Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-07-25
PIcKENs COURT HOUSE, Sc SATURDAY, JULY 2s, 1857.

Il
distracted government. We deemed il
no crime, at least, if not promising in hon
ors, to respond to this call We felt that
there were parallels in the history of our
own country which could be pointed to in
vlndication of our course. We went there
conscious of the rectitude of our purposes
and the purity of our motives, and for two
months we passed through privations and
met dangers not often passed and often met.
And we did this not so much for our own
country, though we felt tlat we were striv-
ing for the cause of America and American
institutions, but for the sake of those who
had summoned us to their assistance, and
for whom VIC fought. They lad natural
lzodns and made us citizens of Nicaragua !;
they had rendered to us honors and had
given to us lands, and they called upon3us
to defend them We should have been
guilty of wanton disregard of duty to have
refused
The party that called us to Nicaragua
admitted the excellence of our conduct
while there. They told us that the Amer
leans on the lsthmus were the only hope,
not only of Nicaragua but of Central Amer
lea. They bid us look beyond the circuni-
scribcd sphere in which we were then act
ing, to the momeh .ous interests involved in
the future of that glorious but unhappily
governed country. But we were content
to do our duty-we dwelt on no ambitious
| giewslof the future. We knew that we
must conquer the enemy there first. We
old this, and gave to the distracted Nicara-
guans peace, that had not been known
there before in thirty long years We
taught them the advantages of peace, and
the benefits that would result to them and
their posterity from its cultivation and pre-
scrvation. And for time they needed our
lessons, and admitted their wisdom. But
IN time-and in very short time, too,
they forgot them--forgot the sufferines of
war-thoy forgot the number of widows
and orphans mourning throughout the land,
and they wished for another war, The
disease which had SO long ravaged them
seemed to be chronic, and one which moth
| ing could cure. Cabanas camc from Hon
duras to ask the assistance of Nicaragua in
| lighting her battlesan aid in retrieving her
| fallen fortunes.
Our limited space prevents us from fol-
lowing Gen. w. through the entire thread
of his narrative. From this point he PRO
| cecded torelate the circumstances attend-
ing the application of Cabanas--how, he
being then commander of the army, his
unasked counsels were urged upon the
President against the policy of mixing in
the strifcs of other States-how the (Presi-
dent was guided by them, and not only re-
fused the aid asked, but on the advice of
Walker scnt notes to the governments of
all the States indicating peace policy
This course was contrary to the policy of
the Cabinet, and its adoption lod to opposi-
tlon and ultimately to an alliance made
with view to the determination of the
Americans. War was declared by the AL
lies against the Americans and a decree
published that all 4 smerican soldiers taken
in arms should be shot
This war was forced upon the Amori-
cans. They had no alternative but to base
ly skulk from country to which they had
been invited, by which they had been
adopted, and of which they were virtually
citizens. How would you have us act -
here inquired Gen. w. Were VIC to re-
sign the interests given us in Nicaragua-
to forget the history of our forefathers-to
forget that we were sons of men who never
had been slaves, and submit to the dictation
OF an arbitrary and despotic government?
Never. We were to obey the mandate is
sIed--leaye the soil or die. This was all
that was left us. As mon of honor, nav,
as men regardless of all other considerations,
we were bound to bid them conc on. And
they did come mot in meaSre numbers.
but in full battalions. Not from one State,
but from four,
Gen. Walker said it was unnecessary for
lin to recapitulatethe history of that war
at least in the early stages. His audience
were familiar with it. Ibey knew wheth-
er their eountrymen proved themselves
worthy in this. contest ofthe stock from
which they sprung, They knew with what
yalcrand obstinacy they contested every
inch Of ground. The enemy soon found
that the ooptestin which they had engaged
wasSety different from what they had an.
ticipated. The bloody streets of Riyas. the
fatal contest Of Messaya, the ashes Of Gran.
ada, soon taught them these men were not
to be driven. Then ii was they began to
grow wise. They withdrew the bloody
decree OF. deathlo the woanded soldier and
fell TO persuasion. They prayed their enc.
mics to ieaYe7they encouraged and promp-
ted desertion - and this was the principal
weapon feliedupon ntoaccomplish their end.
Here Gen. w said, ! approach the sub.
'jeot upon which you have more inmeci.
ately asked me toaddress youSthe cifeuni.
stances attending tile evacuation Of Riyas.
Gen. Walker proceeded to relate the histo,
ny Of The war from the DESTRUCTION Of Gran
ada at wlicIf ttifYie has re6 OF H. III |