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

against any premature exultation over Walk
er's reported successes. A patient ard i'm
partial inquiry, conducted by the light o.
conflicting statements from opposing parties
satisfies us tina, he has sustained succession
of repuses in his battles with the Costs
Ricans, and that if his fortunes be not abso
lutcIy desperate it is altogether improbable
that he can recover mis- position.
The report of the battle of Rivas is taken
from Walkers official paper, and is obviously
an er parte statement. But even the bulletin
of the general in chief does not claim 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
deadl He confesses that the enemy served
their guns well, and that they used their
Minnie rifles with deadly effect. They oeeu-
pied an advantageous position, and Walkers
men encountered destructive fire in assal-
ing their breastworks and barricades. IL is
quite incredible that Walker could sustain a
fire under these circumstances for seventeen
hours with loss of only one hundred and
fifty men. Yet this loss would involve a
sacrifice Of more than one-fourth of his entire
army.
Two slight but very significant eircum
stances make it perfectly clear to our mind
that Walker is n beaten and ruined man.
These are the dsaffections in his own ranks
and the triumphant and defiant tone of the
enemy. lfthe commander of the Costa Ricans
had not been perfectly confident OF success he
would not have invited retaliation on himself
BY refusing quarter and denouncing indis-
criminate 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 capital. lie is repused in the at
tempt to recover Rivas. How long will he
hold Granada?
The varying fortunes of the Llllipuian
struggle between pigmy Republic and IL
handful of crazy & ibusters excite that sort
of interest with which person contemplates
a cock-fght or set TO between couple of
shoulder strikers. In itself the contest is little
better ,hnn an exciting amusement; but cir
cumstanc"s may give it prodgious impor-
tance. When the OIympan drities abandon.
ed their neutrality and participated in the
strifes of morlals Ihecombat ragged with awful
fury, and earth shook with the rush of con-
tending hosts. Even so will the struggle
between Costa Rica aud 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 wantonIy
invites every sort of violence and outrage on
America 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
discrediiable policy, the Costa Rican 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-
tate the vigiIant 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.
ty should induce the Government to interfere
in the fight between u band of outlaws on
one side and rabble of barbarians on the
other.
The FUTURE LAND.-There are green mead.
ows in the future land; there are deep mos.
sy banks; there are soft meandering streams;
there are lilies blooming white and fair;