Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-22

government.
The rates of postage, however, remain un-
changed.
THE ORIGIN OF THE GOVERNMENT
OF SAN JUAN.
Since the bombardment of San Juan, public
attention has been frequently directed to the
iligitimate origin Of the Mosquito Protsctorate.
That is matter well worthy of earnest atten-
ton, as it relates to the position and attitude
Of Great Britain. But it should not be per-
United to turn US away from other facts rela-
ting to the character of San Juan, and sustain
ing the bombardment. We allude to the man.
ner in which the inhabitants Of that town or
gained q separate government, and fixed the
limits of their jurisdiction.
After the British troops had been withdrawn,
and after the Clayton-Bulwer treaty had been
ratified, the British consul at San Juan drew
up form of government for the town. This
plan gave to the British consul, by virtue of
his office commanding influence, if not the
absolute control Of the action of the town au-
thorities. The government was not framed by
the people or by their representatives. 1t was
modelled by British officer, submitted to the
people, and adopted at the time and in the
manner he had prescribed: "His Majesty of
Mosquito" was not consulted in the transaction,
although his alleged right to the town was the
pretext by which Great Britain sought to hide
from the world the true character of the spolia-
ton which she had committed on the State of
of Nicaragua-the dishonest plea by which the
people of San Juan sought to justify themselves
for refusing to acknowledge the jurisdiction of
that State.
In this-the first plan of government-the
limits of San Juan were not defined but it
was declared that the new government and the
officers elected under it, should have jurisdic-
ton over such district as should afterwards
be marked out and determined. Before this
was done, the authorities at San Juan under
took to exercise jurisdiction beyond the limits
of that town, and beyond the limits of the terri
tory claimed for the Mosquito Indians. They
crossed over the San Juan river and laid hands
on Point Arenas, in Nicaragua, which was then
occupied by the Transit Company. This un.
lawful interference led to difficulties with that
company; and the composition of the town
government--the British consul being all pow
erful--led to the outrage on the Prometheus.
His Majesty of Mosquito" was not consulted
in these transactions, and perhaps has never
heard of them to this day. He is an ignorant
savage-a bad specimen even of the Indian
race-who never thought Of laying claim to
any part of the San Juan river, even if bis
geographical requirements were sufficient to
inform him that there was such river on the
face of the earth.
In the year 1852, the people of San Juan
modified their government. In this modified
document or act of selfincorporation, they un
dertook to fix the limits of the town of Sar
Juan by extending its bounds southwark acros!
the San Juan river, even to the Colorado, north
ward to Indian river, and westward to the Ma
chuca rapids. This deliberate appropriation o
territory-a part of which was never claimed
for the Mosquito Indians--was made withou
consulting Nicaragua or "His Majesty of Mos
quito" Like the original appropriation of Sal
Juan, ii was naked and fragrant spoliation
In the first instance, a town was wrongfully ap
propriated by an illegal government. In tn
second, q large district Of country was addet
to the town without consulting any Of thos
who claimed to be the rightful owners. 1t wa
pure unmixed, unadulterated case of Ian,
piracy, by selfconstituted and illegal associa
ton, which did not consult the authority unde
whose sanction they pretend to justify thei
lawless conduct. His Majesty Of Mosquito
was not consulted either in forming the associa
ton or in marking the bounds over which tina
association should exercise jurisdiction.
1t is vain TO attempt to compare this pre-
ceeding with the ordinary action Of town CO.
porations There is no similarity whateve
Town corporations, when they act legally, az
in subordination to some higher authority
and they do not take upon themselves the a
tributes of sovereignty. The San Juan 60
eminent did not act in subordination to an
legitimate authority, and 1t undertook to ve
in itself the very highest attributes Of sove
eighty. Their apologists and sympathisers SO
that thspeople Of San Juan acted with oil dr
and dutiful submission to Ellis Majesty
Mesquite" and that they lived under the pr
lection Of his flag. AS we have said befor
they never consulted the Sambo chief at a
AS to his flag, that is all sheer nonsense. I