The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-08

Finding that neither the populaec, nor
those assumingto have authority over them.
manifested any disposition TO make the re.
quired repatriation, or even TO ODER any ex'
cuse for their conduct, he warned them,
by public proclamation. that II they DID
not give satisfaction within q time specified,
he would lombard the town. by ;hi: pro.
cedure he afforded them IN opportunity 10
proyiGe for their personal safety. 10 those
Mao who desired to avoid loss Of property,
in the punishment about to be inflicted on
the offending town, he furnished tho means
Of removing their effects, BY the boais Of his
own ship, and Of steamer which ne pro-
cured and rendered to them for that purpose.
AT length, perceiving no disposition on tho
part Of the town TO comply with his requi.
sitions, he appealed 10 the commander OF
her Britannia Majesty's schooner "Bermu.
d." who was seen TO have intercourse, and
apparently much influence with the leaders
among them - to interposc, and persuade
them to take some course calculated TO save
the necessity Of resorting to the extreme
measure indicai edin his proclamation (; but
that officer, instead OF acceding to the 70.
quest, did nothing moro than to protes,
against the cont emplated bombarduent.
No steps Of any sort were taken by the
people, to give the satisfaction required.
No individuals, ifsny there were, who re-
garded themselves Is not responsible for the
misconduct Of the community, adopted any
means to separate themselves from the fate
tho 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 OF
fered no explanation, nothing in extenua,ion
Of their conduct; but contumaciously refused
to hold any intercourse with the commander
of the 'Cyane.' BY their obstinate silence they
seemed rather DESTROYS to provoke chastise.
ment than to escape it. There Is ample
reason to believe that this conduct Of wanton
defiance, on their part, is imputable chiefly
to the delusivc idea that the American gov
eminent would be deferred from furnishing
them, through fear Of displeasisng form
liable foreign power, which, they presumed
to think, looked with complacency upon
their aggressive 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 to afford opportunity
for On arrangement but this was declined.
Most Of the buildings Of the place, Of little
value generally, were, in the sequel. de-
stroyed but owing 10 the considerate pre-.
cautions taken by our naval commander,
L.. 90
When the "Cyane" was ordered to Cent
raj America, it was confidently hoped and
expected that no occasion would arise for
"a resort to violence and destruction Of prop
erty and loss of life" Instructions to that
effect were given to her commander. And
no extreame act would have been requisite
had not the people themselves, by their ex.
traordinary conduct in the affair, frustrated
all the possible mild measures for obtaining
satisfaction. A withdrawal from the place,
the object Of his visit entirely defeated,
would under the circumstances in which the
commander, Of the "Cyane" found himself,
have been absolute abandonment Of oil
claim Of our citizens for indemnifcation,
and submissive acquiescence in national in
dignity. 1t would have encouraged in these
lawlcss men spirit Of insolence and m
pine most dangerous to tho lives and prop
ety of our citizens at Punta Arenas, and
probably emboldened them to grasp at the
treasures and valuable merchandise con-
tinualy passing over tho Nicaragua route.
Il certainly would have been most satisiac-
tory to me il the objects Of the "Cyane's"
mission could have been consummated with
out any act Of public force; but the AFRO
CANT contumacy Of the offenders rendered
Il impossible to avoid the alternative, either
to break up their establishment, or to leave
them impressed with tho idea that they
might persevere with impunity in career
Of insolence and plumber.
I This TRANSACTION has been the subject Of
complaint on the part of some foreign pow
ers, and has been characterized with more
of harshness than Of justice. If compare
sons were to be instituted, 1t would not be
difficult to present repeated instances in the
history of States, standing in the very front
of modern civilization, 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 sacrificed, and the
blood Of the innocent made profnsely toI
mingle with that ofthe guilty.
Passing from foreign to domestic affairs,
your attention Is naturally directed to the
6aencial condition Of the country, always o.
Ghject Of general interest. For complete
and exact Information regarding the 6paD-
ces, and the various branches Of the public
service connected Herewith, ] refer you to
the report ef tho secretary Of the treasury 81
from which It will appear that the amount
Of revenue daring the last fiscal year, from
all sources, was seventy.three million FIVE
hundred and forty.nine thousand seven hun
dred and five dollars; and that the public
expenditures for the same period, exclusive
of payments on account Of the public debt,
amounted to fifty-one million eighteen thou
sand two hundred and forty-nine dollars.
During the same period, the payments made
in redemption Of the public debt, including |
interest and premium, amounted to twenty
four million three hundred and thirty.six
three hundred and eighty dollars.
To the sum total of thereceipts Of that year
is to be added a balance remaining IN tho
treasury at the commencement thereof,
to twenty one million nine hun
drcd and forty.two thousand eight hundred
and ninety.two dollars; and at the close of
the same year, q corresponding balance
amounting to twenty million one hundred
and thirty-seven thousand nine hundred and
sixty.seyen dollars Of receipts above cxpen.
diturcs, also remained in the treasury. Al!
though, in the opinion Of tho secretary Of
The treasury, the receipts Of the current fis-
cal wear are not likely 10 equal in amount
hose of the last, yet they will undoubtedly
exceed the amount Of expenditures by at
east fifteen millions Of dollars. shall,
continue to direct that the surplus