Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-23

Our letters from the city of Mexico mention that
Mr.. Forsyth has already opened correspondence
with the Mexican authorities in relation to the late
wholesale execution done on Col Crabb and bis par
" of Americans in Sonors. It was not a subject
tor Indifference or delay, waiting for instructions
from Washington before calling for inquiry into the
grounds upon which ffty or sixty Of bis country
men we're put to slaughter in cold blood as malefse
tors. We hope be will press the subject With
RENTING energy and unfinching resolution, and be
sustained by the Administration at home, in de-
manding the most rigid accountability for such
bloody deeds There will be, we are sure, no lack
of manly spirit or thorough American feeling on
the part of Mr.. FORSYTH These are elements of his
nature, and they will display themselves whenever
the occasions call for them, and this Is surely one
which viii justify bold speaking and searching H.
vestigation. There is the main distressing fact,
publicly known that large party of Americans by
birth, among whom were men of intelligence, re-
foement and character, have been seized and put
to death, without the form of trial, by the summary
vengeance of subordinate military authority, in one
OF the Mexican border States and there is the SIM
gle conviction, which ought to pervade every Amer
lean mind and heart that deed OF such remorse.
less cruelty-e1ceejing in the degree Of its blood
lirstiuess the bounds prescribed by the ussges Of
civilized countries for the treatment of eaptiyrs Ia
ken 10 open Instruction in state of fragrant civil
war-requires ample explanations and a more sue
cessful defence than we know where to 6nd, to re-
lieve it from the stigma of wsnton outrage on hu-
mainly, or to protect the authors and those who
support them from the resentments of the Ameri-
can people. We are not going to dispute the right
of the Mexican Government to deal With public or
private inyad RS in a summary manner, when they
are clearly convicted of levying from abroad,
or creating civil war, with a view TO the overthrow
OF the Government or the seizure of Mexican ter
rtory. But such acts Of public justice demand the
forms of public justice TO support them in the eyes
OF the world and OF that Government whose citizens
are seized and executed.
They must be shown, and proved to have COM
mitted the crime for which their blood is taken, be-
fore their own Government loses the right to de-
mand account for their lives, and PREPARATION to
the utmost extent for wrongs done to the innocent,
or blood taken without the most certsin just itca-
ton, and for causes not well proven. We are not
! disposed, as many of our American journals seem
to be, to abandon at any species of foreign
oppression to captivity and murder, any person or
| party who may be stigmaIized as 6llibusters-a
name which in the loose denunciations OF the day
| has been made to include much that was long
considered to be especially worthy of American
| gratitude and admiration. Walker, who went as
the whole world knows into Nicaragua, at the in
vtaton Of one of the parties in the State and was
soon placed by common consent at the head OF oothI
is now rallied st felon by men who must have
said the same thing of Lafayette, Montgomery and
| Steubeu, if the American revolution had been met
by the combination of Europe against our fathers
instead of being sustained by their co operation
against England. The name of flbuster, thus ig
ANONYMOUSLY used and misapplied, must not dete
US from seeking to know, and insisting upon know
ing why Col. Crabb and sxty-nine Americans wer'
put to death in haste, and from holding the slayer
to stern accountability. requistion of that kin'
on the Government of Mexico for the grounds o
the acts of agents in Sonora is due to our nation
al character, and we hope to it pressed withou
compromise or delay.
Neither the Mexican Government nor any othe
Government, should be allowed to shea American
blood, without establishing their right to iufct ex
ecuton, and showing good cause for their severity
nor will they escape reproach for barbarism if the
carry their acts, against proved offence, into bar
barous and brutal e1cesses.-N. o. Psedya5te.