Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-12-14

aud the frUntier settlements uf civilized states
SeasODable notice was given To the people Of
Greyiown that this government required them
10 repair the injuries they ha6 done to our citi-
zens, and 10 make. suitable apology for their III
suit Of our minister, and that ship f-war
would be despatched thiiher tn enforce counpIi-
ance with these demands But the notice
passed unheeded. Thereupon, commander
of the navy, in charge Of The slooP-uf-war
CYane, was ordered to repeat the demands. and
to insist upon compliance therewith. Fin
ding neIther the poPuIace nnr lhpse assuming
Ia have authority over them, manifested any
disposition 10 make the required reParaliun, ur
even TO offer excuss for their coninri, he
waFssd the1ss tss y sceisssssasiua, thai il
they did not give satisfaction within time
specified, he would lombard The town. By
this procedure he afforded them opportunity to
provide for their personal safety.
To those also who desired to avoid loss of
property, In the punishment about TO be inflict-
ed on the offending town, he furnished the
means OF removing their effects, by the boats
OF his own ship, and of steamer which he
procured and rendered to them tor the pur-
pose AT length, perceiving no disposition
on the part of the town to comply with his
acquisitions, he appealed to the commander Of
her Britannia Majesty's schooner, Bermuda,
who was seen to have intercourse and appa-
rently much influence with The leaders among
them,-to interpose, and persuade them to
take some course calculated 10 save the neces-
slty of resorting 10 the extreme measure indi-
Gated in his proclamation; but that officer, in
stead of acceding to the request, did nothing
more than 10 protest against the contemplated
bombardment No steps of any sort were
taken, by the people, to give the satisfaction
required. No individuals, if any there were
who regarded themselves as not responsible
for the misconduct of the community, adopted
any means TO separate themselves from the fate
of the guilty. The several charges, on which
the demands for redress were founded, had
been publicly known to all for some time, and
were again announced TO them.
They did not deny any of these charges :;
they offered no explanation, nothing i'll exten-
uation of their conduct but contumaciously
refused to hold any intercourse with the COM
mander of the sCyane.' By their obstinate
silence they seemed rather desirous to pro-
woke chastlsement than to escape it. There
is ample reason to believe that this conduct Of
wanton defiance, on their part, is imputabIe
chiefly to the delusive idea that the American
government would be deferred from furnishing
them, through fear of displeasng a formidable
foreign power, which, they presumed to think,
looked with complacency upon their aggres-
sve and insulting department towards the
United States. The 'Cyane at length fred
upon the town. Before much injury had been
done, the fire was twice suspended, in order
10 afford an opportunity for arrangement !;
but this was declined. Most Of the buildings
Of the place Of little value generally, were, in
the sequel, destroyed; but, owing TO the con-
siderate precaution taken by our naval Com
mander, there was no destruction of hle.
When the 'Cyane' was ordered to Central
America, it was confidently hoped and ex-
pected that no occasion would arise for "a re-
sort 10 violence and destruction of property
and loss of lite Instructions to that effect
were given to her commander. And no eX-
treme act would have been requisite had not
the people themselves by their extraordinary
conduct in the affair, frustrated all the possi-
bic mild measures for obtaining satisfaction
A withdrawal from the place; the object of his
visit entirely defeated, would, under the cir
cumstances, IN which the commander OF the
Cyane found himself, have been absolute aban-
donment of all claim of our citizens for indem-
nlication, and submissive acquiescence in ma
tional indignity.
1t would have encouraged in these lawless
men spirit of insolence and rapne most dan
gerous TO the lives and property of our citizens
at Punta Arenas, and probably emholdened
them to grasp at the treasures and valuable
merchandise continually passing over the Mic
aragua route. 1t certainly would have been
most satisfactory to me if the objects of the
'Cyane' s. mission could have been consum-
mated without any act of public force; but the
arrogant contumacy of the offenders rendered
1t impossible to avoid the alternative, either
to break up their establishment, or to leave
them impressed with the idea that they might
persevere with impunity in career Of inso-
lence and plunder.
This transaction has been the subject of COM
p.aint on the part of some foreign powers, and
has been characterized with more of harshness
than of justice. 1t comparisons were to be
instituted, it would not be difficult to present
repeated instances In the history of states
standing in the very front of modern civiiza-
tlOn, where communities, far less offending
and more defenceleSs than Greytown, have
been chastised with much greater severity
and where not cities only have been laid in
ruins, but human life has been recklessly sac
rifced and the blood of the innocent made
profusely to mingle with that of the guilty
Passing from foreign to domestic affairs,
your attention is naturally directed to the f.
nancial condition of the country, always sub
ject of general interest. For complete and
exact information regarding the finances and
the various branches of the public service con-
nected Herewith, refer you to the report Of
the Secretary Of the Treasury from which il
will appear, that the amount of revenue dur
ing the last fiscal year, from all sources, was
S73 $40, ,705 and that the public expendi-
lures for the same period exclusive Of pay
ments on account of the public debt, amounted
to $5I ,Ol8,249. During the same period, the
payments made in redemption of the public
debt including interest and premium, amount
ed to $2f, 1886 $50.
To the sum total of the receipts of that
year, is to be added balance remaining in the
Treasury at the commencement thereof
amounting to $21 ,942, ,S92; and at the close
of the same year, corresponding balance,
amounting to $50, 1877 1867 of receipts above
expenditures, also remained in the Treasury
Although, in the opinion of the Secretary, the
receipts Of the current fiscal year are not like
ly to equal in amount those Of the last, vet
they will undoubtedly exceed the amount of
expenditures by at least SIS ,O0O, 900.
| shall, therefore, continue to direct that the
surplus revenue be applied, SO far as it can be
judiciously and economically done, to the re-
duction of the public debt, the amount of
which, at the commencement of the last fiscal
year, was $67. $40, ,628; Of which there had
been paid on the twentieth day Of November,
1854. the sum of $22, 1865, I72: leaving 4 bal