Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-29
The Panama Massacre.

The Washington correspondent the New York
Times gives the following particulars Of the r,pOrt
of A. B. Corwine, U. S. Commissioner, who was de-
egated BY the government to inquire into the causes
Of the Panama riots
WASHINGTON, Sept 81.
/ am able to send you further particulars of the
report of Mr.. Corwne, the Special Commissioner
sent out by our Government to investigate the cir,
cumstances Of the Panama massacre.
His report is very voluminOUs, embracing all the
TESTIMONY taken by him while on the Isthmus. Ii
s addressed 70 the Secretary Of State aud is
file in the State Department.
Mr. Corwine states that the riot was commenced
by colOred native, who fred pistol at an Ameri.
can passenger who was intoxicated. The subse-
quent attack upon the railroad depot and the firing
upon the passengers were in pursuance Of plan
deliberately formed in advance in which the suthor
ties of Panama were actively commemorative police
being parties TO the plOt-and that the dispute with
the passengers merely seized upon a pretext
for commencing the assault
He states also that the military authorities OF Pa
mama failed utterly in their duty-that they did
thing 10 suppress the riot-that they connived at
the attack Of the police and the mob upon the eta
ton>house--and we're Themselves to a very great
extent responsible for the massacre.
As the conclusion of the whole matter, Mr.. Cor
wine reports that the government Of New Granada
s utterly unable 10 maintain law and order, and in
competent to the protection Of passengers and pro-
perty crossing the Isthmus. He r. fers to a variety
ofncdenus within the past few years to sustain this
position
He also recommends THE IMMEDIATE OCCUPATION
OF THE IsTBNUs FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN BY THE
UsIrED STATES, as absolutely necessary for the pur
pose of securing safety and tranquility to the
sit, unless New Granada after the proper represen.
tations shall have been made and the necessary de.
rDand made upon her. in pursuance of treaty stipu-
tations can satisfy US as TO her ability and inclna
ton TO afford the proper protection and make speedy
and ample atonement for the wrongs inflicted upon
our countrymen by the people and officials of the
State of Panama
These recommendations are backed up by strong
arguments, and are accompanied by elaborate state
ments of the amount of business done across the
I-thmus, and of the extent TO which American lives
and property rsquie protection.
The report engages the attention Of the Presi-
dent and Cabinet A strong disposition is evinced
in some quarters to act Immediately upon its
recommendations. 1t is probable however, thar
nothing decisive will be done until after the PresiA
dental election. The effect # an immediate move.
ment upon the result Of the canvass is feared
You may rely upon it, hewever that Mr.. Corr
wine would not have urged so bold policy as this
unless certain Of being backed up by the Govern
ment. He has been appointed consul at Panama,
and, unless supported by the administration, would
be likely TO have his eKequatur refused 10y the
New Granadan Government for such a recommen-
dation.