The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-12-15

this government compelled the abandonment
of the undertaking.
The commission to establish the new line
between the United States and Mexico, ac-
cording to the provisions of the treaty of the
Both OF December last has been organized,
and the work is already commenced.
Our treaties with the Argentine Confedera-
ton, and with the Republics of Uruguay and
Paraguay, secure TO us the free navigation of
the river La Plata, and some of its larger trib-
utaries; but the same success has not attend
ed our endeavors to open the Amazon. The
reasons in favor of the free use of that river,
| had occasion to present fully in former
message: and, considering the cordial rela-
tons which have long existed between this
government and Brazil, it may be expected
that pending negotiations will, eventually,
reach favorise result
Convenient means of transit, between the
several parts Of country, are not only de-
sireabIe for the objects of commercial and
personal communication, but essential to its
existence under one government. Separated
as are the Atlantic and Pacific coast of the
United States, by the whole breadth Of the
continent, still the inhabitants of each are
closely bound together by community of orr
gin and institutions and by strong attachment
to the Union. Hence the constant and in
creasing intercourse, and vast interchange of
commercial productions, between these remote
divisions of the Republic. At the present
time, the most practicable and only commo-
dious routes for communication between
them are by the way of the Isthmus of Gen.
trail America. 1t is the duty of the govern
A III i
ger of interruption.
In relation to Central America, perplexing
qestions existed between the United States
and Great Britain at the time Of the cession
of California. These, as well as questions
which subsequently arose concerning inter-
oceanic communication across the isthmus
were as it was supposed, adjusted by the trea-
ty of April l9, 1850; but unfortunately, they
have been re.opened by serious misunder-
standing as to the import of some of its pro-
visions, re-adustment of which is now un-
der consideration. Our minister Mt London
has made strenuous efforts to accomplish this
desirable object, but has not yet found it
possible to bring the negotiations to ter
mination.
AS incidental to these questions, deem it
ed in Central America. near the close of the
last session of Congress. So soon as the
necessity was perceived of establishing inter-
oceanic communications across the lsthmus,
company was organized, under authority of
the State Of Nicaragua, but composed, for
the most part of citizens of the United States,
for the purpose of opening such transit
way, by the river San Juan and the Lake Mic
aragua, which soon became an eligible and
much used route in the transportation of our
citizens and their property between the At
aniic and Pacific.
Meanwhile. and in anticipation of the CON-
petion and Importance OF this transit way, a
number of adveuturers had taken possession
Of the river San Juan, in open defiance of the
State or States of Central America, which,
upon their becoming independent had right.
fully succeeded to the local sovereignty and
jurisdiction of Spain. The adventures un-
dertook to change the name of the place
from San Juan del Norte, to Greytown, and,
though at first pretending to act as the suo-
jects of the Fictitious sovereign of the Mos
quito Indians, they subsequently repudiated
the control of any power whatever, assumed
to adopt distinct political organization, and
declared themselves an independent sovereign
State. If, at some time, a faint hope was
entertained that they might become stable
and respectable community, that hope soon
vanished. They proceeded to assert un-
founded claims to civil jurisdiction over Pun
ia Arenas, position on the opposite side of
the river San Juan, which was in possession,
under title wholly independent of them, of
citizens of the United States, 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 attempted violently to
dispossess it.
At later period they organized a strong
force for the purpose of demolishing the es-
tablishment at Punta Arenas, but this mis-
chevous design was defeated by the interpo-
sition of one of our ships of war, at that
time in the harbor of San Juan. Subsequent
ly to this, in May last, n body of men from
Greytown, crossed over to PuntaArenas, ar
rogatng authority to arrest, on the charge of
murder, n captain of one of the steamboats,
of the Transit Company. Being well aware
that the claim to exercise jurisdiction there
would be resisted then, as il had been on pre-
vious occasions, they went prepared to assert
it by force of arms. Our minister to Central
America happened to be present on that oc-
cason. Believing that the captain of the
steamboat was innocent, for he witnessed the
transaction on which the charge was founded
and believing, also, that the intruding party,
having no jurisdiction over the place where
they proposed to make the arrest, would en-
counter desperate resistance if they persisted
in their purpose, he interposed, effectually, to
prevent violence and bloodshed
The American minister afterwards visited
Greytown, and whilst he was there, n mob,
some of the so called public func-
tonaries of the place, surrounded the house
in which he was, avowing that they had come
to arrest him, by order Of some person exer-
cisng the chief authority. While parleying
with them he was wounded by missile from
the crowd. A boat despatched from the
American steamer "Northern Light" 10 re-
lease him from the perilous situation in which
he was understood to be, was fred 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 steamer, with her
passengers, for New York, unless guard
was left for their protection. For this pur-
pose, and in order to ensure the safety of
passengers and property passing over the
route, a temporary fo:ce was organized, Mt
considerable expense to the United States,
for which provision was made at the last ses-
sion of Congress.
This pretended community, a heterogen-