Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-12-04
CONSTITUTION
From the Ell Nicaraguense, extra.
Colonel Wheeler's Address to the PrcsI-
dent OF Nicaraugua, and His Reply.

dent OF N~icaraugun and His Reply.
We alluded in our regular issue of Saturday
to the fact of the official reception of the Hon.
J. H. Wheeler by his Excsllency Don Patricio
Rivas, President of the Republic.
AT twelve o'clock, M, on Saturday, the 10th
instant, the Project of Granada and the Gov
ernor, by the direction of the President, await
ed on the Minister, at the house Of the United
States Legation, where all the American resi-.
dents of Grenada had assembled when they
repaired to the council chamber Of the govern
ment house, where the officers of the com
mander-in.chief, the clergy, and many others
were assembled. Colonel Wheeler then de-
livered the following address:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: / congratulate you upon
your accession to the Presidency of the Repub-
lie Of Nicaragua.
/ had the honor of presenting in May last,
to the government of this city, a letter from the
President of the United States accrediting me
minister resident near this republic.
Tn diplomatic usages Of the United States,
from the earliest period, have always acknow.
lodged that every nation possesses the right to
govern itself according to its own will and to
transact its business through whatsoever agent
it may think proper to employ.
In conformity to ancient and honorable pre-
cedents, / request that you will regard the let
ter of the President of the United States, now
on file in the archives of YOUR State Depart.
ment, as addressed to you, as President of the
Republic of Nicaragua; and that you rely with
confidence on his sincerity in the expressions
Of friendship entertained by him, and the peo-
pie of the Tnited States, for this republic, and
the desire of the President and our Govern
ment to cultivate the harmony and good cores
pondence which now so happily subsist be.
lWeen us.
From the period of her independence from
Spain, in 1921, to the date of the treaty by
virtue of which you, Mr.. President hold your
office, Nicaragua has been the scene of reyolu-
ton and warfare, Of intestine CONFUSION and
blood. If there were, at some short intervals,
a temporary cessation Of hostilities, it was only
to enable the political storm to gather fresh
fury by repose.
l hail the treaty of the 23d ult., between the
chiefs of the respective armies, as was the
sacred dove bearing the olive branch of peace,
proving that the bitter waters of desolation and
destruction had subsidized. And / trust that
the ark which has been so long tossed upon the
troubled ocean of political strife may now rest
secure in the enjoyment of peace and pros
perity.
With q soil as fertile as any on earth, abun-
dant in mineral wealth, the Gel Dorado" Of
the hopes Of Columbus, q salubrious climate,
a geographical position so important that it is
the "Golden Gate" between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans, which opens the Of
the world, your republic" the centre Of
Central America only requires peace, in
dustry, and enterprise to take its appropriate
position among the nations of the earth.
The example of the "great republic Of the
North" like the Pole Star to the sea tossed
mariner, plainly points to You the true way of
national greatness.
The interests are the same-their principles
should be, also.
Our true policy is to declare and maintain
that the people Of American republics can
govern themselves; that no foreign power shall
be allowed 10 control in the slightest manner
our views or interfere in the least degree with
our interests. Our dignity, our rights and
security as republics, demand this, and the idea
Of any interference or colonization by any
foreign power, on this side of the ocean, is ut
terly inadmissible.
BE assured, Mr.. President, that nothing shall
be wanting on my part to advance the interests
Of both republics, and, as the representative of
the United States to discharge my important
and delicate duties in a manner agreeable to
you and satisfactory to my own government.
To which the President made the following
reply:
Mn. MINISTER: With particular pleasure /
have listened to the expression Of those gener-
Gus sentiments with which your excellency
congratulates my accession to the presidency,
and for which / return to you my sincere
thanks; and, SO far as in my power, in the po-
sition in which l find myself placed nothing
will be more grateful TO me than to maintain
cordial relations with your excellency, who so
worthily represents the government Of the
illustrious American nation.
If these relations have at all times been con-
sidered by Nicaragua as Of great Importance,
for her improvement and wellbeing, how
much, without doubt, more important are they
now, when an extensive and disastrous civil
war is Just terminated by the means Of frater-
nal understanding in favor of the republic;
upon whose young and ~powarful elements Of
liberty and order hopes are founded that this
country will march with a firm step to the same
elevation Of advancement which its free insti-
tutions and natural advantages present.
Several years since, by a solemn declara-
ton Of the legislative power, those principles
WulIn " " 'ht nbtiNJ hhh ihhtpthhthNO
Of the American continent we're adopted they
strengthen the chains which unite US to the
great republic OF the North, which was the FIRST
to proclaim such principles, and which has
been constant in maintaining them.
Nicaragua, as other sections Of Spanish
America, following the example which had
been set by the magnanimous nation OF the
North, declared her independence and estab
lished liberal institutions and since then both
nations nave. considered themselves identified
by such peaceful interests, and every day their
mutual welfare becomes more Immediately
connected.
Firm in these convictions, | fatter myself
that your excellency, when treating on the ap-
propriate subjects Of your important mission,
will find me always animated by the same SEN
timents which you have already expressed in
favor Of the two countries.
The whole ceremony was impressive and