Butte record., 1855-01-06

tensions that the lives and property o
our citizens at Pnnta Arenas would be
in imminent danger after the departure
Of tie steamer, with her passengers, fol
New York, unless guard was lelt foI
their protection For this purpose, anc
in order to insure the safety Of passen-
gers and property passing over the route,
temporary force was organized, 1T co j.
siderable expense to the United States
Tor which provision was made at the last
session of CongsesS.
This pretended community, hetero-
genous aSsemblage gathered from vari-
Gus countries, and composed, for the
most part, of bucks and persons of mix d
blood. had previously given other indi
cations Of mischi vous and dangerous
propensitics Early in the same month
property was clandcstinely abstraoted
from the depot of the Transit Company
and taken to Greytown. The plunderers
obtained shelter there, and their pursuers
were driven back by the people. who not
Only protect the wrongdoers and
shared the plumber, but treated with
.uden IS and violence those who soughi
to recover their property.
Such, in substance are the facts submitted
to my Consideration, and proved by trustworthy
evidence. | could not doubt that the case de
manded the interpositi0n Of this government.
Justice required that reparaticn should be
made for so many and such gross wrongs, and
that course of iusolence and plunder, tend
ine directly TO the insecurity Of the lives OF
numerous travellers, and Of the rich treasure
belonging to our citizens, passing over this
transit way should be perenptoriy arrested.
Whatever it might be in other respects, the
community in question, in power to do mis-
chief, was not despicabEc Ii WAS well proy
del with ordnance, small arms and ammuni-
tiou and might easily seize On the unarme
beats, freighted with millions of properly,
which passed almost daily within its reach
1t did not profess to belong to any regular
government, and had, in fact, no recognized
dependence on, or connection with, any one 10
which the United States or their injured citi-
zcns might apply for redress. or which could
be held responsible. in any way, for the ont
RACES committed. Not standing before the
world in the attitude Of an organized political
society, being neither competent to exercise
the rights nor discharge the obligations Of a
government, it was, IN fact, a marauIing es-
tablshment, tco dangerous to be disregarded,
and to guilty to pass unpunishod, and yet in
capable Of being treated in any other way
than as a piratical resort OF outlaws, or a camp
Of saVages, depredating On emigrant trains or
caravans and the frontier settlements Of civil
ICED States
Seasonable notice was given to the people OF
Gre ytown that this government required them
to repair the injuries they had done to our
citizens, and to make suitable apology for
their insult to our minister, and that n ship
of war would be despatch ed thither to enforce
compliance with these demands But the no
tice passed unheeded. Thereupon command
er Of the navy, in charge of the sloop- of war
Cyane, was ordered to repeat the demands,
and to insist upon a compliance herewith
Finding that neither the popuace nor those
assuming to have authority over them mani
tested any disposition to make the required
reparation, or even to offrr excuse for their
conduct, lie warned them, by public procla-
nation, that If they did not give satisfaction
within Il time specified, he would would bonn
bard the town. BY this procedure he afforded
then opportunity to provide for their personal
safety To those also who desired to avoid
less of property, in the punishment about 10
be inflicted on the offending toxin, he furnished
the means Of removing their effects, by the
boats Of his own ship, and of a steamer which
he procured and rendered to them for that
purpose. At length, perceiyng no disposition
On the paTt Of the town to comply with his
requ' sitions, he appealerto ihe commander Of
Her Britauic Majestys schooner Berni,tiu.
who was seen to have intercourse, and appar-
entity much influence with the leaders among
them, to interposc and persuade them to take
some course calculated to save the necessity OF
rcsorting to the extreme measures indicated
in his proclamation; bnt that officer, instead
Of acceding to the request, did nothing more
than to protest against the contemplated bonn
bardment No steps OF any sort were taken.
by the people, to give the satisfaction required
No individuals, if any there were, who regard
ed themselves as not responsible for the mis-
conduct Of the community. adopted any means
to separate themselves from the fate of the
guilty The several charges on which the de
mands for redress were founded, had been pub
lcly known to all for some time and were
again announced so them. They did not deny
any cf these charges; they offered no explana-
ton, nothing in extenuation OF their conduct 4;
but contumaclOusly refused to hold any inter
course with the commander Of the Cgaae.-
By their obstinate silence they seemed rather
desrous to provoke chastisement than to es-
cape it. There is ample reason to believe that
this conduct of wanson defiance on their part
is imputable chiefly to the delusiye idea that
the American government would be deferred
from furnishing them through the fear of dis
pleasing a formidable foreign power. which
they presumed to think, looked with compla-
cencv upon their aggressive and insulting de-
pontmeut towards the United States The
Cyane at length fired into the town Before
much injury had been done, the fire was twice
sppended, in order to afford opportunity 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 considerate precautions taken by
our naval commander, there was no des-ruct1
ion of life
When the Cyane was ordered to Central
America, it was confidently hoped and expect
ed that no occasion would arise for q resort
to violence and destruction of property and
loss CT life" Instructions to that effect were
given to her commander. And 10 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 satisfaction. A with
drawal from the place, the object of his visit
entirely defeated, would. under the circum-
stances in which the commander of the CuaRe
found himself, have been absolute abandon
ment of all claim Of cur citizens for indemnlfi-
cation, and submissive acquiescence in nation
al indignity. 1t would encouraged in these
lawiess men a spirit of insolence and rapine
most dangerous to the lives and property of
cur citizens at Punta Arenas, and probably
emDollenel them q prasD at the treasure an I