The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1854-12-15


earagua, 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 Lake Nicaragua.
which soon became an enligible and much
used route in the transportation of our cit I
izens and their property between the ATTAIN
tic and Pacific. Meanwhile, and in antici-
patton of the completion and importance
of this transit way, a number Of adven-
lures had taken possession of the old Span
| ish port at the mouth Of the river San Juan,
| in open defiance Of the State or States Of
Central America, whielr upon their be-
coming independent, had rightfufy sue
ceeded to the local sovereignty and juris-
diction of Spain. These adventurers 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 subjects of the fc;itions sovereign of
the Mosquito Indians. they subsequently
repudiated the control of any power what
ever, assumed to adopta distinct political
organization, and declared themselves an
Independent sovereign state. If, at some
time, faint hope was entertained that
they might become stable and. respecta-
BILE community, that hope soon vanished.
\ They proceeded to assert unfounded claims
to civil jurisdiction over Punta Arenas, a
position on the opposite side of the river
San Juan, which was in possession, under
a title wholly independent of them, of cit
liens of the United States, interested in
the Nicaragua Transit Company, and
which was indispensably necessary to the
/ prosperous operation of that route across
the Isthmus. The company resisted. their
, groundless claims; whereupon they pro-
. ceeded to destroy some of its buildings,
/ and attempted violently to disposses it.
Alta later period they organized a strong
force for the purpose of demolishing the
establishment at Punta Arenos, but this
mischievous design was defeated by the
interposition of one of our ships of war,
at that time in the harbor of Greytown
crossed over to Punta Arenas, arrogating
authority to arrest, on the charge OF muir
der, 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 it had been on
} previous occasions they went prepared to
= assert it by force of arms. Our minister
r to Central America happened to be pres
S ent on that occasion. Believing that the
Q captain of the steamboat was innocent, fo
it he having witnessed the transaction OIL
hifwhicf the charge vsns icas.ded, md be
o lieving, also, that the intruding party, hav
d ing no jurisdiction over the place wher
y they proposed to make the arrest woul
le encounter desperate resistance if they PEI
i sisted in their purpose, he. interposed g
D fectually, to prevent violence and blood
Is shed. The American minister afterward
S. visited Greytown, and whistle was ther
IS a mob, including several Of the so-calle,
e fnnctionaries of the place, surrounded tn
n house in which he was, avowing that they
r had come to arrest him, by order of som,
# person exercising the chief authority
: While parleying with them he was wound
!; ed by missile from the crowd. A boa
S dispatched from the American steameI
't Northern Light" TO release him from th'
perilous situation in which he was under
v stood to be in, was fred into by the towl
i guard, and compelled to return. Tbes,
y incidents, together with the known char
n acter of the population of Greytown, ant
! their excited state, induced just apprehen
sions that the lives and properly Of ou
! citizens at Punta Arenas would be immi
i nent danger after the departure of th'
Q steamer with her passengers, for New
Q York, unless guard was left for thei
y protection. For this purpose, and in or
o der to ensure the safety Of passengers ant
II property passing over the route, tempo
n rary force was organized, at considerable
d expense to the United States, for whicl
h provision was made at the last session o
1t Congress,
l. This pretended community, a heteroge
a neous assemblage gathered from yaricu
countries, and composed, for the most par
N of blacks and persons Of mixed blood, hat
y previously given other indications of mis-
d chievous and dangerous propensities,-- =
10 Early in the same month, property wa
D. clandestinely abstracted from the depot Q
st the Transit Company, and taken to Grey
ii town. The plunderers obtained shelte
h and their pursuers were driven back by it
Of people, who not only protected the wrong
H. doers andshared the plumber, but treate,
At with rudeness and violence those VIII
r. sought to recover their property.
D. Such, in substance, are the facts submit
b. ted to my consideration, and proved b,
c. Trustworthy evidence, ! could not doub
Or the case demanded the interposition Of thi
lie government. Justice required that repar
a. alton should be made for so many and sucl
re gross wrongs; and that a course OF insc
r lence and plunder, tending directly 10 tn
insecurity Of the lives of numerous tray
r ellers, and Of the rich treasure belonging
,e to our citizens passing over this transit wa,
lie should be percmptorily arrested. What
rs ever it might be in other respects, the com
se munity in question, in power to do mis-
IN chief was not despicable. 1t waswell pre-
D. vided with ordinance, small arms, and am
8, munition, and might easily seize on tn
e. unnamed boats, freighted with millions {
to property, which passed almost daily with
e. in its reach, Edid not profess 70 belon
h. to any regular government; and had, ]
ie fact, no recognized dependence, on, or cor
a. nection with, any one to which the Unite
Il. l.~I| u. ~. 4 ~