Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-14

independent, mao fiSnt!uily succesneu |
ISethe local sovereignty and jurisdiction OF
Spain. These adventures undertook to change
the name Of the place from San Juan del Norte
10 Greytown, and, though ut first pretending
to aes rs the subjects Of the fictitious sovereign
Of tho Mosquito Indians, they subsequently, re-
pudiatea the control of any power wnatever,as-
sumed to adopt distinct pstical organization,
and declared themselves an independent sover-
eign state. IF at some time, faint hope was
entertained that they might become u stable
and respectable community, that hope soon van
ishcd. They proceeded to assert uhtonnded
claims to civil jurisdiction over punta Arenas,a
position on the opposite of th2 river San Juan,
which was in possession, under u title wholly
Independents Of them OK citizens Of the United
Staten, interested in the Nicaragua Transit Com
pany, and which was indispcnsibly necessary to
the prosperous. operation Of that route across
she f,thinus The company resisted the ground
less claims; whcreupon they proceeded to des-
troy Some of its buildings, and attempted yio-
iently to dispessees it.
At q later period they organized strong force
for the paypesa OF defaoiis'ing tho establishment
Of Panta Arenas, hus this mischieyous design
was defeated by the intcrpositon Of one OF our
ships of war, at that time in the harbcr OF San
Juan Subsequently to this, in MGyia q body
of men from Greytown crossed over to Pantas
Arenas, arsogating authority to arrest, On the
charge of murder, captain Of enesf the stein-
boats of the Transit Company. Being well
aware that the claim to exercise juris1ictioa there
would be resisted then, as il had beea ou pre-
yicus eccasions, they Sent prepared to assert Il
by force of arms. Our minister 70 Central
America happened to De present On that ocoq-
sion. Believing that The ca plain OF the steani-
boat was innocent, forxbe hAd Witnessed the
transaction on wtic'. tho charge was founded,
and believing, alss, tist&ie ideruding party,
having no jurisdiction ovey the place where they
prsposed to make the arrest, wo4ld encounter
desperate resistance if they persisted in taelr
purpose, 10 therefore interpos3d, efootpai-
", 10 prevent violence and bloodshed. Tbs
American minister afterwards visited Grcytown,
and while he waa there, a mob including cor
tain Of tho 80 called pablo functionari3s of the
place, eurronnlc, the house in which he Was,
avowing thatt!ley hal come TO arrest him, hy
order Of some person exercising the cAai&nthor-
ity. While parlsyipg with them be was wound
ed BY missile from tie crowl boat, d}s-
matched from the Arn3rioi,n s.eamer " Northern
Light to release him from tho perilots sltua-
tioH in which be WAS understood to bo,was fired
into by the town guard, and compelled to return.
These incidents. together with the known char
actor Of the popuidtioa of Graytowa, and ther
excited state, induced .j'st apprehension that
the lives and property OF our citizens ut Pnnta
Arenas would be in imminent danger aftet the
departure of the steamer with her passengers,
for New York, unless guard was lott for their
protection. For this purpose, and in order to
ensure the sliety Of passengers and property
passing over the route, a temporary force was
organized, at considerable ekp enss 10 the United
States, for which provision was made at the
last session OF Congress
This pretended community, heterogeneous
assemblage gathered from various countries,
and composed mostly Of blacks aad persons o!
iaixed blood, had previously given other hdicl-
tons of mischovoIs aud dan, : 3roas prorenaitl,s
Fairly in the same month, property was clandes-
timely abstracted from the depot Of the Transit
Company, and taken to Creytown The plan
dsrers obtained shelter there AMI their parsaeis
were driven back by the people, who not only
protected the wrong doors and shared the plan
der, but treated With rudeness aad violence
those who sought to recover their property.
Such in su Distance, are the facts submitted to
my consideration, and proved by Trustworthy
evidence. could not doubt that the case de-
handed the interposihon Of this government.
Justice required that raptraton should be made
for so many and such gross wrongs, and that 81
course Of insolcnco and plumber, tending to the
insecurity Of the lives OF numerous travellers,
and of the rich treasure belonging to oar o,i
yens, passing over this transit way should De
in other respects, the community in question, in
power to do mischief, was not despicablo 1t
was we'll provided With ordnance, small arms
aud ammunition, and might easily seize on the
4. nnarmed boats, freighted with millionsot prop.
erty, which passed almost daily Vi thin its reach.
1t did not profess any regular government, and
had, ia fuct, no recognized dependence on, Or
connection wish, any une to which the Unit3d
States or their injured citizens might apply for
redress, or which could BE- held in auy way, re-
!. sponsible for the outrages committed. No.
standing before tne world in the attitedc Of an
"ganized political society, being nei!er compe-
ean. to discharge tho obligations o. Il govern
iasnt, it was, in fact nlaraudng establishment,
too dangerous to BE- disras irded and too guilty
: to pass unpunisaed, aad yet incapable Of being
treated in any other way than as u piritical re-
sort OF outlaws, or camp OF s'vases, deprs-
dating on emgrant trains or caravans and the
frontier settlements Of civilized States,
Seasonabte notice WIS given TO the people OF
,.Grsytown that this government required them
10 repair the injuries they had done to our ciri-
aens, and to make suitable apology for their in
, suit to oar minister, and that ship-ot-war
would be despatched thithcr to enforce phi
ance with these demands. But the notice passed
unheeded. Thereupon, a commander Of the
navy in charge Of tbs sloop-of' var Cyane, WAS
ordered to repeat the doa lnds, and to insist OH
acomplisnco Herewith. Finding that neither
the populace, nor those assuming to have au-
thority over them, manifested any disposition
20 make tue required roparation or even to of
cr excuse for their conduct, lie warned them
by public proclamation, that if they did not
giyesatisfaction withina time specified, he would
lombard the towa By this proeeedure he at
0rded them opportunity to provide for their per-
sonaI safety. 10 these who also desired to avoid
los, of property, in the punishment about to be
inflicted on the offending town, he furnished
the means Of removing their effects by the
boats of his own slip, and Of a'steamer which
he procured and tendaed 10 them for that pur
pose. AT legth, perceiving no disposition on
the part of the town to comply withyhis reqai-
sitions, he appealed TO the commander of her
Britannia Majesty schooner g Bermuaa,n who
was seen to haze intercourse, and apparently
much influence with the leaders among them -
to interpose, and purs1ade them to take some
sourSs calculated to saye the necessity Of resort
Jag 10 the sxtrnie measures indictedin his proc
ianatioa atthat officer, instead Of exoesding
to the request did nothing more than to protest
against the contemplated bonibardment,% No
steps of any sort were taken, BY the people, to
give the satisfaction required. No individuals,
II any there were, WI regarded themselves as
not responsible for Abe misconduct Of the
community, adopted any means to separate
themselves from the, fate Of the gully The
several charges, on which the demands for re-
dress were founded, had been publicly known
to oil for some time, and were again announced
to them. They did not deny any of thes, char
gss thsy offered no explanation nothing in ex-
fan,atson IF fhair nct hut contumarious 81 "