the case demanded the inter
position of this Government. Justice
required tha, reparation should be made
for so many and such gross wrongs, and
that course of insolence and plunder. :.
tending directly to the insecurity or the
lives Of numerous travellers. and of the
rich treasure belonging to our citizens.
passing over this transit way. should bo
peremptorlly arrested. Whatever j,
might be in other respects, the commu-
nifty in question, in power to do mischief
was not despisable. l. was well provid.
ed with ordnance. small arms and am
muniton, and might easily seize upon
the unarmed boats, freighied with millions
of property, which passed almost daily
within its reach.
1t did not profess 10 belong to any reg
ular Government, and had, in fact, no
recognized dependence on, or connection
with. any one to which the United States
or their injured citizens nigh, apply for
redress, or which could be held RESPONSE
BILE, ir any way, for the outrages CON-
mit,ed. Not standing before the world
in the attitude of an organized political
society, being neither compeIen, to exer-
else the rights nor 10 discharge the obli-
cations of government, il was, in fact,
maurauding establishment, too danger
Gus TO be disregarded. and too guilty to
pass unpunished. and yet incapable Of
being treated in any other way than ss
piratical resort of outlaws, Of camp
of savages, sdepredating on emigrans
trains or caravans and the frontier set
dement's of civilized States.
Seasonable notice was given to the
people of Grey town that this govern
ment required them to repair the injuries
tha, 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 shi,her to enforce
compliance with the demands. But the
notice passed unhe edeG. Thereupon, a
commander of the navy, in charge Of the
sloop-of war Cyane. was ordered to re.
peat the demands, and 10 insist upon
compliance herewith Finding that
neither the populace, nor those assum-
ing to have authority over them, mani.
Tested any disposition to make the lequir-.
ed repara,ion, or even to offer excuse for
their conduct, he warned them, by pub
lie proclamation, that if ,hev did not give
satisfaction within time specified. he
would lombard the town. BY this pro-
cedure, he affored them opportunity to-
provide for their Lersonal safety.
To those who desired to avoid lose Of
property in the punishment about to Be
inflicted on the offending town, he fur
nished the means of removing their
effects, by the boats Of his own ship. and
of steamer which he procured ana
rendered to them for that purpose. AT
length, perceiving no disposition on the
part of the. town to comply with his
acquisitions he appealed to the comman-
der of her Bri.annic Majesty's schooner
"Bermuda." who was seen to have in
tercourse, and apparently much influence
with the leaders among ,hem--to inter-
pose, and persuade them to take some
course calculated to save the necessity
of resorting to the extreme measure in
dica,ed in his proclamation; but that
officer instead Of acceding to the request.
did nothing more than TO protest against
the contemplated bombardment No
steps Of any sort were taken by the
people to give the satisfaction required,
No individuals. ifany there were. who
regarded themselves as not responsible
for the misconduct of the community.
adopted any means to separate theme
selves from the fate of the guilty. The
several charges. on which the demands
for redress were founded, had been pub
licty known to all for some time, and
were again announced to them. They
did not deny any of these charges; they
offered no explanation, nothing in exten n
uaiion of their conduct; bu, contumacious-
y refused to hold any intercourse with
the commander of The "Cyane." By
their obstinate silence they seemed ra,h-
or dssirous to provoke chas,isemsnt
than 20 escape il. There is ample rea-
son to believe that this conduc, Of wan
ton defiance, on their part, is impu.abls
chiefly to the delusive idea that the A.
merican Government would be deferred
from punishing them, through fear Of
displeasing formidable foreign power.
which, they presumed To think. loxAed