Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-02-09
Tn, Unit,d States and Nicaragua

MR. MARcY's INSTRUCTIONS TO MR.. WHEELER
A letter of instructions from Mr. Marcy 10 NJ.
Wheeler, the United States Charge Affairs to
Nicaragua, in regard to tho course which be Is
to pursue towards the government OF that State
has been made public. tits dated November D.
1855, and among other things says:
The miserable condition of Nicaragua is much
regretted, and devolves upon this government
perplexing duties. While adhering TO our set
tied policy Of leaving to every nation the manage
mept Of its own internal affairs We have imp'r-
,ant duties to perform in regard to our citizens
who may be resident within or passing through
its territories. The recen, murders and outrage'
committed upon them in the State OF Nicaragua
mus, be a,oned for by the authorities OF thu, ooun
try. The perpetrators of these crimes must be
punished, the sufferers Unidentified, and the fam
lilies Of the murdered be provided for. Whenever
that country has Il respectable governmental due
satisfaction will be demanded In the present
condition of affairs there il is difficult TO decide
who has the responsible government ON which
the demand for satisfaction can be made II ap-
pears that a band of foreign adveDturers has in.
yaded that unhappy country, which after gaining
recruits from among the residents has, by VIC.
lence overturned the previously existing govern
ment and now pretends to be in possession of SOY
creign authority. The knowledge we have of
their proceedings does not authorize the President
to recognize it ms the de ficio government OF
Nicaragua, and he cannot hold or permit you 10
hold in your official character any political inter
course with the persons now claiming 10 exercise
the sovereign authority of that State. 1t appears
to be violent usurpation of power brought
about by an irregular elf-organized military force
AS yet unsanctioned by the will or acquiescence
Of the people of Nicaragua. II has more the APP
pearaDce of n successful meraudng expedition,
than change of government rulers.
These instructions seem to unneoessa-
ry as they were unusual. Mr.. Wheeler. on the
ground with far better knowledge of affairs than
Mr. Marcy. decided differently and had alrendy
recognized the new government when these in
structions reached him. We suppose Mr.. Vince
Ter must have been chosen by the government for
the mission, because he was competent to dis
charge all its duties. In recognizing the new COY
eminent he followed what has been an invarlabo
precedent with American Ministers similarly sit
uated. But these instructions of the Secretary
of State. novel aud questionable as they are, fall
n long way short of that startling innovation which
the government is attempting 10 put in practice
against those citizens of the country who are de-
srous of emgrating to Nicaragua. by interpreting
force to prevent them Whatever may have been
Mr. Marcy's lack of information at the date of his
dispatch, il has been for months notorious that
the new government was in full and peaceful
DOS session and exercise Of all the functions and
attributes of authorty--us much n government
de ficfo (Which is all WI ever enquire intol AZ this
or any other. Yet the Executive has assumed
the extraordinary power of arresting our shores
unarmcd and unorganized bodies OF men who
were proposing Ia go thither with the permission,
if not at the invitation, of the government Of that
country. The history Of this republic furnishes
no instance of such gross usurpa,ion of power
of such tyrannical Interference with individual
rights.