New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-09-01
The Greytown Affair.


cies of protectorate exercised by the British
| Government for long aeries OF years over the
Mosquito Coast as possession of any practical
advantage to the interests or the honor of this
country, and we learnt with great satisfaction
about four years ago, that q treaty had been
signed at Washington. by Sir Henry Bulwer
| and Mr.. Clayton, the American Secretary of
State for the purpose of placing the communi-
cation between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,
by way Of Nicaragua, under the joint protection
of the maritime powers most interested in the
prosecution Of that undertaking The spirit of
that treaty was perfectly fair and just; and if
any exclusive rights had ever been claimed or
exercised by the British Government in its for
mer relations with the Mosquito Indians, as far
back as under the Spanish dominion over Cen
trail America, those rights were cheerfully, and,
we think, wisely relinquished in exchange for a
positive engagement from the United States
Government that they would cooperate with
ourselves in the only object which gives a
peculiar value and Importance to that part of
| the globe, namely: the opening of secure line
of communication between the two oceans, and
the establishment of two free ports for all ma
| tions at each extremity of the canal. For this
purpose the commercial stations ut which this
transit trade is carried ON would naturally be-
come important free cities, like the Hanseatc
towns of Europe, having no political character
the services they render to the best interests of
| society.
This being the principle which the British
| Government has for some time past proclaimed
| and acted upon with reference to the passage of
| Nicaragua, with the full concurrence of the
| United States, 1T is with considerable surprise
| and regret that we learn that Greytown, at the
mouth of the river San Juan, has recently been
attacked and destroyed by one Of the most ex-
1 ~ plYfp fta1 htr{
commissioned officers of any civilized State
| GreytOwn is not a British possession; il it
had been measures would have been taken to
repel so wanton and barbarous an attack; but
| we have at this time no further interest in the
place than that which results from the CONNER
| cial undertakings in which British subjects may
| be engaged there. 1t is impossible, however, to
lose sight of the fact, which stands recorded in
q solemn treaty, that Great Britain waived and
relinquished her rights to the protectorate of
| the Mosquito Coast and of Greytown, its prin-
cipal trading station, on the express stipulation
with the United States that they would, in con-
junction with ourselves, guarantee the neu-
trality and security of the passage
The object of that treaty was to promote ssthe
cons truction Of the communication between
g the two oceans for the benefit of mankind, on
sfequal terms to all, and for the protection of
1
AIRY violation of the spirit of that treaty that an
| American ship Of war should have presumed, in
defense of at best very doubtful cause, to at
| tack and destroy the principal commercial sta
ton on that very line of communication which
the American government is expressly bound to
maintain and protect The act Of Capt. Hollins
speaks for itself. It is, indeed, without paral.
lei in any history with which we are acquainted,
for the place was wholly incapable of firing q
/ nt in re ofa L.
| wounded in the attack, and the enterprise was
one of mere destruction. The American papers
| from which we have extracted these details re-
| cord them with the strongest expressions Of
shame and regret, and we cannot doubt that the
public opinion of the enlightened classes in the
United States will condemn these proceedings 40
strongly as the Judgment of every other part of
the world. There is in this case no war and no
provocatlon to account for or to palliate such a
| measure.
1 Far from being at war with the States of Cen
trail America, the Government of the United
i States has always affected to regard them with
| peculiar interest and the first proof given of
this interest is an act of violence which would
have disgraced buccanier Indeed, codsider-
ing the species of protection established by the
Treaty OF 1850, and the engagements contracted
i by the United States towards this country and
the whole world for the security of the passage,
/ eAis ootiaSe VI Sttpt. IOilnS y ID u contempt OF
the authority of his own Government, and a
| gross breach Of faith to every nation which may
have mercantile transactions carried on across
the lsthmus of Nicaragua. [London Times
j THE ARREST OF CAPT. HoLLNs. The order
of arrest was granted by Judge Oakley, of the
Superior Court, New York The damages are
/ laid at $4,000 The amount of bail given by
Capt. Hollins was twenty thousand dollars His
sureties were Hon. Heman J. Redfeld, Collector
Of the Port; John ]. Cisco, Sub Treasurer; and
]. Romeyn Brodhead, Naval Officer
The arrest was made just as the captain was
leaving the city for Boston.
IMMIGRATION to Liberia promises to be IN.
usually large this fall, An expedition will sail
from New York about the LIST of November II
would have been announced for much earlier
period but that the society were DESTROYS of &C.
cumnlating company of emigrants from Penn.
sylvania, who cannot leave before the close Of
October.