Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-06-04
FATHER Will, MINISTER FROM MICA
RAGUA TO THE u. STATES.


It will be perceived from letter of our
special Nicaragua correspondent, published in
the Delta of Monday morning, that Padre
Will has been selected by the government
of Patricio Rivas to fulfil an important mission
in the United States, for which his energy,
experience and capacity eminently qualify
him In plain words, understand that he
is the duly commissioned Minister of Nicara-
qua, replacing Dir. French in the duties and
responsibilities of that Office, and visiting
Washington for the purpose of effecting a rec
onciliation between the somewhat slow and
deliberate mother country and her struggling,
forward, brt chivalrous offspring in Central
America.
Padre Will is a remarkable man, and en-
Joys a greater reputation, thinker and
scholar, than most of his countrymeu, at home
or abroad. He is now in the maturity of his
powers, being al out forty-nine fifty years
of age, and has improved his naturally acute
and searching intellect by comprehensive and
varied observations of men, manners and
things He has travelled, struggled, talked
and thought, and like Ulysses, he has become
a name
For always rowing with hungry heart,
Much had he seen and known cities, OF men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Himself not least, but honored of them all.
In many respects his career has been adj
venturous, singular, almost romantic, and dis
plays as his salient characteristics, prescience,
9romptitudc and versatility. The Padre was
at one time lawyer practising in Granada,
we believe, and enjoyed very great prestige as
an accomplished jurist and skilful speaker,
being almost as effective in courts as in cham
bers. in pleading as in advice. He became
connected with some political movements
which agitated Central America periodically,
and had to choose between exile and death as
the penalty of his patriotism, or his rashness,
or his ambition, or whatever it may be called.
Accordingly, he had to leave Central Amerl-
ca, and was refused the privilege of returning
in the character of a lawyer, or a soldier, or a
politician Only one role remained which he
could play with any adequate chance of sue
cess, and in due time he resolved to perform
it. and re-appear in his native country under
the protection OF the Church, and in the sur
plice and stole Of a priest \ priest might
act as lawyer when occasion required, but it
is somewhat novel to find lawyer with a suf-
ficient hardihood to become priest. There
is very little affinity between briefs and bibles
be tween psalms and forensic harangues, be-
tive en- the service of Christ and the service of
an ordinary clieat; but Padre Will was able
to reconcile both, and exhibited an equal
amount of ability for fees and fervor, for
briefs and beads, for the court and the confes-
sionaI, fer cross examination and the cross
In his lew capacity the Padre won many
friends, and rapidly rose to distinction in the
ecclesiastical world. securing universal respect
by his charity, bis talents, and his unquestion-
able virtue There is safer profession than
that of priest, and as far as our experience
goes, none so prof, able. So the Padre found
that 1ie was secure under his surpfce, and
that one who cannot 10 We his country a law
yer with impunity, can afford to worship her
as priest In diplomacy he soon distin-
guished himself as much IS in theology, and
we see the practical result It his sagacity and
energy in the recent appoint ment he has re-
ceived from the revolutionary government of
Nicaragua. Personally the Padre is an ac-
complished individual, with splendid physi-
cal as well as mental organization.
lie is said to be one of the hands onest mon
in Nicaragua, and we presume is II favoritc
father confcssor to the fair penittnts of that
beautiful and voluptuous land With his fine
weii- i-balanced head, his stately bearing, his
polished manners his insinuating eloquellce,
he is likely to overtop by head (if We may
use the significant phrase of old Homer) al
the diplomatists, foreign and domestic, assem-
bled at Washington.