Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-12-08

with the leaders among them,-to in
tcrpose. and persuade them to take
some course calculated to save the
necessity Of resorting 70 the extreme
measures indicated In his proclams-
ton; but that officer instead Of acced-
ing to the request, did nothing more
than to protest against the contempla-
ted bombardment. No steps Of any
sort were taken by the people. TO give
the satisfaction required. No insi-
viduals, il any there were, who re-
garded themselves as not responsible
for the misconduct OF the community,
adopted any means to seporat, them
selves from the fate Of the guilty
The several charges, on which the de.
mandsfor redress were founded. had
been publicly known TO all for some
time, and were again announced TO
item. They did not deny any Of these
charges; they offered no explanation.
nothing in excavation 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 chastizement than 10 escape
it. There is ample reason to believe
that this conduct Of wsnton defiance.
on their part, is imputabls chiefly TO
the delusivo idea that the American
government would be deferred from
Furnishing them. through fear Of dis
pleasing formidable foreign power.
which. they presumed to think, looked
with complacency upon their aggress-
i've and insulting department towards
the United States. The "Cyane" ut
length fred upon the town. Before
much injury had been done, the fire
was twice suspended, In order to afford
opportunity FOR an arrangement; but
; this was declined. Most Of the build
ings Of the place, Of little value gen
orally. were. in the sequal. destroyed;
but. owing TO the considerable precau-
tions taken by our naval Commander,
! there was no destruction Of life.
: When the "Cyane" was ordered to
Central America, il was confidently
hoped and expected that no occasion
, would arise for 81 resort 10 violence
, and destruction of property and loss
} of life" Instructions to that effect
were given to her commander. And
no extreme set would have been re-
quisite lad not the people themselves,
by their extraordinary conduct IN the
: affair, frustrated all the possible mild
measures for obtaining satisfaction
: a Withdrawal from the place, the OBJ
. jet OF this visit entirely defeated,
: would. under the circumstances in
which the commander Of the Cyane
+ found himself. have been absolute
r abandonment of all claim of our citi-
Eens for indemnifcation, and submiss-
{ i've acquiescence in national indignity
r 1t would have encouraged ia these
lawless men q spirit of insolence and
0 rapine most dangerous TO the lives and
property of our citizens at Punta Ar
( enas, and probably emboldened them
to grasp at the treasures and valuable
: merchandise continually passing owe,
a the Niagara loute. II certainly woulj
r have been most satisfactory to me i
s the objects of the Cyane's mission
n could have been consumated without
4 any act of public force; but the AFRO.
Q giant contumacy Of the offenders rem
: dered il impossible to avoid the alterna
e tive, either TO break up their estab
: lishment, or TO leave them impressed
: with the idea that they might preserve
: with impunity in n career Of insolenct
y and plumber.
d This transaction has been the sub
IS ject Of complaint on the part of som,
J. foreign powers. and has been charac
terized with more Of harshness thar
s of justice. II comparisons were B,
d be instituted, II would not be Difficult
l to present repeated instances in tn
: history Of states. standing in the yer,
i front Of modern civilization, wherV
y communities, far less offending ant
d more defenceless than Greytown, hav,
If been chastised with much greater Sc
= verify. and where not cities only hay,
l. been laid in ruins, but human life ha
h been recklessly sacrificed, and tn,
y blood of the innocent made profusely
e to mingle with that Of the guilty.
Il Passing from foreign 10 domestic
l. affairs, your attention is naturally di
o rected TO the financial condition OF III,
IS country, always subject Of genera
II interest. For complete and exact in
i formation regarding the finances, ant
;, the various branches Of the public ser
:, vice connected Herewith, Irefer yol
IS 10 the report Of the Secretary Of tn
% Treasury; from which il will appear
n that the amount Of reyeue during tn
" last fiscal year, from all sources, wa
e seventy-three million FIVE hundred an,
n forty-nine thousand seven hundred an,
h Ave dollars: and that the public ex
?, penditures for the same period, exclu
't sive Of payments on account Of tn
j. public debt. amounted to fifty one nil
y lion eighteen thousand two hundred
'e and forty nine dollars.
u During the same period, the payment
t, made in redemption of the public debt
l. including the interest and premium
% amounted to twcnty-four million tire,
l. hundred and thirty-six thousand thre'
n hundred and eighty dollars. To tn,
t. sum total of the ecipts of that year i
r. to be added balance remaining in tn,
Is Treasury at the commencement there
l. of amounting TO twenty-one million
nine hundred and forty-two thousan,
Ie eight hundred and ninety-two dollars
l. and at the close of the same year,
l. corresponding balance amounting I,