Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-05-29
Selett M(isttllang.
GENERAL WILLIAM WALKER.


GENERAL WILLIAM WALKER.
This daring fillibuster," as Blackwoods S
Magazine calls him, is playing leading role
in drama of the utmost consequence to the
people of the United States and Central A.
merica; while the eyes of the statesmen and
sagacious men in Europe are fixed upon him
with intense interest. We have regarded
Walker from the first as entitled to 4 consid.
Grafton far above what is due to a common
fllibuster, and have been able to realize none
of that horror at his dashing career, which
has been excited in the class of tight-laced
old foeies in our country. 1t is not neccssa.
ry to dive into the depths of Walkers bosom,
for his personal motives, to decide that he is
an instrument in the hands of Fate, or Of
Providence, to work out great political chan
ges and social reforms in the drama of the
"manifest destiny" of the North American
continent. 1t is fixed idea in the Ameri-
can mind, that sooner or later, our institu-
tions and laws are to spread over and govern
the whole North American continent and the
island of Cuba-perhaps the whole group of
the Antilles. 1t is not surprising that this
strong thought and steady belief should man.
ifest itself in the form of actual and adven-
turous effort among the restless and active
spirits of our people, and that the people Of
the United States, with rare exceptions,
should follow the adventurers with secret or
open satisfaction, and with their best wishes
| for their success.
1t is mistake to imagine that fllibuster-
ism is an American popularity. 1t is COM
mon to all powerful people and nations, and
has been practised from the days of Alexan-
der and Cyrus, of Rome, and Carthage, of
Julius Caesar and William the Conqueror,
down to William Walker of the present time.
In the United States it only takes a differ
eut form. With us, it is the people who are
the 6llibusters. In Europe now, and in all
past times, it is the Governments that are
the fllibusters. France fllibusters in Africa
Great Britain on huge scale in India,
and in every other part of the globe, where
ship will float or fortress may be erected
to extend her commercial dominion; and
Russia fllibusters-or tries to-in the Danu-
bian Provinces, in Circassia, and as far into
Asia as her sceptre can reach. England,
France and Russia do not send their people
as emigrants, or colonists, on these expedi-
tions, but their fleets and armies. 1t is the
spirit of fillibusterism in the Governments,
and not the restless spirit of the people that
prompts, leads and executes in their forays.
No civilized power in the world, then, has a
right to cast the first stone ofreproach against
the manifestation of a propensity in this
country, which seems to have been, in all
time, an inseparable element in the charac-
teristics of men and nations.
Gen. VIM. Walker is the ablest, the most
daring, and, so far, the most successful of all
the American fllibusters. He did not carry
violence and blooGshed into Manageable
found it there. He found civil war raging
between the Grenada and Leon parties. The
former was headed by Don Fruto Chamorro,
the President of the Government, which was
at the time in his hands. He was man Of
great energy and courage, but as stubborn
as a mule Grenada, city of about fifteen
thousand inhabitants, was the capital and
headquarters of the Chamorro party.
The Leon party, the result of revolutiona-
ry movement against Chamorro's despotic
Government, had its headquarters at the city
of Leon. Francisco Castillon, man of edu-
cation and enlightment, headed this party,
and thew called themselves Democrats. The
war commenced at Reajelo, small town on
the Pacific, which the Democrats took, and
proceeded to Leon, where Chamorro was de-
feated and retired to Grenada, leaving the
former city in the possession of the Demo
cratic army. After spending some time in
recruiting and preparing for serious attack
upon Grenada, the enemy's stronghold, the
latter was invested. Chamorro was ready
for them, and had fortified the Plaza with
double and triple barricades, and such artil-
lery as he could command-only some three
or four guns The Democrats took posses
sion of all the surrounding country and all
of the city, too, except the Plaza, which had
been converted into Citadel After ten
months Of trial, the siege was raised, the as
sailants giving up the hope Of killing or
starving out the Legitimists. On retiring,
Chamorro pursued and overlook them at
Masaya, where bloody fight ensued, and
some three hundred men were killed. The
Granada party now regained possession Of
the southern part of the State, while the Le-
onites held the North.
Meantime the Democratic party had been
particularly solicitous to conciliate the Amer
leans and American interests in the State.
Being in possession Of the Transit route,
they succeeded in eulisting few American