New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-24


to investigate the facts in relation to the Panama
sfIray. has made report, which does not impress
US very fsvoraby as to the qualifications of that
gentleman for the discharge Of the delicate and re-
sponsibe duty imposed upon him. 1t is only ne
cessary to read few paragraphs OF his report to
perceive that Mr.. Corwine laying aside that Judicial
mparality which he ought TO have exercised, takes
upon himself the character of an advocate, bent
upon making out case for The passengers and the
better to make out that case, on blackening the
character of the natives and Of the Panama author
tics. Such being the evident bias of the reporter,
his statement and summary of the evidence-the
dispositions themselves not having been published at
lengths of but little value, and ought to be re-
ceiyed with great caution.
If We are to accept Mr.. Corwine's estimate of the
testimony as correct, though the trouble began by
the refusal of drunken American to pay for
piece Of watermelon, yet the first use Of fire.
arms was on the part Of certain Miguel Hubr.-
han, whose own testimony in the case, as that of
many other native witnesses, seems to be very
much d'scredited in Mr.. Corwines estiiratvn, by
the fact of his being "cOlored man." This hl-
brahan, Mr.. Corwine is satisfied, snatched pistol
from the drunken American and fired it at him
though IIubraban himself insists that it was the
drunken American who fred at him. AS to this
point however, Mr.. Corwine thinks the testimony
of Hubraban and other natives to be overbOrne by
the testimony of four citizens of the United States,
(some. If not all of whom would seem from
their names to be Irish,) whom he sets
down as disinterested witnesses because ~
took no part in the fight that ensued. There are,
however, other grounds of Partially. Mr.. Corwine
took no part in the fight yet shows very percepti-
bic lesniDg to the American side; nor can we share
the perfect confidence which he expresses, that it
WAS the cOored man and not the drunken man that
fred the first shot.
This. howeyer-though Mr.. Corwine enters into
it With great spirit and energyAis matter of but
very trihing importance. A much more essen
tia question il, Was the violent attack which imme-
diately afteward followed upon the hotels and the
station house, q preconcerted thing, and made in
pursuance Of an arrangement beforehand Mr..
Corwine is quite sure that such was tho case; yet
his pOstyeness appears to us to rest upon very IN
sufficient grounds-not SO much facts as the opln-
ions of certain witnesses to whose testimony ne
refers.
That previous to this unfortunate affair i'll feeling
did exist on the part Of the lower class of ma
tives toward the Americans and others passing
the Isthmus is point ~ to which the testimony is
pretty conclusive--and, indeed, without any wit
nesses il might have been taken for granted. Per-
sons of different nations and languages, especially
those of the lower class seldom come into contact
without i'll feeling; and considering that large
part of the population of the Isthmus are black or
cololed, and the feelings generally entertained by
low.bred Americans toward cOlored men, we can
well imagine that the people Of Panama may have
had reason enough for not being very amicably dis
posed toward the foreigners passing through their
country.
We come now to the great question in the case:
Did the authorities of Panama fail in their duty to
suppress the riot and if So this occasoned by
the confusion Of the scene, or was it intentional on
their part 1t is q fact that when at length the
Panama police came up they fired into the sta
:On.hOuse and that il was from this attack that the
greatest destruction of life and plumber of property
ensued 1t also seems TO be q fact that this firing
was by the orders of the Governor, who explains
that order by the assertion that shots were fired
from the station-house, by which two of the Gov.
ernor's party were wounded.
Mr. Corwine labors very hard to show that no
shots at all were fired from the station-house,
though some of the American witnesses testify to
the fact; and he seems inclined to nsinuate the
opinion, though he does not openly state it, that
the authorities were in league with the mob to muir.
der and plumber the passengers. 1t is our opinion
the other hand from the evidence, that the order
to the police to fire on the statiOn-hOuse was the
result Of an unfortunate Misunderstanding and the
general confusion and uprosr, which, though they
might indicate want Of self possession aud sound
Judgment on the part of the authorities at Panama
do not afford any evidence whatsoever of DISPOSE.
ton to cooperate with the mob instead of suppress
ing it.
Not content with performing, after fashion, the
duty imposed upon him to examine and report upon
the facts Mr. COrwine has volunteered, in addition
his advice as to what our Government ought to do.
He recommends the immediate occupation Of the
Isthnus by the United States. This would be very
natural advice to give if Mr. Buchanan were Pres.
dent. 1t is in the very spirit of the Ostend Man.
ifesto-a document to which, we believe, Mr..
Marcy did not give his approval.
We are well aware of the Importance of free
and safe transit across the Isthmus of Panama; but
there are other duties of our Government which
ought We think, to be first attended to. Before
calling the Government Of New-Granada to account
for permitting rotberes and murders on the 18th
mus, it might be well to call the State of Missouri
to account for the robberies and distractions, not
murders, which she has allowed to be committed on