The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-12-14
NO. 4.


vious occasion, they went prepared to as
sert it By force Of arms.
Our minister to Central America hap
-pened to be present on that OCCASION
Believing that the captain of the steam
boat was innocent, for he witnessed the
!, transaction on which the charge was
founded, aud believing, also, that the in
truding party, having no jurisdiction o.
yer the place where they proposed to
make the arrest, would encounter dcrpe-
rate resistance if they persisted in their
purpose, he iRterposed, efectually, to
preven. violence and bloodrhed. The A
nerican minister afterwards visited Grey
town, and whilst he was there, mob,
including certain of the so called public
functionarieS of the place, surrounded tho
house in which he was, aVowing that they
had come to arrest him, by order of some
person exercising the chief authority
/ While parleying with them be was wound
ed by missile from the crowd. A boat
despatched from the American steamer
Northern Light" to release him from
understood to be, was fred on by the
town guard, and compelled to return
These incidents, together with the known
character of the population of Greytown,
and their excited state, induced just ap-
( prehensions that the lives and property
of our citizens at Punta Arenas would be
in imminent danger after the departure
of the steamer, with her passengers, for
New York, unless guard was left for
their protection, For this purpose, and
in order to ensure the safety Of passen-
gers snd property passing over the route,
a temporary force was organized, at con-
siderable expense to the United States, for
which provision was made at the last ses-
sion of Congress.
This pretended community, hetero-
genous assemblage gathered from vari-
Gus countries, and composed, for the most
part, of blacks and persons of mixed
blood, had previously given other indica-
tions Of mischievous and dangerous pro-
pensities. Early in the same month, prop
erty was clandestinely abstracted from
the depot of the Transit Company and
taken to Greytowu. The plunderers OBJ
tanned shelter there, and their pursuers
were driven back by its people, ~ho not
only protected the wrongdoersand shared
the plumber, but treated with rudeness
and violence those Who sought to recover
their property.
Such, in substance, are the facts sub
mitted to my consideration, and proved
by trustworthy evidence. Icould not doubt
that the case demanded the interposition
of this government. Justice required
that reparation should be made for so
many and such gross wrongs, and that a
course of insolence and plunder, tending
directly to the insecurity of the rich
treasure belonging to our citizens, pass
ing over this transit way, should be per-
emptorily arrested. Whatever it might
be in other respects, the community in
question, in power TO do mischief, was
not despcable. It was well peoyided
with ordnance, small arms, and ammuni-
ton, and might easily seize on the un-
armed boats. ffeighted with millions Of
property, which passed almost duly with
in its reach.
Il did not profess to belong to any reg
ular government and had, in fact, no rec
ognzed dependence on, or connection
with, any one to which the United States
or their injured citizens might apply for
redress, or which could be held respon-
sible, in any way, for the outrages COM
mited. Not standing before the world
in the attitude of an organized political
society, being neither competent TO exer-
else the rights nor TO discharge the OBJ
/ legations of government, it was, in fact,
a marauding establishment, too danger
Gus to be disregarded, and too guilty TO
pass UNPUBLISHED, and yet incapable Of
being treated in any other way than as i
piratcaI resort Of outlaws, or a camp Of
savages, depredating on emigrant trains
or caravans and the frontier settlements
of civilized states.
Seasouable notice was given to the peo-
pie Of Greytown that this govrnment re-
quired them to repair the injuries they
( had done to our citizens, and to make
suitable apology for their insults OF our
Minister, and that ship ofwar wolld be
dispatched thither to enforce compliance
with those demands. But the notice
passed unheeded Thereupon, a COM
mander of the navy, in charge of the
sloop- of-wsr Cyane, was ordered to re-
peat the demands, aud to insist upon
compliance Herewith. Finding that Meth
er the populace, nor those assumsng to
have authority over them, manifested any
disposition to make the required rtpara-
ton, or even to offer excuse for their con
duct, he warned them by public procia-
nation that if they did not give Satis'ac.
ton within a time specified, be would
Ibombard the town. BY this procedure
7 he afforded them opportunity to provide
for their personal safety.
To those also who desired to avoid
Il loss of poperty, in the punishment about
10 be inflicted on the offending town, hs
furnished the means of removing their
effects, by the boats of bis own ship, and
of a steamer which he procured and tend