The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-08

,tdIit auu lucItNslus Intercourse, uIlu -'oSs
Of commercial productions bs.
ween the remote divisions Of tho Repub'
lie. A, the present time, the most practi'
ral and only commodious roulcs between
hem are by The way Of The lsihmus OF
Central America. Ii Is The duly Of The
government 10 secure these avenues against
all danger Of interruption. .-.'s.'s-- --'..ia
10 relation 10 Central America, perplex.
lng questions existed between the United
States and Great Britain nj The time OF The
cessioi Of California. These, rs we'll rs
questions which subsequently arose, con-
corning inier-oceanic communications across
The Islhmus, were, as il was supposed, al.
jusled by The treaty Of April 10, 1850 but,
unfortunately, they have been re-opened BY
serious misunderstanding az 10 the import
Of some Of its provisions, a re-adjus,meni
which is now under consideration. Our
Minister al London has made strenuous ef.
forts 10 accomplish this desirable object, bu,
has not yet found Il possible 10 bring the
negotiations 10 termination.
As incidental 10 these questions, I deem
il proper 10 notice an occurrence which hap.
pened in Central America, near the close
Of The las, session Of Congress. So soon
as The necessity was perceived Of establish.
ing inler.oceanic communications across The
lslhmus, company was organized, under
authority Of Tho State Of Nicaragua, but
composed, for the most part, OF citizens oil
The United States, for the purpose Of open.
ing iransi, way, by the river San Juan
and Lake Nicaragua, which soon became
an eligible and much used route in the
trans poriaiion OF our citizens and their prop:
er,y between the Atlantic aod Pacific
Meanwhile, and In anticipation oil The com.
ploiion aud importance of this transit way,
q number OF Adventures had taken posses.
sion Of the old Spanish port nt1he mouth oil
the river San Juan, in open defiance OF the
State or States of Central America, which.
upon their becoming Independent, had
succeeded 10 the local sovereign
~ aud Jurisdiction Of Spain.
These adventures undertook 10 change
the name of the place from San Juan del
Norle 10 Greylown, and, though at first pre-
tending TO act as the subjects Of the ficlit
ious sovereign the Mosquito Indians, they
subsequently repudialed The control OF any
power whatever, assumed TO adopt a DIS
iinct political organization, and declared
an Independent, sovereign State
II q, some lime, faint hope was enter.
tanned that they might become stable and
respectable community, that hope soon van
ished. They proceeded to assert inbound
ed claims 10 civil jurisdiction over Puma
Arenas, a position on The opposite side o.
the river San Juan, which was in posses
sion, under tile wholly Independent. o.
them, Of citizens Of the United States, in
,erested in the Nicaragua Transit Company
and which was indlspensably necessary ,t
the prosperous operation OF that route across
the Is,hmus. The company resisted lhei'
groundless claims whereuPon they pro
cee,ed 10 destroy some Of lis buildings
and attempted violently 10 dispossess il.
At later period they organized q strong
force for the purpose OF demollshing tht
at Punta Arenas, but THU
mischie vous design was defeated by thu
interposition of ono Of our ships Of war,at thai
time in the harbor of San Juan. Subse
quently to this, in May last, body OF MGR
from Greytown crossed over to Punta Are
mas, arrogatins authority to arrest, on tht
charge of murder, n captain Of one OF tho
Of tho Transit Company. Being
we'll aware that the claim to exercise jnr's
diction there would be resisted then, as i
had been on previous occasions, they wen
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 limo
cent. for he witnessed the transaction on
which the charge vas founded, and believ'
ing also. thatihe intruding party, having no
jurisdiction over the place where they pro-
posed to make the arrest, would encounter
desperate resistance If they persisted in
their purpose, he interposed, eiiectually, TO
violence and bloodshed.
The American minister afterwards visited
Greytown, and whilst he was there, MOB,
including certain OF the so called public
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. when
parlcying with them he was wounded by .
missile from the crowd. A boat, despatched
from tho American steamer "Northein
Light" 10 release him from the pcrilous sit
uation in which be was understood to oe'
was fired into by The town guard, and COM
PEELED to return. These incidents, together
with tho known character Of the population
pf Greytown. and their excited state, induc.
cd just apprehensions that the lives and
OF our citizens at Punta Arenas
would be in imminent danger after the do
parture Of the steamer, with her passengers
Tor New York, unless guard was LETT Tor
their protection. For this purpose, and In
order to ensure the safety Of tho passengers
md properly passing over the route, tenn
porary force was organized, at considerable
expense TO the United States, foI which
provision was made ct the last session oil
Congress.
This pretended community, o hetrogene.
BUS assemblage gathered from various coun.
.ries, and composed, for the most part, OF
blacks and persons OF mixed blood. had
previously given other indications Of mis-.
,hicvous and dangerous propensities. Early
n the same month, property was clandes.
distracted from the depot OF the
Transit Company, and taken TO Greytown.
The plunderers obtained shelter there, and
heir pursuers were driven back by its peo-
lie, who not only protected tho wrongdoers
md shared the plumber, but treated with
udeness and violence those who sought to
ecover their property.
Such, in substance, are the facts submit.
ed to my consideration, and proved by
trustworthy evidence. Il could not doubt
hat the case demanded the interposition Of
his government. Justice required that rep
ration should be made Tor so many and
nd such gross wrongs, and that course Of
nsolence and plumber, tending directly to
he insecurity Of the lives Of numerous trav.
llers, and Of the rich treasure belonging to
ur citizens, passing over this transit way,
ho v,apon, nknrstv or~aokaI