Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-24

make TO Mr. @. j. Macdonald agent OF Messrs.
Carlson. Morgan & Sons, might be made under
enclosure to Capt Davis himself Although felt
such an of WAS departure from duty on the
part of United States officer, I did not be-itate
to take advantage of the offer. informed Lieut..
Houston that did not desire to write TO Mr.. Mac
donsl but that he might say to Commander
DAVIS from me-and with the understanding that
It was to be comuDic ield TO Mr. Macdonald
that considered my position at Rivas impregns-
Die to the force at the disposal OF the enemy,
long as M provisions lasted; that, il Col. Lock-
rdge di not join me in Rivas by the tim my
cou misssry store. we're ex rausted, | would sbsn-
don the place and join the force the San Juan
river; and that considered myself entirely able
and competent to carry out such movement
When learned Afterwards that this message was
never delivered to Mr.. Macdonald, | was forced to
consider Commander Daviss offer effort to
draw from me declaration which he might after
wards turn to my disadvantage.
Alter the visit Of Lieut. Houston heard no
more from Commander Davis until the Both Of
April, when two siis-de-csmp from the enemy
came under flag Of truce with letter from that
ofhcer to myself The letter proposed that
should abandon Rivss and 20 aboard of the St,
haIys to Pansms, Com. Davis undertaking to
| guaranty my personal safety. Although this pro-
position was extremely offensive-insinuating, as
II did, that my personal safety, instead OF the
honor and dignity of the Government Of which
was the Executive might prove a determining
circumstance in military conventional replied
that the proposition was vague, and suggested his
coming into Rivas, and personal conference be-
! tween US. | only submitted to the modification
OF answering such letter on the sUpposition that
Commander Davis might have iniormltion l did
not possess, and which might justify the substance,
| though not the manner, of his offer He answer
ed by saying that he was sorry | found his propo
siiion vague; that be proposed 81 should abandon
the enterprise and leave the country" that might
rely on the fact of Col Lockrdge having left the
San Juan river; and, finally, that be had msturely
cOrsidered the invitation to enter Rivaa and deci
ded, unreservefy, not to take such a step.
The tone Of this note wac, If possible, more Of
fensive than that Of the first; and the use of the
word "enterprse," in connection with Govern
ment which Commander Davis had studiouslv
kuowledged by addressing me as "President" but
few weeks previously, sounding strangely dis
cOrdaTt. As, however the letter stated the evacu-
alton OF the San Juan rver-the fr-t news l had
| OF this event stopped to answer the off tnsve
note by proposing to send two officers-Gen Hen
ningsen and Col Wsters-to meet Commander
Davis, provided they had safe conduct from the
allied General. An 4ns~er came, enclosing
the required safe conduct; and the answer was, it,
effect, that Gen. Hennnesen and Col. Waters
should proceed at once to the headquarters of the
allies, as Commander Davis's instructions required
his speedy return to San Juan del Sur | was sur
prised to recognize the body Of the note as the
baDdrtng of Gen. Ztvaa-one of the gene
ra's OF the allied forces who spoke and wrote Eng
| ashland to find that such note was signed by a
! protested neutral.
! For what passed between Gen. Henningsen and
| CO.. Waters and Commander Davis refer you TO
! the report of the former officer herewith enclosed
and to the terms of the convention Of Rivas Al
! low me to suggest that the convention itself is the
best evidence the army in Rivas was not on the
! eve Of destruction dissolution. If the peril OF
my command as great as has been publicly
| resented, the ALI never would have PERMITTED US
TO evacuate the place, not only in safety, but with
! honor.
! In his interview with Gen Henningsen, Com
/ mander DAVIS had expr ssed his "unaltSrabe de
! termination" to seize the schooner Grsnads; and
! this'hid been terminiug circumstance with me
J in signnd the cow ntion. l was therefore sur
! prised on the morning after | went aboard the ST..
| Mary's to hear Commander Davis propose that
should deliver the vessel TO him without the neces-
sity for the use Of force. This l rjected. He
| then proposed | should deliver the vessel on
! dion he gave me the arms and ammunition
! board of her. | replied, not rag or splinter
! should be given up, except TO an overwhelming
force; for the honor of the little vessel in her
! hull and rigging and in the q lg she bore and in
! comparison with this, the value Of the properly
aboard her was mere dross. Need express SUI
| prise that a United States naval officer should
/ make so dishonorable proposition?
/ Finding that Commander Davis appeared to hes
! tate ia the execution of what he hsd declared his
'unalt. rabe deter mination, endeavored to con-
vince him of thu gross wrong and injury he woul /
! commit by the seizure of the Granada. | endeav-
ored to satisfy him Re had right to question the
fl e of the schooner while she lay 10 the port of
San Jun that while there she was within the ter
rirory OF Nicaragua and subj ct only to the
| reignty of that Republic, that it unworthy Of
the United States thus to trample on the most sa-
cred rights OF sister State and that could not
and would not believe his Government would sane
lion such a violation Of international law He re-
piled he would weigh what had said, sni see me
again the subject; hut, without any further
vCrsatiOn, he gave written orders to his first lieu
tenant to seize the Granada by force. The order
was executed. The first lieutenant boarded the
Granada with small force. Captain Fayssoux, Of
| the Granada, beat to quarters. Lieut.. Maury
deavored to persuade Capt Fayssonx to give up his
vessel alleging, in accordance with his Instructions,
| that it would be in accordance with the Rivas
vention. Capt. Fayssoux said his orders not
to deliver the schooner unless TO an overwhelming
| force. Lieut.. Maury returned to the st Msry's
and informed me that he intended to take the Gran
ada aud i. desired to save.the effusion Of blood
should give order TO deliver her to him. lie
! then brought his broadside of eleven guns to bear
on the schooner, manned bis small boats with one
! hundred men, and came to me for the orler, which
was of course given. Soon after had the NORTH
cation to see the Nicaraguan Gag hauled down and
the American flag hoisted. Indignation off,
Ger OF Nicaragua at the lowering of its g sti
| fled by shame, as a native of the United States az
seeing its glorious ensign disgraced by covering
act of perfdy aud wrong.
| ! ask leave to beg your special consideration OF
the fact that Lieut. Maury applied to me for
| der 10 Cspt Fryssoux Tni+ acknowledge
ment that Capt Fayssoux was st an officer of the
| GoVernm, mt of which was the Executive.
But the dignity aud honor OF Nicaragua had not
been sufficiently degraded by having her own flag
owered in her own port. 1t was reserved Tor Com
mander Davis TO compl te a series OF insults by de-
| lvering the Granada with all her armament and
! equipments to an alien enemy.
| Ncr did the hostility Of the United States naval
officers departure from San Juan del
| Sdr. Or the srrival Of the ST MarS's at Panama
Commodore Nervine kept me and the sixteen off,
GERS with me prisoners on the sloop lie would
not permit us 10 land or hold communication Nih
the shore Even my letters from the United States
were sent back to the shore; and when requested
send aboard the California steamer in order 10 u-
! qure for letters expected, the Commodore piled
he would send OF his officers TO inquire for
| my letters | protested that had gone aboard
the ST. Mary's rs an officer, with nv sword on and
not as prisoner; but the Commodore replied that
the Ne~ Granada Government had published
decres forbdding any one lately engaged in the
Ceutrsl American war 20 land at Panama uni So
upon conditions. An American eitiz N at PaDsma
aitcrWsrds assured me that the Governor OF the
place remarked thrrr would have bren no difficulty
about my hndiug il the application for il had been
made.
Such, sir, is faithful history Of the means which
have been used 20 exile the Americans naturaIzed
10 Ncamgua from tbs country for which they have
split their blood AID riskrd their lives For the
land Of their adoption they left the ease ami com
tort Of homes eudesred TO them ~ many a tender
liz aud many glorious recollection. One thousand