Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-23

nv election was that was not native Of Nieara-
qua. The constitution Of 1854, however, required
no such qualification; and Don Fruto Chamorro HIM
self was a native of Guatemala As The Office Of
President not known n the constitution Of 1888,
It is clear that the qualifications for the office were
to be fixed by the constitution Of 1884 which alone
created such a chief executive.
Duty 10 the Americans who had been invited to
Nicaragua required me TO accept the place Of Presi
dent no matter how anxious I might be TO escape
its labors aud responsibilities Their interests were
to my eyes above and beyond all others; for them
/ verify believe the welfare Of the whole country,
and its utility TO allthe cvlzednati0ns Of the EARTH
depend.
1t is unnecessary for me to recapitulate the events
of the struggle in Nicaragua for the last year You
as well as others, arc familiar with the dangers
! through which the Americans naturalized in Mica
ragua have passed. You know whether or not they
have sustained the ancient fame Of their race for
| yal0r and good faith. You know how they have
met the open foe and the lurking pestilence, with
nothing but sense of duty and justice to sustain
| them il the hour Of trial. Alone in the world I'M
recognized by the government to which they natu-
! rally looked for sympathy and countenanoe, they
have still shown that they knew how to die in de-
Tense Of our rights justly acquired and attempted to
be wrested from them by violence and fraud. Il
| merely behooves me now to state how the eVRcua-
ton Of Rivas was effected, and how the Americans
! in Nicaragua became exiles from the land Of their
adoption.
On the 23d of March last the allied force of Costa
Riea, Guatemala, San Salvador and Honduras open
ed canOnade on the town Of Rivas, where the main
body of the army Of Nicaragua was situated and on
the morning of the 23d they made general assault,
which was repulsed with great loss on the part of
| the enemy. Afterwards they attempted to invest
the town, but never fully succeeded, account of
| the vast force required for such an undertaking
On the lth of April they again assaulted Rivas but
| were driven back with even more loss than on the
23d of March. In order to show how the enemy
| were reduced after the llth of April I need only
state that the evening of that day single officer
accompanied by native servant, passed out Of Ri
| vas and went down to San Juan del Sur. He there
received the letters sent to me from New York by
the steamer of the Goth Of March, and brought them
TO Rivas on the morning Of the 18th Of April
This fact, lei me say, was known to Commander Da-
Wis.
From the Esd of March to the 23d of April, knew
that Commander Davis was in correspondence with
the allies concerning the state Of the force in Rivas
knew that he was receiving information from them
calculated to mslead him in relation to my position
and prospects. But Com. Davis was, in the mean
WHILE making such professions Of friendship for his
countrymen in Nicaragua, that l was disposed to
attribute his conduct to Oyer-anxiety for the gar
rison Of Riyas On the 23d Of April, however, cir
CumstaRces occurred which led me to doubt the sin
cerity Of his prOtestatiOns.
On hat day the second lieutenant Of the St. Ma
rvs Lieut.. Houston, accompanied by a nOn-com-
mssiOned officer Of marines, into Rivas for tbs
purpose of conducting the WOmen-bOth American
and native-frem that place to San Juan del Sur
While in the town Lieut.. Houston expressed his
great surprise at the good condition Of the garrison
and at the spirit Of cheerful confidence which per-
vaded the officers and men. But, during his pre-
sence, he and the soldiers Of marine with him gave
information to the garrison calculated to diminish
the courage of the command. These acts, derogat-
ing from their neutrality, done in violation Of
an order by that the soldier Of marines was not
to repeat in Riyas any Of the reports circulated by
the enemy in San Juan del Sur. The effect of Liut
Houstons visit was apparent from the desertions
which Immediately followed it.
| Another circumstance occurred during Lieutenant
HoustOns stay in RYas to which afterwards learned
to attach Importance. That officer informed me he
was ordered by Commander Davis to tell me that
any communication wished to make to Mr.. c. J.
Macdonald, agent Of Messrs. Garrison, Morgan &
Sons might be made under enclosure to Capt. Davis
/ himself Although felt such offer was a depRr-
ture from duty on the part Of United States Off
GER did not hesitate to take advantage Of the Of
fer l informed Lieut. Houston that did not desire
to write to Mr.. Macdonald; but that he might say to
Commander Davis from me-and with the under
standing that it was to be communicated TO Mr..
Macdonald-that l considered my position at RiVas
impregnable to the forces at the disposal Of the
my as long as my provisions lasted that if Col.
LOckridge did not join me IN Rivas by the time my
commissary stores were exhausted, would abandon
the place and Join the force the San Juan river
and that considered myself entirely able and CON-
, petent to carry out such movement. When
learned afterwards that this message was never de-
livered to Mr. Macdonald I was forced to consider
f Commander Davis offer effort to draw from me
a declaration which he might afterwards turn to my
, disadvantage.
, After the visit Of Lieut.. Houston l heard nc
more from Commander Davis until the Goth Of april
when two aids-de-camp from the enemy came under
Gag Of truce with letter from that officer to my
oil Tho lpttaP DVODOgcd that I Ehould ab4ndOu
Rivas and 90 on board Of the st. Mary's to Panama
Commander Davis undertaking TO guaranty my per
sonal safety. Although this proposition e1-
tremely misunderstanding as it did, that my
personal safety instead OF the honor and dignity Of
the government Of which was the executive, might
prove determining circumstance in military con-
vention-I replied that the proposition was vague
and suggested his cOmming into Rivas, and per
, sOnal conference between l only submitted to
the modification of answering such letter the
suppositiOn that Commander Davis light have infOr
nation did not possess, and which might justify
the substance though not the manner Of his offer
He answered by saying that he sorry l found
his proposition vague; that he proposed Il should
abandon the enterprise and leave the country; that
| might rely the fact of Col. LOekridge having
left the San Juan river; and finally that he haC
maturely considered the invitation to enter Rivas
and had decided, unreservsdly, not to take such
step.
The tone of this note was if possible, more Of
fensive than that of the first; and the Of the
word enterprise" in connection with government
which Commander Davis had studiously acknOWl
edged by addressing me president but a few
weeks previously, sounded rather discOrlant. As
however the letter stated the evacuation of the SaI
Juan riyer-the first news ] had Of this event.
stopped TO the offensive note by proposing t.
send two oficers-General Remington and Col
Waters-to meet Commander Davis, provided they
had safe conduct from the allied general An an
swer soon came, inclOsing the required safe con
duct, and the answer was in effect that Gen. Hen.
ningsen and Col. Waters should proceed at tC
the headquarters Of the allies as Commander Davis
instructions required his speedy return to San Juan
del Sur ! was surprised to recognize the body Of
the note the handwriting of General Zayala-one
of the generals of the allied forces who spoke and
wrote English-and to find that such note was
signed by professed neutral.
For what passed between Gen. Henningsen and
Col. Waters and Commander Davis 1 refer you to
and to the terms Of the convention Of Rivas Allow
me to suggest that the convention itself is the best
evidence the army in Riyas was not the eve Of
Obstruction or dissolution. If the peril to my COM
mand was as great has been publicly represented
the allies would have permitted to eyacuate
the place. not only in safety but with honor.
In his interview with Gen. Henningsen, COmman-
der Davis had expressed his 'unalterabe determin-
alton" to seize the schooner Granada; and this had
been a determining circumstance with me in sign
ing the convention. l was, therefore, surprised on
the morning after l went aboard the st. Mary's to
hear Commander Davis propose that l should de-
liver the vessel to him without the necessity for the