The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-06
The President's Message and the GreytOwn
OutragS.A Clear Case Tor Congress.

There js rjking contrast between the
general meek and christianity oneo the P. esi-
dents message. and It's bully ing ustiic alton Of
the Infamous bomba dment and barning Of
GTeytOwn. With regard t, England, France
and Spain, cur Executive "roars as gently az
. sucking dove" but n reference to Greytown
be assumes the character OF he rufian, aud
with the bravado of ruffian seeks to us-ify
series Of unlawful acts, which cannot te de-
Tended from the facts, or the Jaw. or precedent,
or the usages or opinions Of civilized people.
The first complaint against TIE inhabitants Of
Grey own is, that they were number Of I" ad-
venturers" Without going further back, SO
were the settlers of Plymouth Rock, Of James
tosn, and all other places. Our Western pio-
neers, our emigrants to California, were and
are adventurers. All men are adventures,
more or less. Some are fortunate, others are
not; but the most unfortunate Of the present
day are the political adventurers of the Cabinet
coalition at Washington. The next charge
against the people Of the burnt village il,
that they had the audacity to change its name
rom San Juan del Norte to Greytown, and sub
sequently to assume the character Of 81 sove-
reign and Independent State" Most people in
reignty," would say that these crimes were
scarcely suficieot to Justify the judgment OF
bombshells and firebrands. But this is not all
"They proceeded to assert unfounded claims
to civil jurisdiction over Punta Arenas, posi-
ton on the opposite side Of the river, under a
title wholly independent Of them, of citizens
of the United States, interested in the Nicara-
qua Transit Company" &c. What does this
mean? That Mr.. Pierce has set up United
States coosy Of Americans at Punta Arenas?
II SO, he has been guilty Of . violation of the
Clayton Bulwer treaty, which forbids all colo
nzation OF attempts ut colonization in the in
dependent States Of Central America by either
of the high contracting parties. And was not
this Nicaragua Transit Company under the ju-
risdction Of Nicaragua? We take it that Mr..
Pierce had about as much right to interfere
upon this question Of territorial jurisdiction
between Grey town and Nicaragua, rs he would
have 10 interfere in the war between Santa
Anna and Alvarez.
The browning act Of impudence Of these
authority to arrest, on the charge Of murder,
captain OF one of the steamboats, of the Traust
Company" And why nots Why suppress the
truth? TIE captain did commit the killing, and
within the assumed jurisdiction Of the Grey
town authorities. They were bound to arrest
the man accused and try him, and, if found
guilty of murder, they were bound to hang him.
They believed their jurisdiction would be disput.
ed, and go, very naturally, we think, they went
to assert it by force Of arms" Our minister,
Major Borland, interposed. He believed the
captain innocent. He saw him from the deck
of the steamer deliberately shoot down Antonio
in his bungo, and yet he believed the captain
innocent. In the face Of all the witnesses and
all the world, our President says so. But
MAJOR Borland, after preventing bloodshed,"
went over to Greytown, where he was pretty
roughly handled by the adventures - and
SO the trouble thickened until the gallant Major
found it necessary to organize temporary
military force at our expense, for the protec-
ton of the Transit Company and their people
against the bloody Greytown adventures
on the other side Of the river. These compli-
cations of the imbroglio were all the result Of
the unauthorized interference Of our minister
in the affair Of the assassination of Antonio.
But it appears, also, that this pretended
community had been guilty Of plunderiug, aud
sheltering the plunderers, Of the depot of the
Transit Company; that they could only be
treated as ~ marauding establishment" only
as a piratical resort of outlaws, or scamp of
savages." And SO the sloop-of-war Cyane was
cent down, and after some parleying, to give
color Of justification to the outrage, the offend
ing village, the ''marauding establishment"
"the pretended community" the "piratical
resort of outlaws" the scamp of savagesn was
bombarded and burned to the ground. The overt
acts committed by its people or authorities
were the alleged stealing Of boat load o. pro-
visions from the Transit Company's depot, the
attempts to arrest Captain Smith upon charge
Of murder, and the breaking of an empty whis-
key bottle over Major Borland's nose, amid the
excitements of mob.
Now, we should like to know by what au-
thority, except that Of the divine right Of the
filibuster, Mr.. Pierce denounces the people of
Grey town as marauders outlaws pirates and
savages We believe that the principal pro-
pcrty holders and residents in the town were
Americans honorable and respectable men;
and that there were others-French and Eng
lsh--also respectable, civilized, and honest
men, who, with the Americans. monopolizcd the
business and property of the place. We have
shown heretofore that the government of Grey
town was regularly organized, and that its mu-
nicipal powers were conceded on all hands.
The hard names, therefore, applied TO the town
and its inhabitants by Mr.. Pierce, are without
justification, in fact They are but go many
mean and eratuitous insults to the community
in question artful lodges to cover up, in
hurninU Of GrevtOwn