Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-05-10
The Panama Massacre.

very long story very short one, the United
States must hare the Isthmus Of Panama.
1t is gratifying to witness the unanimity with
which the California newspaper speak out
upon this question; for question it is, and
very grave one, not founded solely upon the
late barbarous massacre Of men, women and
children by the negro rabble and soldiery of
New Granada, but upon the wants, necessi-
ties and safety Of the civilized world This
Isthmus this narrow neck Of land dividing
the waters of the Pacific from those of the
Atlantic, is, and must continue, from its pecu-
liar location, to be the great highway of Ma
tions; and it is but just that it should be re-
duced to civilization, in order that the transit
many be accomplished with safety to person
and property The massacre but serves to
illustrate this absolute necessity; it is the cul-
minating point perhaps, that has been Gin
sight to the eyes of thinking men ever since
the first great rush to California.
Limited space precludes the possibility of
publishing the particulars of the massacre;
but it is more than probable that most of our
readers have availed themselves of the op-
portunites that have been afforded to obtain
them. Suffice it to say that a steamers
complement of passengers for California,
composed of unarmed men, women, and
helpless children, were brutally assaulted at
the railroad depot by barbarous mob of ma
tives-thc only cause assigned being tri-
fling difficulty involving the sum of one dime
between native ycnder of fruits and pas
senger under the influence of strong drink
Pacific measures appear to have been chiefly
resorted to by the passengers, but darkness
shortly closed down upon the scene, and the
negro rabble became furious under the inAu-
ence of liquor and brave under the cover of
ut Still no one had been killed, no one
any i'm seriously injured, until the soldiers
cusse sprrt fernment were called out to quell
Europe keen lol both soldiers and mob
iil sSrry Sti, hih' regular fire upon the passen
not eho had taken refuge in the railroad
pot, and adjacent buildings The walls of
these edilices were of such character that
they offered but slight resistance to musket
balls, and the consequence was that-men,
women and children sharing the same fate
many fell under the brisk fire that was kept
p,with slight intermissions, for several hours. /
Not satisfied with this, the mob and "sol- |
diery" (what base mockeryl) finally forced
an entrance to the hiding places of the pas
scngers, and robbed and slaughtered indis-
criminately, not sparing even the innocent
babe in the arms Of its mother! Many were
killed, O large amount of money and other
valuables obtained and large number Of
persons wounded many Of whom, being un-
able to travel, were compelled to remain in
Panama. The Government either eonnived at
the outrage, or were powerless to restrain
its own soldiery and suppress the riot---it
matters not the breadth of hair which for
the purposes Of our argument
There would be no utility in beating around
thc busll III oiuCl W alilfc at tuc eVHtlIhCHt
which must be uppermost in every reasonable
mans mind upon this question. We must
have strip Of country extending from Pan
ANA to Aspinwall the exigelcies Of the
times demand it; the security Of American |
citizens and others passing over the Isthmus
reduces it to an absolute necessity. The /
United States should declare war and pro- |
ceed to possess and occupy so much of the
aforesaid territory as viii provide security
for the future" though it should not furnish
indemnity for the past" No sickly whining
can be raised about a foreign war "a war of
aggresson-a war to extend territory; it is
scarcely possible that even the Cabinet at
Washington, guilty it may be Of the imbeci-
ity charged upon it, will attempt any such
childish excuse The American pcople--the
citizens of the United States, have rights in
this matter They have made the Isthmus
what it is. They have constructed railroad
"a highway FOR the nations of the earth
from the Atlantic TO the Pacific; they have
introduced civilization, comfort and wealth
where before was naught but barbarism, mis-
sery and poverty; fifty thousand passenger
and fifty millions of treasure annually pas
over this road, and the ndolent natives hay
literally grown fat upon the pickings an