The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-12-14

] Iishment, too dangerous to be disregsr
> ded, and too guilty 10 pass UNPUBLISHED
: and yet incapable Of being treated in any
. other way than as piratica resort o
outlaws; or camp Of Sayages, depreda
i ting on ern'grant trains or caravans. anC
: the frontier settlements Of civilized States
: Seasonab'e notice was given 10 the peo
e pie OF Greytown that this Government
b required them to repair the injuries they
; had done 10 our citizens. and to make sui
table apology for their insult of our Min.
. Ister, and that a ship.of.war would be
despatched thither 10 enforce compliance
with these demands. But the notice
passed unheeded. Thereupon a com.
mander Of the navy, in charge of the
sloop Of war "Cysne,' was ordered 10
repeat the demands, and 10 insist upon a
compliance herewith. Finding that nei.
ther the popuIace, nor those assuming TO
have authority over them, manifested any
disposition 10 make the required repara
ton, or even 10 offer excuse TOR their con
duct, he warned them, by public pro
clamation, that if they did not give salts.
faction within time specified, he would
lombard the town. By this procedure he
attoreded them opportunity 10 provide for
their personal SAFETY. To those also who
desired TO avoid loss Of property, in the
punishment about TO be inflicted on tie
offending town, he furnished the means
oi removing their effects, BY the boats Of
his own ship, and Of steamer which he
procured ard rendered to them for that
purpose. AtleDgth perceiying no dispo.
slton on the part Of the town TO comply
with his re9ulsitions, he appealed to the
commander of her Britannia Majesty S
schooner, Bermuda" who was seen to
have intercourse, and apparently much
influence with the leaders among them
to interpose, and persuade them 10 take
some course calculated 10 save the neces
>i'y Of resorting 10 the extreme measure
indicated in his proclamation; hut that
officer instead of acceding to the request.
did nothing more than to protest against
the conteu plated bombardmeni. No
steps OF any sort were taken, By the peo-
pie to give the satisfaction required -
No individuals, if any there were who
regarded themselves as not responsible
for the misconduct Of the community,
adopted any means TO separate them
seIyS from the fate of the guilty. The
seyera! charges, on which the demands
for redress were founded, had been pub
Iicly known 10 all for some time, and were
again announced TO them. They did not
deny any of these charges; they offered
no explanation, nothing in extenuation oi
their conduct; but tcontumaciously refused
10 hold any intercourse with the comman
der Of the "Cyane." BY their obstinate
silence they seemed rather desirous 10
provoke chastisement than 10 escape il
There is ample reason 10 believe that this
conduct Of wan,on defiance, on their part.
is imputable chiefly to the delusiye idea
that the American government would be
deferred from furnishing them, through
fear of dispeasing formidable foreign
power, which, they presumed to think,
looked with compacency upon their ag.
gressive and insulting department TO
wards the United States. The "Cyane'
at length fired upon the town Before
much injury had been done, the fire was
twice suspended, in order to afford op.
porlunity for an 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
consiGerate precautions taken y our ma,
val commander, there was no destruction
of life.
When the "Cyane" was ordered tc
b Central America, it was confidently hoped
and expected that no occasion woulL
arise for "a resort 10 violence and de-
,truction of property and loss OF lie. -
r Instructions to that effect were given tc
= her commander. And no extreme act
would have been requisite, had not the
people themselves. by their extraordinary
conduct in the affair, frustrated all the
possible mild measures for obtaining sat.
sfaction. A withdrawal from the place
the object Of his visit entirely defeated
under the circumstances in which the
commander OF the Cyane found himself,
would have been absolute abandonment
Of all claim of our citizens tor indemnfi
cation, and submissive acquiescence in
national indignity. Ii would have encour.
aged in these lawless men spirit OF inso.
lence and rapine most dangerous to the
lives and property Of our citizens at Pnnta
Arenas, and probably emboldened them
to grasp at the treasures and valuable
merchandise continually passing over the
Nicaragua route. 1t certainly would
have been most satisfactory TO me ifthe
objects of the "Cyane'S" mission could
have been conSummated without any acl
o public force; but the arrogant contuma.
cy of the offenders rendered it impossible
TO avoid the alternative, either to break
up their establishment, or TO leave them
impressed with the idea that they might
persevere with impunity in career o
lnsoIence and pIunder.
This transaction has been the sub eel
of complaint on the part OF some foreign
powers, and has been characterized with
more Of harshness than Of justice. II
comparisons were TO be instituted, it woud
not be difficult to present repeated instan'
ses in the history of States. standing in
the very front of modern civIiz alton,
. where communities. far less offending
and more defenseless than Greytown,
) have been chastsed with much greater
soyor;tv and where moi cities only have