Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-02
TILE NICARAGUA NEMS.

The intrinsic improbsbility Of the news from Mica
ragua, concurs with certain adventurous circuin-
stances, in cautoning the public against any prena-
tdre exultation over Walkers reported successes.
patient and impartial inquiry conducted 10y the light OF
conflicting statements from opposing parties. satisfies
liz that he has Sustained succession of repulses IN
hi. battles with the Costa Ricaus and that his for
tunes be not absolutely desperate it altogether i'm
probable that lie can recover his position
The report of the battle Of Rivas is taken from
Walkers official paper and is obviously al crpa'ft
statement But oven the bulletin Of the General 10
Chief does not claim clean victory. lie admits that
the enemy fought with obstinate valor, that he was
unable drive them from their position and tnat e
wa, himself compelled to retire from the field. The
only substantial advantage Walker appears 70 claim
is the greater punishment he inflicted on the toe-
But can we credi, his computation of losses How
could he know tina. ak hundred Of the enemy were
slain, when the enemy kept possession OF their own
dead He copfess-s that the enemy aerred their
guns we'll, and that they used their Minnie rihes win
deadly effect. They occupied an advantageous posi-
ton, and Walkers meu encountered destructive IRE
iu assailing their breastworks AID barrcades II Is
quite incredible that Walker could sustain IRE I'M
der these circumstances for seventeen hours, win
loss of only one hundred and fifty men. Ioi
this loss would involve q sacrifice of moro than one
fourth of bis entire army.
Two slight, but very significant circumstances
make perfectly cea. to our MUD that Walker is
beaten and ruiusd man. These are, the disafiecton
in his own ranks, aud the triumphant and d-han;
tone Of the enemy. II the commander of the Costa
Ricans had not been perfectly confident OF success
4 L. ,yHlf l,N
refusing quarter aud deuouncing iniiscrininstc
slaughter ON the Nicaraguaas, after The battle of
Rivas. Aud desperate Indeed must be Walkers
cause, when even bis severe discipline cannot pre-
vent the deserton Of his men.
The invasion Of Costa Rjca with such an mad
equate force, enterprise which noth e less
than miracle could rescue from hopeless DISASTER
The Costa Rcan General played the part OF Scip'"'
and Walker has 10 retreat from tho enc,nys Country
to defend his own capital. lie is repulsed III the at
tempt to recover Rivas; how long will he hold Gre.
NADIA!
The varying fortune, of the Lilliputian struggle be-
tween pigny Republic, nn;! a handful Of crazy hi'
busters, excite that sort Uf interest with which per
sou conteinplates cock fight, or set-to between
couple Of shoulder strikers In itself the contest Is
little better than exciting amusement; but circum.
stance, may give it prodi,"us Importance. When
the Oympian deties abandoned their neutrality aui
nsrtIcipated in the s.rifes of m,rals, the combat
RACED with awful fury, aud earth shook with the rush
of copteudiug hosts. Even will the struggle be-
tween Costa RIGA and Nicaragua swell To the coles
sol proportions Of undertaking war, should the
C;rea, Powers be involved in the fray. So to involve
them s obviously the aim both OF Walker and the Cos
Ia Roa Government To that end Walker wshtoniy
invites every sort OF violence and outrage on Amer-
eau citizens 10 Central America To that end his agents
magnify an accidental riot int, a deliberate and
bloody uassacre. With equal a>sdaity but perhaps
with less discrcdahle policy. the Costa R;can Gov
crumea, solicts the alliance ard active ud of Great
Britain.
Sow, we have no laa that the British government,
intends 70 take part in the difficulty, farther than is
necessary 10 protect the rights OF its own suhjccls-
So far from bia nns, We shoul rather apr!au! aud
ilitae the visiant eneryy with which it discharge.
THIS duty. An American squl!roa should be presem;
to enforce respect to tho rights OF American citizens
in Nicaragua. and 10 maintain he ncutraiy Of M:'
cnantry Nothing short of the most npcrious neces
pity should induce the government to interfere III the
fight between baud OF outlaws on one side, and II
rabbe of barbarians the other.
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