Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-20

Made to arrange this international question WIKI
Great Britain. |; is referred 10 the present occa
sion Only because OF il iM. t. cGnu"Xlnu WIRE ne
fpeci"! object low 10 Gu trough; TO The attention oil
Congress.
The unsettled political condition Of some o! IL"
Spanish American Republics has never ceased to be
regarded by this Government with snictude and re-
greet on their own account while il hgs been the
source vi continual embarrassment IN our pubic ana
private relations with them. In the midst of the vi
oient revolutions and the by which they are
continually agltated their public authorities una
Die TO afford due protection 10 Foreigners and to To-
reign interests within their territory even 10 de-
| fend their own soil against indviani aggressors,
foreign or domestic, the burden OF the Inconvenience
and losses Of which, therefore, devulvcs in no incon'
siderable degree, upon the foreign States associated
with them in close relations of geovruphical vicinity
| or commercial intercourse.
Such is more e;nphalica!ly, the situation of the
United States with respect Ia the Republics of Mexico
and of Central America. Notwithstanding, however,
the relative remOsness of the European States from
America facts of the order have not failed tn
appear cOnspcuousIy in their intercourse with Span.
isI-American Republics. Great Britain has repeat
edy been constrained To recur to measures nt force
for the protection Of British interests in those
tries. France found il necessary 10 attack the castle
of San Juan de uoa, and even to d,hari troops al
Vera Cruz order Ia obtain redress Of wrongs done
to FIcncIincn in Mexico.
What s memorable III this respect in the conduc:
and policy nt the United States IT, that while it would
from America is for European States 90 do this in
Asia Africa, and while il done By il might be
tiilcd well the alleged ground ui The advantage
which would accrue thererom IL the territories an
nexed and absorbed, yet we have ah.taiEed from DO
ing II, III Obedience 10 considerations c right rot less
than of policy and that while the ccura gcuus and
snIl.reliHn spirit of our people prompts them To hardy
enterprises, and they occasionally yield 10 the temp
iat"n Of taking part in the troubles of countries
at hand, where they know how potential their inu-
|
Government has uniformly and steadily resisted g
attempts of individuals in the United States under
take armed aggression against friendly Spanish Amer
lean Republics
While the present incumbent of the Executive OF:
flee has been i'll discharge o i5 duties he has
failed 10 exert all the authority in him vested To re-
press such enterprises, because they in violation
Of the law OF the land which the Constitution requires
him To execute faithfully because they contrary
to the policy of the nvcrRnrn,, and because per
init them would be- departure from good aii! towards
those American R"pUb!i III n!Gy viii! U.s. which are
entitled 10, and will never {" enjoy in their
calamtes the cordial sympathy and in their prosperity
the efficient good will %! the Government and Of tho
people Of The United States.
To say that our laws in this respect ARE sometimes
violated successfully e"acl is only to say wha is
true OF all laws IN all countries but not in the
United States than in any one Whatever at he
tries ut Europe Suffice to repeat tg; The Laws y! The
United States prohibiting all foreign military euli.
ments or expeditions within territory have hlrn
executed with impartial good faith and 81 far a. the
nature of things permits. sell in REPRESSION Of pr
vatc persons Of the official agents vi other Govern
ncnis, bot! ct Europe aud America.
Among the Central Americas Republics to which
modern events have impaired nUrt prominence. is
that OF Nicaragua by ~! lis particular position
OH the sthmas. CilizcuS If the United States have
established in lis territory regular int,roceauic iran.
sill route second only i'll utility and value to the one
previously established in the territory OF New Gran
ada. The condition Of Nicaragua would, il Is be-
cved, have been much more prosperous than il has
been but for the occupa ion of lis only Atlantic port
by n foreign Power mad OF the disturbing authority
set up and sustained by the same Puwer in portion
of its territory, by means OF which its domestic SOW
ereigny was impaired its public lands were withheld
from settlement, and it was deprived of all the mari.
time revenue which il would otherwise collect OIL i'm
ported merchandise at San Juan del Nor,e.
In these circumstances OF the political debility Of
the Republic OF Nicaragua, and when its inhabitants
were exhausted by long continued civil war between
parties, neither OF them strong enough ito overcome
the other or permanently maintain Internal tranquil
~, one or the cOntcndng factions OF tie Republic in
ved the assistance and Gc-"pera.ion of n small body
OF citizens Of the United States from the State OF
California; whose presence, /; appears, put end
at once to civil war aud restored apparent order
throughout the territory Of Nicaragua with new
administration, having al il head dstin! ushcd in
diviIuaI, by birth citizen Of the Republic, ID. Pa;r
clio Riva-, as lis provisional President.
II is the established policy of the United States Ia
recognize all Government, without question OF their
source, or their organization, ut the means by
which the governing persons attain their power, pro-
vidrd Their" be government Hc f'lcio accepted by
the people of the country. and with reserve only ui
time 10 the recognition OF revolutionary Govern
nenls arising out IT III. subdivision Of parent Sa;cs
with which we IRE IN relations ot amity. We de- not
Z" behind the fat OF 4 foreign Government etrr-
csing actual power t. investigate questions oi
gitimacy: IS" do not inquire into !iS olusrc which
may have led r. change Of Government. I" ~ i
Is Indifferent whether success IA revolution, ir- bc.n
ai"d By Io:eisi, Intervention no.; whether i;iSur
rc2;rG has "vc!;!rHwG existing G"rrra,rIris AMI
another has b"e!. -s..!,:cG IA It's place acrorli..
10 processing forms. or ia nn"rnet adopted :"r Ia,
occasion by tlis. whom We may iI.!i il the actual
possession Of power. All :hcc matters !cn"e -
The people ANA public authorities of the particular
country 10 determine and their determinations wLe-
Their it be by positive action ur by ascer.ancd acgui.
cscecc i to lis sufficient warranty of the egi;img
cy Of the ncw' Government.
During the six ysevcn years which have elapsed |
since the establishment OF the existing Government
OF tue United Siatcs in all which TIM this Union
has maintained lnJstnrbcd domestic tranquility. We
have had occasion To rcc"-snZ" Governments H. Jri~,
founded either by domestic revolution an by military
INVASION from abroad, III many 0t the Governments
Of Europe.
Ii is the more mpcrativcy Necessary TO apply this
rule 70 the Spanish American Republics in con-ide
ration Of the frequent and not seldom annmaru-
changes Ut organization or administration which
they undergo, and the revolutionary nature of most
OF these changes OF which the: recent series oi revu.
lutiuiIs in the Mexican Republic is an example,
where five successive revolutionary GOVERNMENTS
have made their appearance III the course OF few
months. aud baen recognised successfully each Ms
the political power Of that country by the United
Statrs.
When, therefore, CONG tire s:;co, rev minister !
from the RGpubiic al Nicaragua presented hIInsef ;
bearing The cGnm;si Jon Of President Riya., he must
and would HAYS been received ~ -uch. unless he
found on inquiry subject 10 personal -xr-pti"n bat |
for the absence ri satisfactory Information upon the
question whether President RvaS tIR the |
head Of mn established Government of the Republic
ui Nicaragua. doubt as 10 which M: UmIr from
the circumstance ui his avuwei lssuciatlon VITA
ed cinlSraHs recently from the United States. but
that The proposed Minister himself at that class
OF persons and not otherwise or previously citizen
uf = irarag.;a.
Another minister from The EcpubliG of Nicaragua
has now pres 2:ed himself and has been receive,: Us
such, satisfactory evidence appearing that he repre-
cents the government he jactD and, lar Us such ez-
lists, tie government de jarc Ui that republic.
That reception, while in nCcOrlancc with the estaG'
iisied policy Of the United States, was likewise
called for By The most Imperative SneciG! cxiSencles,
which require that this Government SiIn.i enter AT
into diplomatic relations wiki that u Nicaragua
IN the first place, difference Iis occurred between
the Government of President RivaS aud tine Ncarn
qua Transit Company, which Involves the necessity
OF inquiry into rights Of citizens OF the United
States who allege ;ia, they have been ag,reved b.
the ec;s of the former and claim protection aud re-
dress at the hands Of their Government. Ia lie
second place. the interuceanlc communications ny III"
way VI Nicaragua is eiicrtua!ly interrupted, and the
persons ard property of ur offending private GH"!is
OF the United States in that country require the at
teniiun OF their Government. Neither "i these "O-
jecs can receive due consideration without resun2
ten Of uislu!ra;!c intercourse with the Government
of NicarGg.G.
Further than this. the documents congratulated
show that while the nteroceanc transit hr the way
of Nicaragua is oil, Disturbances At Panama have
occurred to obStruc temporarily at cast Thai " inc
way Of New GGanadin, uvDlving the sacrifice OF the
lives and property %: cltzsus of the United States
\ special commissioner has been dispatched Ia Pa
mama to investigate the facts of this occurrence, with
Il view pnric.;JarIy 20 the redress vi parties ~,
grcved But measures Of another class viii b. de /
mandcd for the future security OF laor"ceGnlc com.
mn;Gic:tion by tins rs by tho oiher routes o! III"
isihinls.