The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-08-30

servile and cringing spirit by attempting to pit
the entire responsibility on the commander
the Cyane. To make the affair more complies
ted the adyices from Washington bring infol
nation that the British ambassador has file
: protest against the bombardment and claim
: one million of dollars indemnity for British pre-
pertv lost; and the French minister has though
proper to do the same. Thus, as it stands, g:
is very pretty QUARREL and we shall hav
an exciting time before it is adjusted.
There is no reason why the conduct of tn
president should be aspersed, still less for tn
democratic organs in government pay to otte
: excuses, by shifting the blame to subordnat
officer. The president has done nothing NOR
than his duty, and We are pleased to find tina
he has at last resolved to make an effort to pu
an end to the insults and outrages committed
on our flag: and his exertions to do SO SHOULD
} be promptly seconded by every true American
We have ever been opposed to general Pierce
and no paper in the Union has found more taul
with the policy of his administration, the stuplc
and bungling manner in which he has managed
our foreign affairs, his interference in loca
state elections, his free-soil predictions, and
his abolition appointments; but when We feel
that he has done right none will more cheer
fully accord him praise. If there has been any
error committed in this instance, it has been in
favor of our country, and whenever any quar-
rel arises between this government and any for
eign power whatever, we are ready to stand by
those who are for maintaining the honor, and
redressing the wrongs, of America.
San Juan was den of renegadoes, composed
of few Americans, Englishmen, Jamaica ne
groes and half-breed natives, who obtained
precarious livelihood by preying upon passen
gers bound to and from California. Itderived
Importance only on account Of its being the
eastern depot of Vanderbelt's steamships from
New York and New Orleans for San Francisco
A few foreign shop-keepers, who had usurped
the municipal government of the town and the
agent of the steamships, had quarrel in regard
to the position of warehouse and the regula-
tons Of the port, and subsequently fight occur
red with some boatmen, in a which a negro
was killed. Ex-senator Borland, our charge to
Central America, undertook to adjust the DIFF
fculty, but favoring the steamship interest, he
got into dispute with the mongre authorities,
Z TO, ~ H.,
fair being forwarded to Washington, the presi
dent despatched the ship Cyane, commander
Hollins, to San Juan, with orders to demand
an apology and $24, 000 Indemnity, and if they
were not promptly granted, to chastise the
town. Commander Hollins made the demand
and the authorities having peremptoriIy refus
ed to comply with it, he forthwith demolished
the place, and the dwellers in one town at least
have been made to understand that the Amer
leans are getting tired of the petty insults and
that have for the last year or two
been put upon them by foreign governments.
We only regret that the bombardment did not
take place at Havana or Cadiz, instead of the
village Of Greytown.
A great deal Of unnecessary fuss is made be-
cause the larger portion ofthe property destroy
ed belonged to citizens of N. Orleans and New
\ ork. That is no reason why it should have
been spared. Americans have no right to in
suit the flag of their own country; on the con-
-rary, it was their duty to aid in upholding its
dignity, and by countenancing the insult to Mr.
Borland, they richly deserved to be punished.
We believe that an investigation of the whole
affair will clearly demonstrate the fact, that it
was concocted by American adventures, for
eign shop-keepers, and the steamship compa-
~, for the express purpose of forcing our gov
to take vengeance out of them, and
hereby afford a magnificent scheme to realise
fortunes out of Uncle Sam, in the shape of in
lemnity money. As to the protests and claims
If Great Britain, or France, we hope president
Pierce will treat them with the contempt they
merit; and merely give them to understand that
le will not allow any "foreign Intervention" in
lt management Vi our international concerns.
f they want indemnify let them seek it at the
lands of the Mosquito king.
1t is somewhat strange, that the very papers !,
which few months since were filled with lau
latlons in honor Of captain Ingraham, because
le demanded of an Austrian vessel the person
'fone Martin Koszta, an unnaturalised citizen
md which at best was mere "small potatoe''
pecles of bombast and fustan-are now enoao-
d in heaping ridicule and blame upon captain
iollns, because he chastised a community for
insulting our national ensign and imprisoning an
4nerican born citizen-the authorised and re-
ognlsed representative Of the United States to
foreign government One would suppose, by
UGH conduct, thatthese papers believed it COM
lendable in an American naval officer to offer
rejection to foreigner, at Smyrna; but that
is very reprehensibe in him to afford protec-
on Or means of redress to an American in
'relgn country Strange doctrine
The papers in the British West India islands
re working themselves into great passion at ,,
lie loss OF property experienced by those ia
'alca negroes, who were loafng around Grey