Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-06-07
Secretary Marcy and the Nicaragua Cues
Observation-Disclosures Policy OF tho Ad-


Secretary Marcy and the Nicaragua CUES
tion-Weathercock Policy OF tho Ad
minfstration.
The news received from England, by way o
/ Quebec confirms the opinions which we al
along expressed, that on the Nicaragua question
our Cabinet was never at any moment guided
! by fixed principles and that its tardy recogni
ton of the Walker-Rivas government was
dictated merely by personal objects We now
learn that as late as the 9th of March last, Mr.
Marcy was so dissatisfied with the then state
of things in Nicaragua that he could Suggest
no better plan than for the governments Of
England and Of the United States to combine
for the protection of English and American
citizens. What q humiliating commentary this
suggests on the manner in which the affairs of
this great country are administered! One
would expect from men who make such free
use of Pufiendorf and Grotius, that their policy
would be based on enlarged views of what our
interests and honor require. Instead of that,
we lind the course of the government on this
question to have been marked by a hesitation,
a timidity, and an absence of ordinary prudence
which would have disgraced the veriest tyros in
political affairs Let us impress upon our
readers the singular phases through which this
Nicaraguan question has passed. First Mr..
Marcy is dead against the recognition of the
Walker government, and uses every effort to
prevent aid being sent to it. Secondly, he is
desirious of combining with England to protect
the Americans and English--of forming, in
short another bungling compact like the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty Thirdly, he is in favor Of
Nicaragua and Walker; permits arms and men
to be sent to the latter, and issues orders to our
ships Of war to protect from search the vessels
thing like the faulty and inconsistency of
conduct like this? And yet in the face of it
our government ventures to dismiss Champion,
and TO read long lesson to England on the
proprieties of international comfy. 2f
What the phase will be of this tortured ques-
ton no one can tell, such is the shutting and
vacillating policy of the Pierce and Marcy
government OF one thing we are certain
that Marcy will thoroughly complicate this
Central American dispute before he gets
through with tn 7. Herald.
Success of General walker.
The rule Of General Walker is firmly estab-
lished in Nicaragua. We have direct authori-
ty for saying that Walkers army is not only
strong in numbers, but in good condition.
Subsistence is abundant and cheap, and so far
from the troops and Walker himself driven to
extremities, as rumored few days since by
our French cotemporary in this city, there was
never, we understand, the slightest probability
of extreme suffering, either from famine or
the ability Of the Costa Ricans to follow up
the battle of Rivas. The rout of the latter, on
the contrary, was complete, and their loss eight
or ten fold greater in battle than that of
Walker. Disease and death, superinduced, in
part, by the gross neglect and mismanagement
of their officers, completed the disaster to the
invaders, and it seems questionable whether
more than third of the army survived to reach
their own territory again. SO far as the polit- |
ical power of the Riyas- Walker rule is concern
ed, the result of this trial of arms is as CON-
plete and decided as the battle Of San Jacinto
proved to Houston and the Texans. The re-
public of Nicaragua, under Anglo American
auspices, is now as certainly fixed fact as the
establishment of Texan independence in 1886.
There is peace and unanimity at home, and
little or no remaining apprehension from inva-
sion from the ,neighboring States of Central
America.
The next consideration is, the condition,
prospects and commercial intercourse of the
State. The transit route is already in partial
operation. 1t is freed from obstruction from
ocean to ocean. The California trade has been
actively resumed on the Pacific side, the Sierra
Nevada having brought down three or four
hundred passengers, who met with little delay
and were transferred to the Orizaba on the
Atlantic side. The grantee of the new line,
Mr.. Randolph, came passenger in this steamer,
and will no doubt be able to effect such arrange.
ments here as to insure semimonthly instead
of monthly trips. This will be great point
gained. The steamers are not molested by
British or French naval vessels. There is no
sufficient reason to suppose that any such in
reference is intended. The presence of our
own squadron, which was met by the Orizaba
at Key West will be a sufficient protection to
American property and passengers on their
way to California.
We LEARN that the agricultural ability of the
country to support and insure abundant com
fort to American colonization and industry,
and to give wealth to the enterprise, which, on
the complete restoration of peace and the dis |
banding of the army, will be attracted to the !
cultivation of sugar, rice and grain, and the
development of the commercial portion of the
isthmus and its relation TO our own California
trade. The consideration Of this last point
has not been overlooked at Washington, and,
although the recognition of the new government
was entered upon with extreme caution by the
President and his cabinet, il is not to be ex-
pected that the intercourse and sympathy Of
the two countries will be less active and cor
dial, now that Walker has abundanty proved
his ability to sustain himself-N 7. Times.
Florence Nightingale.
In clever speech Of Lord Ellesmere, lately
made in the House Of Lords, he refers to Flor
ence Nightingale in these words: !
"The vegetation Of two successive springs
has obscured the vestiges Of Balaklava and |
Inkermann. Strong voices now answer to the
roll call, and sturdy forms now cluster round |
the colors. The ranks are full, the hospitals |
are empty. The angel Of mercy fingers to the !
last on the scene of her labors, (hear, hear y |
but her mission is all but accomplished Those
long arcades Of Scutari in which dying men sat
up to catch the sound Of her footsteps or the
Autter Of her dress, and fell back on the pillow
content to have seen her shadow as it passed,
are now comparatively deserted. She may pro-
badly be thinking how to escape, as best she
may, on her return, the demonstrations Of
nations appreciation of the deeds and motives
of Florence Nightingale"
This allusion was hailed with repeated cheers. |