Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-05-21
The Presidents Message on NiCara-
guam AMairs.

The message of the President. responsive to a
call by Congress for Information in regard TO the
relations Of this government with Nicaragua,
enters at some length into n narrative OF the nc
rctia,icns tina, have occurred between the United
States and that and other States of Central
America. as we'll as Great Britain, relative 10
them. The Importance Of alright Of way and
the means that have been employed to secure II
through Central America TO Pacific posses
sions are pointed out. The conduct Of Great
Britain in misconstruing and disregarding the
Clayton Bulwer treaty is commented on with
marked emphasis. and the course of the United
State. in matters Of fIbusiering and annexation
con,ra.ted with tina, of England and France
The following is that portion of the message
which relates more particularly to the subject of
she call by Congress:
In these circumstances Of the political debility
cf the republic Of Nicaragua and when its in
bab,tants were exhausted by long continued civil
war between parties. neither oil item strong
enough TO overcome the other, or permanently
maintain internal tranquility. one Of the contend
ing factions of the republic invited the assis-
lance and co operation IT n small body ct citizens
of the United States from the State of California,
whase presence. asst appears. pat an end at once
to civil war. and restored apparent order through
OUT the territory III Nicaragua, with new nd.
minstration, having at it's head distinguished
individual by birth citizen Of the repnbo, d.
Patrico Rivas, rs its provisional President.
It's the established policy Of the u. g. to re-
cognise all governments without question of their
source or their organization. ar Of the means by
which, The governing persons attain their power
provided there be a government de tdeto accept
cd by the people of the country aud with reserve
only Of time as to the recognition Of rcvolutona.
nv governments arising out Of the subdivision #
parent States with which we are IN relations Of
a,nity. We do no, 60 behind the fact Of foreign
government exercising aotual power to invest
gate questions Of legitimacy. We do not inquire
into the causes which hayeled to a change of eo-
vernment. To Us it is Indifferent whether sue
cessfu revelation has been aided by foreign in.
tervenlion or not whether instruction has over
thrown existing government, and another has
been established in its place according to pre-
existing forms. or in manner adopted Tor the
occasion by those whom we may find in the nc
tual possession of power. All these matters we
leave to the people and public authorities Of the
particular country 10 determine; aud their de-.
termination. whether il be by positive action or
by nscertaned aequiescence, is Ia Us sufficient
warranty Of the Legitimacy of the new govern
nent.
During tho SIXTY seven years which have claps- |
ed since the establishment of the existing gov
eminent Of the uni'ed States, in all which time |
this Union has maintained undisturbcd domestic |
tranquility, we have had occasion to recognise
governments de faeto founded either by domcs-
tic revolution or by military invasion from n
broad, in mnny of the governments Of Europe
II is the more imperatively necessary 10 apply |
this rule to the Spanish Republics, in considera.
ton # the frequent and not seldom anomalous
charges Ct organization or administration which |
they underground the revolutionary nature Of the |
most ofihese changes, which the recent series Of
revolutions in the Mexican republic is an exam.
pie, where five successive revolutionary govern. |
ments have ma1e their appearance in the course
OF few months. aud been recognised snocessive
ly each. a the political power Of that country by |
the United States.
When therefore. some time since, a new minis
ter from the republic of Nicaragua presented him
self. bearing the commission of President Rivas. |
he must and would have been eceivcd as such
unless he was found on inquiry subject to person
al exception. but for the absence of satisfactory
information upon the question whether President
Rvas was in fact the head of an established gov.
eminent of the republic of Nicaragua. doubt ms 10
which arose moi only from the circumstances of
his ovowed association with armed emigrants re
Gently from the United States but that the propo-
sed minister himself was of that class of persons
and not otherwise or previously a citizen Of Mica
ragua.
Another minister from the republic of Nicara
qua has now presented himself, and has been re-
ceived as such, satisfactory evidence appearing
that he represents the government de fIcio, and,
so far as suoh exists, the government de jure of
that republic.
That reception. while in accordance with the
established policy of the T. S: was likewise call
ed for by the most imperative special oxgencies
which require that this government shall enter
at once into diplomatic relations with that of
Nicaragua. In the FIRST place. Il difference has
occurred between the government of President
Ri> as aud tile Nicaragua Transit Company which
involves the.necessiiy of inquiry into rights of
citizens of the United States, who allege TINT
they have been aggreyed by acts of the former
and claim protection aud redress at the hands of
theirgoveinment. In the second place the inter
oceanic communication by the way of Nicaragua
is effectualIy interrupted. and the persons and
property of unofending private citizens of the
United States in that country require the atten-
ton of their government. Neither of these OBJ
lects can receive due consideration without re.
sumption of diplomatic intercourse with the gov.
eminent of Nicaragua.
Further than this, the documents communi
Gated show that. while the intcroceanic transit
by the way of Nicaragua is off disturbances at
Panama have occurred to obstruct, temporarily
at least, that by the way OF New Granada. inyol-
wing the sacrifice of the lives and property of
citizens of the United States. A special com
missioner has been despatched to Panama to in
vestigate the facts Of this occurrence, with
view particularly To the redress of parties az.
grieved. But measures, of another class will be
demanded for the future security Of interoc eanc
communication by this as by the other routes of
the ,asthmus.
itlwould be difficult to suggest single object
OF interest. external or internal. more important
{" the United States than the maintenance of the
communication, by land and sea. between the
Atlantic and Pacific States and Territories Of the
Union 1t is a material element of the national
,fxra nd