Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-06-27
JAMES FULTON, Sec'y
The Mosquito PIOt<ctOrate..

The establishment Of United States influence in
Nicaragua through the instrumentaity of General
Walker, may be expected to render Great Britain more
tenacious OF her Mosquito Protectorate, and thus 10
compl cafe the difficulties which have arisen in relation
to the Clayton Bulwer treaty. In his recent letter
10 Mr. Dallas, responding to the British offer OF arbi
tration, Gov Marcy says:
Shortly before tie date of tt treaty now in ques-
ton, a British force landed at San Juan, expelled the
authorities of the State of Nicaragua which then held
possession of it, and retained for while as against
that State, in the name of the Mosquito Indians 1t
Is true Great Britain afterwards relinqnished the
place to the so-called people of Grcytown tut the
original taking OF it was her act That is, she, in
the words OF Clarendon placed "a people under her
protection in possession of San Juan. A protector
ship exercised, and in the eli such persons as
the Mosquito Indians. would it is plain, amount to
practical sovereignty"
nothing TO preclude the inference that Greylown had
been in Endspued possession of Nicaragua up to the
time of the expulsion OF the authorities of that State
by British force. But it is unimportant 10 rember,
that the British force adopted this proceeding solely
to rensate dominion which Nicaragua had but
just ovehrown and to restore state of things which,
in the understanding of Great Britain, devolved up
on that power, by virtue of her obligations to the
Musquito Indians to preserve and to protect. The
port of GreytOwn had been long in the nominal oc-
cupancy of the Mosquito Indians, when, early in
l848, The recognised legitimate Government OF Nj
caragua asserting an old claim Of jurisdiction, sent
down military detachment, which took the place
by surprise, struck the Mosquito flag, and transfer
red the municipal direction and control 10 Nicara-
guam officials.
AS soon as this proceeding became known, the
British Admiral despatched part of the West In
dia Squadron 10 San Juan, the mere approach OF
which frightened the newly establishe authorities,
and caused them to evacuate tie place. So that
when the British landed, there one of the in.
truders to be found of whom exact atonement fol-
| hair nd on6 lost
agement from itnpunly, force of three hundred
men followed the NiCaraguans In pursuit up The Riv
er San Juan, overlook and defeated them at Point
! Trinidad, and then pushed on and seized the Mica
raguan FOrt of San Carlos, the Lake, which they
held till the Government, by solemn treaty. ack now
| edged the British Protec crate, and promised sol
emnly not 10 disturb The peaceabe Inhabitants Of h
port OF San Juan, with the understanding that sucl
an will be conside ed BY Great Britain decIara
ton Of hostilties," These the wrIi7 OF the Con
vention, which Great Britain considers to be in fore
this day-as the Government of Nicaragua will b.
very likely to discover, III case 1t shall attempt
practical assertion of The clam made last winter b
President Rivas, and take any steps to reduce int
actual possession the port of Greytown and the ada
! cent connTy lying North of The River San Juan
The events recited occurred years before th
conclusion of the Clayton Bulwer treaty and whe
; that compact ratified, GreylOwn was under
government organized. with the consent of Gres
Britain, by lis inhabitants Practically it fire.
port uDueF idi|ito PiutcCIio' VI oiedG
gainst invasion by any sovereignty outside the lin
lis of the Mosquito Territory Great Britain declare
herse bound to defend it. She has bourd herse
to the United States mol to this proecorate fc
the purpose of erecting OF maintaining forfcaton
/ or of cccupying terrifying, or colonizng the Mo
: quito country, in consideration OF reciprocal obi
: CATION assumed by The United States 10 refrain ais
>, from co,onzIng or occupying in that region. II
It obi ect of the compact was 10 prevent either pow
e from securing paramount influence, which migl
be used to the disadvantage of the other in control
: ing the transit Of the Isthmus When il was enter
IS into Great Britain was known 10 have exercised
pIolectorate in behalf Of The Indians, have ST
d ted by repeling the Nicaraguan aggression upc
d Greytown. And in view Of this forcIble demonstr
lion. claimed to have been rendered necessary by b
n relations to that Tribe, at point the Atlant
Ks coast, which is, in fact, the gate in possession
r which so formidable a nation might easily comma
the entire transit of the Isihmus, it deemed pr
dent by this government to secure from that OF En-
W land promise and pledge against the accomplis
" ment of it's acquisition by means OF the Proectora
ke When the Treaty of 1850 was ratified, this was t
state of circumstances existing. But now things
essentially changed The State of Nicaragua I
adopted government ever which the influence