Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-12-14

+ interested in the Nicaragua Transit
; Company, and which was indispensably
necessary to the prosperous operation
of that route across the lsthmus. The
company resisted their groundless
, claims; whereupon they proceeded TO
, destroy some Of its buildings, and at
D tempted violently to dispossess it.
AT later period they organized a
r strong force for the purpose Of demol-
: lshing the establishment at Punta Are
=, mas, but this mischieyous design was
: defeated by the interposition Of one of
: our ships of war, at that time in the
! harbor of Greytown, crossed over TO
Punta Arenas, arrogating authority to
arrest on the charge of murder, a cap-
tain 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 previous occasions. they went
prepared to assert it by force of arms.
Our minister to Central America hap
pened to be present at that oceasion.-
Believing that the captain Of the steam
boat was innocent, for he having wit
messed the transaction on which the
charge was founded, and believing, al
50. that the intruding party, having no
Ijurisdictisn over the place where they
proposed making the arrest, would en-
counter desperate resistance if they per-
sisted in their purpose, he interposed eff
fectually, topreyent violence and blood
shed.
The American minister afterwards
visited Greytown, and whilst he was
there, a mob, including several of the
so-ealed public functionaries Of the
place. surrounded the house in which
he was, avowing that they had come
to arrest him, by order of some per-
son exercising the chief authority
While parleying with them he was
wounded by missile from the crowd.
A boat, despatched from the American
steamer Northern Light to release him
from the perilous situation in which he
was understood to be in, was fired into
by the town guard, and compelled to
return. These Incidents, together 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
Punta Arenas would be in imminent
danger after the departure of the steam
er, with her passengers, for New York,
unless guard was left for their pro-
lection. For this purpose, and in order
to insure the safety Of passengers and
property passing over the route, tenn
porary force was organized, at consider
able expense to the United States, for
which provision was made at the last
session Of Congress.
This pretended community, a hete-
rogeneous assemblage, together from
various countries. and composed for the
most part, of blacks and persons Of
mixed blood, had previously given 9TH
er indications of mischievous and dan
gerous propensities. Early in the same
month property was clandestinely alb
straeted from the depot Of the Transit
Company and taken to Greytown. The
plunderers obtained shelter there, and
their pursuers were driven back by its
people, who not only protected the
wrong-doers, and shared the plunder,
but treated with rudeness and violence
those who sought to recover their pro-
perty.
Such, in substance are the facts sub
mitted to my consideration and proved
by trustworthy evidence. l could not
doubt the case demanded the interposi-
ton of this government. Justice re-
quired that reparation should be made
for so many gross wrongs; and that
course Of insolence and plunder, tending
directly to the insecurity of the lives Of
numerous travellers, and of the rich
treasure belonging to our citizens pass.
ing over this transit way, should be =.
arrested.
Whatever it might be in other respects, the
in question, in power to do mis-
chief was not despicable. II was well pro-
vided with ordnance, small arms, and ammu-
milton. and might easily seize on the unarmed
boats. freighted with millions of property,
which pass almost daily within its reach. It
did not profess 10 belong to any regular gov
and had, IN fact, no recognized de-
pendence on, or connection with any one to
which the United States or their injured citi-
zens might apply for redress, or which could
be held responsible, in any way, for the OUT
ages committed. Not standing before the
Fofld in the attitude Of an organized political
.ociety, being neither competent to exercise
he rights nor to discharge the obligations Of
government, Il was in fact a narauding es-
ablishment, too dangerous be disregarded,
md too guilty to pass unpunished, and yet in
.apabIe Of being treated in any other way
han as piratical resort of outlaws, or acamp
# savages, depredating on emigrant trains o.
caravans, and the frontier settlements Of civil
izrd States rr-GrETEl gS's
The several charges, on which the demands
or redress were founded, had been publicly
Inown tos,l for some time, and were again an
louneed to them. They did not deE5 any Of
hese charges; they offered no explanation.
othing in e1tenuatioa Of their conduct; but
refused tohold any intercourse
With the commander of the "Cyane." By
heir silence they seemed rather desiTOus
Q provoke chastisemeDt than TO escape it,
here is ample reason to believe that this con-
uct Of wanton defiance. On their PAT, Is I'M
liable chiefly to the. delusive idea that the
Amerean Government would be deferred from
unishihg them, through fear Of displeasinga
ormidable foreign power, which, they pre-
umed 10 think, looked with complacency upon
ba;r .c,oressive and insulting denorfrnenf To-