The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-08-01


The Central American Questions.
Too much Importance cannot be given at the
press mt time to the consideration of the position
of Nicaragua and the other Central American
States, for it constitutes the initial point of the
new policy which our government must inaugu-
rate toward the Spanish-American States of North
America
The conditions which attend our material pro-
gress as nation; our increasing population and
commerce on the Pacific shore, with their at
tendsnt increasing necessity of transit facilities
over the American isthmus; the advascing dis
iDteeration of the communities that now
rule those territories their social decay
and utter political insgniicance, all CON-
bine to press upon our government the
adoption of some policy toward them which
shall open those regions to the undisturbed pas
sage Of commerce through them, ind restore to
them the germs of political stability and social
progress. Their admission to our Union, with
their Heterogeneous population, animated by feel
ngs of the deepest hostility toward each other,
is utterly out Of the question. The establishment
Of Greet protectorate over them, exercised by
officials appointed at Washington, after the man.
ner of the Eoglish prot of Mosquito and
the Bay Islands, is foreign to our system of 60
vernment, and cannot be entertained. Still, the
great necessity of paci6caton and the establish
ment of social security there, loom up before us;
and we are called by our geographical position,
the extension of our material and moral influence,
and the diminished respect in which the Cabinets
of Europe are held there, to fulfil the mission.
In order to consider this question properly, we
must review the condition Of the several States of
Central America as they present themselves to
| the world at the present moment.
The most prominent of these is Nicaragua,
from the fact that she has been the scene of
recent contest, which must inevitably be rene wed
unless our government abandons the policy of
non-intervention in her domestic affairs One of
the first points that strikes us in contemplating
her, is the social elements of her population.
There we find the black and mixed races num-
beripg ten to one of the intelligent white
race and feeling of discord between
them that has already broken out into open hos.
tilities. No sooner have the forces Of the other
Central American States retired from her terri
| tory, than we find her own generals, Jarez and
Martinez, verhrowing by violence the provi-
sional government of President Rvas, and es-
tablishing themselves in executive power. In
view Of the fact that popular election was to
take place within few weeks this event has
marked significance. Either there leaders dis.
trusted the success of their own Presidential
candidate, or the election is farce which they
do not intend shall be performed While these
things are transpiring, the press Of Granada and
of Leon are abusing each other and stimulating
their partisans to mutual hatred and rancor.
The mass of the people, impoverished by the
long continuance of intestine strife, which has
destroyed productive industry and consumed
their wealth, are ready to take part in any
violent turmoil which promises through rapiue
to give them the means of living. This is simply
a renewal of the old state of things in that
country, which necessarily resulted in an invita-.
ton to the filibusters.
In San Salvador We see a victorious General
returning with his troops from the contiguous
territory Of Nicaragua, attempting to overthrow
his own government by coup de min, which
was only defeated by a want of energy on his
part yet, not Rithstanding his failure, we find
him sufficiently powerful to defy arrest, and the
government acknowledging that power in treat
ing with him, aud suffering him TO go at large in
the very capital with impuuity
Guatemala, governed by a rough, uneducated
nan, who has attained power and maintained
social security there by applying to men the
same rules that he learned in driving his herds
Of wild cs'tle-using without stint, the goad and
the lasso upon them-presents the strange specta-
Gle of receiving In triumph her returning General,
ard approving his course in personally insulting
the President Of the country he was sent TO sue
cor More fhan that President Carrera refuses
to hold any intercourse with the government of
Nicaragua until he has received an apology for
certain supposed insults
Honduras acknowledges herself bankrupt and
ruined by the expenses incurred in the late war,
and looks to the energy and enterprise of foreign
ers in building an interoceanic railroad through
her territory, as the fountain from whence she is
70 receive new life.
| Costa RIGA presents social organization some
what superior to that Of her neighbors, but poll
teal difficulties Of even greater magnitude attend
her. With population where the intelligent
white race has large preponderauce, but
whose numbers do not exceed those of some of
our third class cities she is laying out work for
herself that will require the resources of power
full nation TO complete, rather than of a people
numbering barely one hundred and fifty thousand.
The unwonted energy she has displayed in the
late war has given her moral influence in the
neighboring republic of Nicaragua, which pride
and political necessity urge her to endcavor TO
maintain. She recognizes las the fundamental
basis Of future progress the permanent establish
ment Of peace and the re. reorganization of Nicara-
qua, either through reason or force" Such policy
not only imposes upon her the holding OF the