The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-05-16
THE NEWS FROM NICARAGUA.

The NEWS rhOM NiChRAGUA.
[from the Richmond Enquirerl
The intrinsic improtability of the news
from Nicaragua concurs with certain advent
tious circumstances in cautioning the public
ngainst any premature exultation over Walk.
er's reported successes. A patient ard i'm
partial inquiry, conducted by the light of
conflicting statements from opposing parties,
satisfies us that he has sustained succession
of repuses in his battles with the Costa
Ricans, and that if his fortunes be not abso.
lutcly desperate it is altogether improbable
that he can recover his position.
The report Of the battle of Rivas is taken
from Walkers official paper, and is obviously
an er parie statement. But even the bulletin
of the general in.ehhof does not claim II clean
victory. He admits that the enemy fought
with obstinate valor, that he was unable to
drive them from their position, and that he
was himself compelled to retire from the
field. The only substantial advantage Walker
appears to claim is the greater punishment
he inflicted on the foe. But can we credit his
computation of losses! How could he know
that six hundred of the enemy were slain
when the enemy kept possession of their own
dead? He c0nfesses that the enemy served
their guns well, and that they used their
Minnie rifles with deadly effect. They occu.
pied an advantageous position, and Walkers
men encountered destructive fire in assail.
ing their breastworks and barrcades. II is
quite incredible that Walker could sustain n
fire under these circumstances for seventeen
hours with loss of only one hundred and
fifty men. Yet this loss would involve n
sacrifice Of more than one.fourlh of his entire
army.
Two slight but very significant circum
stances make it perfectly clear to our mind
that Walker is beaten and ruined man.-
These are the disaff.ctions in his own ranks
and the triumphant and defiant tone of the
enemy. lfthe commander of the Costa Ricans
hnd not been perfectly confident o success he
would not have invited retaliation on himself
BY refusing quarter and denouncing indis.
crlnlnate slaughter on the Nicaraguans after
the battle of Rivas. And desperate indeed
must be Walkers cause when even his severe
discipline cannot prevent the desertion of his
men.
The invasion Of Costa Rica with such an
inadequate force was an enterprise which
nothing less than miracle could rescue from
hopeless disaster The Costa Rican General
played the part of Scipio, and Walker has TO
retreat from the enemy's country to defend
his own cnpitnl. lie is rcpulspa in the ut.
tempt to recover Rvas. How long will he
hold Granada?
The varying fortunes of the Llllpuiian
struggle between n pgmy Republic and
handful OF crazy tilibusters excite that sort
of interest with which Il person contemplates
cock.tight or set to between n couple of
shoulder strikers. In itself the contest is little
better than an exciting amusement; but cir
cumstanccs may give it n prodigious impor.
t"nce. When the Oympian deites abandon.
ed their neutrality and participated in the
strifes OF mortals the combat ragged with awful
fury, and earth shook with the rush of con.
tending hosts. Even so will the struggle
between Costa Rica and Nicaragua swell to
the colossal proportions of wide wasting war
should the great Powers be involved in the
fray. So to involve them is obviously the
aim both of Walker and the Costa Rican
Government. To that end Walker wantunly
invites every sort of violence and outrage on
American citizens in Central America. TO
that end his agents magnify an accidental
riot into deliberate and bloody massacre.-
With equal assiduity, but perhaps with less
dlscrcdilable policy, the Costa Ricnn Gov
ernment soicits the alliance and active aid of
Great Britain.
Now, we have no idea that the British
Government intends TO take part in the diff
guilty further. than is necessary to protect the
rights of its own subjects. So far from
blaming, we should rather applaud and imi-
late the vigilant energy with which it dis.
charges this duty. An American squadron
should be present to enforce respect to the
rights of American citizens in Nicaragua, and
10 maintain The neutrality Of this country.-
Nothing short of the most imperious necessi.
ly should induce the Government to interfere
IN the fight between band of outlaws on
'ne side aud rabble Of barbarians on the
)ther.
The FUTURE LAND.-There are green mead.
'ws in the future land; there are deep mos.
" banks; there are soft meandering streams;
here are lilies blooming white and fair;
here is deep.toned music Ginning; there are
stars of diamond beauty flashing; there are
larps of floral gems; there are fountains dan.
ling like fairies bright on flowers; there are
birds of paradiscal plumage; there are rainbow
ints of glory bursting everywhere in the fu.
ure fevery souls existence.
tY- The body of Mod re, the dramatist,
being refused place aeil Recrnted ground,
he King (Louls XIV. -. :. for the arch.
bishop, and demandes' W !; ow the depth of
he consecrated eart hsis hndi: prchbishop, not
liking to acknowledees u or ignorance,
after a ljs' tion, "tweIve
eet." "Well," repli,i o. Iarch. "let the
yrave of Moliere be ZEN feet deep,
,,d ,h,a all diff;e,. no 80. n