The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-12-14


sayo tie necessity Of resor,ing 10 the cx.
trcme measure indicated in his rroclama-
t,on; bu: that officer, instead of acseding
TO tie request, did nothing more than to
protest against the contemplated bom-
hardment.
No steps Of any sort were taken by thc
people TO give the satisfaction required
No individuals, if any there were, who
regarded themselves as Lot responsible
for the misconduct OF the community, a.
dopted any means to separate themselves
from the fate Of the guilty. The several
charges, on which the demands for re-
dress were founded, had been publicly
known to ali for some time, and were a.
gain announced to them. They did not
deny any of these charges; they offered
40 explanation, nothing in extenuation OF
their conduct; but contumaciously y refused
70 hold any intercourse with the comman.
der Of the "Cyane." BY their obstinate
silence they seemed rather desirous to
provoke chasetisement than to escape it
There is ample reason to believe that
this conduct OF waBton defiance, on their
part, is imputed chiefly to the delu>ive
idea that the American government would
tie deferred from furnishing them through
fear of disp!easing a formidable foreign
power, which, they presumed to think,
looked with complacency upon their ag-
gTrSsivc and insulting department towards
the United States! The "CyaDe" at
length fred upon the town. Before much
injury had been done, the fire was twice
suspended, in order to afford an oppor-
tunity for au 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
cousiderate precautions taken by our na-
val commander, there was no destruction
oflfe.
When the "Cyane," was ordered 10
Central America, it was confidently hop
Cd and expected that no occasion would
arise for "a resort TO violence ano destruc-
ton Of property, and loss of life" In
strlc6onS TO that c feet was given to her
commander. And no extreme act would
have been requisite had not the people
themselves BY their extraordinary cen
duet IN the affair, frustrated all the posi-
hle mild measures for obtaining satI.fac-
tion. \ Withdrawal from the nlac", - -
object Of his visit entirely 9rIaated. would
under the circumstances in which the
commander Of the Cyane found himself,
have been absolute abandonment Of ali
claim of our citizens for decentralization,
Sn3 submissive acCuiescence in national
iuai.nity. 1t would have encouraged Ia
these laWless men spirit of Incidence
Sad rapine most dangerous to the lives
aa1 property Of our citizens at Punta A
reuas, and probably emboldened them TO
grasp at The treasures and valuable mer-
choadise continually passing over the Me
arasue route. Il certainly would have
been most satisfactory to NE if the objects
Of the "Cyaae's' mission could hare been
con-uma;ed without any act of public
force; bu: the arrogant coutamacy Of the
offenders rendered il impossible to ayoi3
the Alternative either 10 break up their
establishment, OF to leave them impress
"a with the idea that they might perse-
we're with impunity in career OF inso-
l-ace and p)under.
This transaction had been the subject
Of complaint on the part of some foreign
Powers, and has been characterized with
laoTe Of harshness than of justice II
comparisons we're to be Instituted, it
.w7uid not be difficult TO present repeated
Instances in the history of States, stand
jng in the very front Of modern civiliza-
SION, where communities, fer less offend
ing and more defenceless than Greytowp,
have been chastised with much greater
severity, aud where not cities only have
been laid in ruin but human life has been
reoklessly sacrificed and the blood of the
innocent made pTcfuscly to mingle with
t5at Of the guilty
Passing from foreign TO domestic af-
fairs, your attention is naturally directed
to the financial condition Of the country,
aiwsys subject Of general intrest For
complete and exact information regard
ing the finances, and the various branch
es Of the public service connected there
With, | refer you to the report of the Sec.
rotary Of the Treasury; from which it Will
appear, that the amount of revenue dur
ing the last fiscal year, from all sources,
was seventy-three million FIVE hundred
and forty-niDe thousand seven hundred
and five dollars; and that the public ex.
penditures for the ssme period, exclusive
Of payments On account Of the public
debt, amount to ffty-one million eighteen
thousand two hundred aud forty-ninc
dollars. During the same period, the
payments made In redemption Of the pub
JIG debt, including interest and premium,
amounted to tweuty-four million three
and thirty-six thousand three hundred
and eighty dollars.
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 twenty-one million
nine hundred and forty-twO thousand
eight hundred and ninety.two dollars;
and at the close Of the same year, a cor
Ypen0pIluu hp