The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-12-09
291

Necessity was perceived OF eStdpllSH1IR lNeI-
oceanic communications across the Isthmus,
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 d
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 completion and i'm
portance of this transit way, a number OF
Adventures 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 be-
coming independent, had rightfully succeed.
ed to the local sovereignty and jurisdiction
of Spain. These adventures undertook to
change the name of the place from San Juan
del Norte TO Greytown, and, though at first
pretending to act as the subjects of the fic-
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 some time, faint hope was entertain
ed that they might become a stable and re-
spectacle community, that hope soon van
ished. They proceeded to assert unfounded
claims to civil jurisdiction over Punta Are
mas, 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, end
which was indispensably necessary to the
prosperous operation Of that route across the
Isthmus. The company resisted their ground
less claims; whereupon they proceeded to
destroy some of its buildings, and attempted
violently to dispossess it.
At later period they organized strong
force for the purpose of demolishing the cs
tablishment at Punta Arenas, but this mis-
chievous design was defeated by the inter
Iposition 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
lGreytown crossed over to Punta Arenas, ar
rogating authority to arrest, on the charge of
murder, captain of one of the steamboats,
of the transit company Being we'll aware
that the claim TO exercise jurisdiction there
would be resisted then, as it had been on
previous occasions, they went prepared to
assert it by force of arms. Our minister to
Central America happened to be present on
that occasion. Believing that the captain
of the steamboat was innocent, for he
witnessed the transaction on which the
charge was founded, and believing, also, that
the intruding party, having no jurisdiction
over the place where they proposed to make
the arrest, would encounter desperate resist
ance if they persisted in their purpose, he
nterposed effectually, to prevent violence
and bloodshed.
The American minister afterwards visited
Greytown, and while there, a mob, including
certain Of the functionaries of the place,
surrounded the house in which he was, avow-
ing that they had come to arrest him by or
der Of some person, exercising the chief au-
thority. While parleying with them, he was
wounded by missile from the crowd. A
boat dispatched from the American steamer
Northern Light to release him from the per
lilous situation in which he vas understood
to be placed, was fred into by the town
guard and compelled to return. These Incl
dents, together with the known character OF
the population of Greytown, and their ex-
cited state induced just apprehension thay
the lives and property of our citizoas at Pun
ia Arenas would be in imminent danger after
the departure of the steamer with her pas
sengers for New York, unless guard was
left for their protection. For this purpose,
and in order to ensure the safety of the pas
lsengers and property passing over the route,
La temporary force was organized at consid-