The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-12-14


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
becoming independent, had rightfuly succeed
cd to the local sovereignty and jurisdiction of
Spain. These adventures undertook to change
the name of the place from San Juan del Nortc
to Greytown, and, though at first pretending
to act as the subjects of the fictitious sovereign
of the Mosquito Indians, they subsequently re-
pudiatcd the control of any power whatever,
assumed to adopt distinct political organic
alton, and declared themselves an independent
sovereign state. If, at some time, faint hope
was entertained that they mi GIT become Il sta
bic and respectable community, that hope soon
vanished.
They proceed to assert unfounded claims
to civil jurisdiction over Pmta Arenas, a
position on the opposite side of the river
San Juan, which was in possession, under a
title wholly independent of them, of citi
zens of the United Stes, interested in the
Nicaragua Transit Company, and which
was indispensably necessary to the prosper
GUS operation of that route across the 18TH
mus. The company resisted their ground
less claims; whereupon they proceeded to
destroy some Of its buildings, and
attempted violently to disposscss it. At
a later period they organized strong force
for the purpose of demolis!ling the estab
lishmcnt at Punta Arenas but this mis-
chcvous design Yves defeated by the interro-
sition of one of our ships of war, at that
time in the harbor of San Juan. Suisse
quentIy to this, i'll May last, body of men
from GreytOwn crossed over to Punta Are
mas, arrogating authority to arrest, on tic
charge of murder, captain of one of the
steamboats, of the Transit Company.
Being we'll aware that the claim TO exercise juris-
dction there would Ike resisted then, it had been
on previous occasions, they went prepared TO assert
it by force ofarms. Our minister Genital Ameri-
ca happened TO be present on that ,casion Believ
ing that the Captain of the Steamboat innocent,
for he witnessed the transaction which the charge
was founded, and believing, also, that the n,ruding
party, having no jurisdiction the place where
they proposed to make the arrest, would encounter
resistance if they persisted in their purpose he inter-
posed eilectualy TO prevent violence and boodshcd.
Ike American minister afterwards visited GreytOwn,
and whilst he was there, mob, including certain Of
the so-called public fnconarics of the place, sur
rounded the house in which he was, avowing that
they had come 10 arrest him, by order of person
exercising the chief authority.
While parleying with them he was
wounded by missile from the crowd.
A boat, dispatched from the American
steamer s'N orth Light" to release him
from the perilous situation in which he
was understood to be, was fired into by
the town guard. and compelled to re-
turn. These incidents, together with
tic known character of the population
eff 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 stca-
mer with her passengers for N. York,
unless guard was left for their protcc-
ton. For this purpose, and in order to
ensure the safety of passengers and
property passing over the route, tenn
porary force was organized, at consid-
cradle expense to the United States. for
which provision was made at the last
session of Congress.
This pretended community, a hctcrogc
neous asscmblagc gathered from various
countries, and composed for the most part
of blacks and persons of mixed blood, had
previously given other indications of mis-
chcvous and dangerous propensitics Early
III the same month, property was clandcs-
timely distracted from the depot Of the
Transit Company, and taken to Greytown.
The pllrclercrs obtained shelter there, and
their pursuers were driven back by its peo-
pie, who not only protected the wrong
doors, and shared the plumber, hut treated
with rudencSs and violence those who sought
to recover their property.
Such, in substance, arc the facts submit
ted to my consideration, aud proved by
Trustworthy evidence. l could not doubt
that the case demanded the interpoSition of
this government Justice demanded that
rcparation should be made for so many and
such gross wrongs, and that Il course Of in
science and plumber, tending directly to the
insecurity of the lives of travellers, and Of
the rich treasure belonging to the citizens
passing over this transit way, should be
peremptor:ly arrested. Whatever it might
be in other respects, the community i'll
question, in power to do mischief was not
dcspicabe. 1t was well provided with Or
dinancc, small arms and ammunition, and
might easily seize upon the marmed boats
freightcd ~;;::!. millions of property which
passed almost daily within its reach.
1t did not profess to belong to any rcgu-
lar government, and had, in fact, no recOg-
nizcd dependence on, or connection with,
any one to which the United States or her
injured citizens might apply for redress, Or
which could be held responsible in any way
for the Outragcs committed. Not standing
before the world in the attitude of an Or
ganized political society," being neither COM
potent to exercise the rights nor to dis
charge the obligations of government, it