Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-30
correspondence of the Patrsos.

This country appears to be sliding imper
ceptibly into war, and to use writing figure
of speech, the runners upon which it slides are
the ''Foreign Enlistment" and proper inter-
probation of the " Clayton ulwer Treaty"
The former as it violates international law, is
of itself, sufficient to lead to rupture, but the
latter is the more active casts belLi, and the
question in which the people of this country
are more especially interested. By the Clay
ton.Bulwer Treaty, Great Britain bound her
self to withdraw entirely from the Central
American States, and in order to facilitate the
construction of an inter-oceanic canal, entered
into a compact with this country to exercise
no control whatever in those States, except IN
conjunction with this country. Great Britain
now repudiates the ordinary and obvious mean
ing of that contract, and asserts that she only
meant not to extend her influence beyond the
States then occupied by her. As she then
claimed the protectorate of all the Central
American States, through which it is possible
to build q canal from one ocean to the other,
the injustice. nay, the downright absurdity of
her Interpretation of the treaty, will be seen at
glance; and it will be seen so, that the peo-
pie of this country will not permit the Govern
ment to accept of any such Interpretation. As
Central America is the direct and shortest
route between our Atlantic and Pacific ports,
such an inscriptions animal as the British
Lion should not be permitted to lay his paw
on a single inch of territory there.
Tbo naotrol A,oo.;oaD onost;nr orooo,,
| be, at present, centered in the person of that
much talked of, much abused, and interesting
individual, Col. PARKER Il. FRENCH, the rep
resentative in this country of the State of Mic
| aragua. As he is at this moment "the best
abused man in the Kingdom" Il pen and ink
sketch of him may be of interest.
Col. French is descended from one of the
Oldest families of Kentucky, and has been en-
! gagged from boyhoo1 in adventures requiring
| physical as well as moral courage; and has
! shown himself, on several occasions, bold
commander, and able diplomatist. While
mere boy be was at Canton, China, during the
Opium war and witnessed the successful eff
forts of Great Britain to break down the COM
! mercial regulations of the Celestial Empire,
and obtain foothold in the country of the
descendants of the Sun. He returned to
this country when the California fever was
at its height, and putting himself at the
head Of company, he started for the New
Eldorado by the overland route, suffering
on his way everything but death itself. He
was many times attacked by Indians, and on
his there his party got into difficulty with
! Mexican town. half of them were killed, and
the other half thrown into dungeon, where
they remained for eight months. One of the
party was a brother of Edward @. West, a
distinguished lawyer of this city. They were
at length released on condition that they would
drive the Apacbee Indians out of the country.
This they succeeded in doing in severe COM
paign of six months. In one Of the battles
fought at this time, while commanding a COM
pany called the Rangers" he lost his right
arm. Having fulfilled his mission at that timo
in Mexico, he proceeded on his way, and ar
! rived at length in California.
After COL Walker had become the head of
the Government, Col. French acted very sue
cessfully the part of mediator, in bringing
the various parties, which had distracted the
State into harmonious relations with each
other. He is married to woman of whom it
is said he is devotedly fond, and what may ap-
pear surprising, is not more than thirty years
of age. He is now at Washington for the pur-
pose of presenting his credentials. He is fully
aware that these will be refused. When this
is officially announced he will proceed directly
to Nicaragua, and return in about month
with credentials of such nature as it is sup
posed our Government will unhesitatingly &C
cept. Before starting for Washington, he APP
peared at court, and waving all questions OF
privilege, demanded trial This, the Distric;
Attorney, refused. So, that Col. French, may
be said for the present, to have triumphed over
the Government.
The Maine Law enfOrcers, achieved tri-
umph yesterday. "The Alliance" an associa
ton of temperance men, instituted legal pro-
ceedings some time since, against Messrs. Cole
man q Stetson proprietOrs of the Astor House
for violating the Maine Law. Tie case came
up before Recorder Smith and he decided
against the Alliance. The case was carried az
on appeal to the Supreme Court, where the de
cision Of the Recorder was reversed, aud the
Maine Law INDICATED. This case is interest
ing from the fact that our Mayor has huns
back from an enforcement of the law, until by
!. decision of the Courts, he could be assured
of its constitutionality. If Mayor Wood now
does his duty, New York may yet become
sober city. There is another very enthusiast
tic association here, known "a the "Carsor
League" whose members are always on tn,
alert to give information against al yiolator'
OF the Liquor Law. 0ne Of these evidently
not much of linguist, while passing French
. Cafe, on Broadway, saw, or fancied he saw
nnmistskeable proofs that liquor was sold OF
, the premises Over the door 10 neat letters
were the words "a Yin q Frcmage." This he tool
down as the name of the firm, and entered
solemn complaint against the individuals be
fore the Recorder. When the case came up fo
. trial, the Court was consnlsed with laughter
and the informer felt rather cheap, when b,
was told, that rendered into English, the word
j a. -