Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-12-21

a ship-of war would be dispate hed
thither to enforce compliance with
these demands.
But the notice passed unheeded.--
Thereupon, a commander Of the ma
Wy, in charge of the sloop-ofwar Cy-
ane was ordered to. repeat the de-
mands, aud to insist upon a compli-
ance Herewith. Finding that neither
the populace, nor those assuming TO
have authority over them, manifest
ed any disposition to make the re-
Iquired reparation, or even to offer
excuse for their conduct, he war ned
them by public proclamation, that
if they did not give satisfaction with
in time specified, he would lombard
the town. BY this procedure he af-
forded them opportunity to- provide
Cor their personal safety. To those
also who desired to avoid loss Of prop
erty, in the punishment about to be
inflicted on the offending town, be
furnished the means of removing
their effects, by the boats of his own
ship. and Of a steamer which he pro-
cured and rendered to them for that
purpose,
At length, perceiving no DISPOSE
ton on the part.of the town to com
ply with his acquisitions, he appeal
ed to the commander of her Britannia
Majesty's Schooner Bermuda, who
was seen to have intercourse, and ap-
parently much influence with the
leaders among them, to interpose,
and persuade them to take some
course calculated to save the neeessi-
ty Of resorting to the extreme meas,
ure indicated in his proclamation; out
that officer, instead of acceding to
the request, did nothing more than
to protest against the contemplated
bombardment. No steps Of any sort
we're taken, by the people, to give
the satisfaction required. No indi-
viduals, ifany there were, who regard
ed themselves as not responsible for
the misconduct of the community,
adopted any means to separate them
selves from the fate Of the guilty
The several charges, on which the
demands for redress were founded,
had been publicly known to all for
some slime, and were again announ-
eed to them. They did not deny any
Of these charges, they afforded no
explanation, nothing i'll extenuation
of their conduct; but contumacious-
ly refused to hold any intercourse
with the commander Of the ''Cyane. "
BY their obstinate silence they SEEM
ed rather DESTROYS to provoke chas.
tisement than to escape it. There is
ample reason to believe that this con-
duet of wanton defiance, on thew
part, is imputable chiefly to the de-
lusiye idea that the American gov
eminent would be deferred from pun
ishing them, through fear Of displeas-
ing a formidable foreign power, which.
they presumed to think, looked
with complacency upon their aggres-
sive and insulting deportmenttowards
the United States. The ''Cyane'' at
length fred upon town. Before
much injury was done, the fire was
twice suspended, in order to afford
opportunity for an arrangement; but
this Was declined. Most ofthe build
ings Of the place, of little value gen
orally, were, in the sequel, destroyed;
but, owing to the considerable 'precau-
tions taken by our naval Command
er, there was no destruction of life.
When the "Cyane'' was orderodto
Central America, it was confidently
hoped and expected that no occasion
would arise for "a resort to violence
and destruction of property and loss
of life Instructions to that effect
we're given to her commander; and no
extreme act would have been requi-
site had not the people themselves,
by their extraordinary conduct in the
affair, frustrated all the possible mild
measures for obtaining satisfaction.
A withdrawal from the place, the OBJ
iect Of bis visit entirely defeated,
would, under the circumstances in
which the commander Of the Cyane
found himself, have been absolute a.
abandonment of all claim Of our citi-
zens for Naturalization, and submis-
sive acquiescenee' in national indig-
nifty.
1t would have encouraged in these
lawless men a spirit Of insolence and
rapine most dangerous to the lives
and property of our citizens at Pun
ia Arenas, and probably emboldened
them to grasp at the treasures and