New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-18

eminent IN winking at taese open violations not
only Of justice and good faith. but of cur own mu-
nicipal laws, has already dsne US great damage,
and is likely to do Us still more Our national rep
utation has severely suffered from it in both hemi-
spheres. To all our Spanish-Amercan neighbors
it has rendered Us objects of suspicion, dread and
hate. Instead of being loved and trusted any
longer as the champions Of American liberties and
rights as against European domination, as the
faithful, wakeful, honest and strong limbed watch
dogs of the American fold, We are new looked at
askance as hungry wolves proving about to find
some low place where We can jump over, or some
weak place where We can break through. We
have lost our former distinguished position IS the
Originators and msintainers Of the American idea
Of the rights of man, including the right of self
government and are fast coming TO be regarded by
all our Southern neighbOrs as no better than
nation of pirates and robbers. And while thus
losing our reputation sbroad, We are fast becoming
demoralized at home. Eloquent orators ambitious
politicians, and newspapers which make loud boasts
of the numbers of their readers and the extent of
their influence, constantly repeat the cry that land
stealing is our destiny, and that-tO borrow an
idea from Mr.. Caleb Cusbng's late Newburyport
msnfesto-tO rob- steal and flbuster, is the grand
purpose for which God Almighty has created US;
not merely to exterminste Indians .nd tyrannze
over negroes but to plumber, subdue and subject
our white neighbors of the Spanish race.
There is, we fear, large class of persons even
among those who pass as worthy and respectable
Of whom the gentleman who is said to have sunk
$500. 600 in the Nicaragua enterprise may be taken
as 3 specimen, to whom neither disgrace abroad,
nor generalization at home would be likely to have
any very great terrors at least, not Offset by the
chance of enrching themselves by introducing their
hands into other peoples pockets; but there is one
view of this case which may be likely to produce
certain effect, even upon them.
Do these fillibusterng capitalists imagine that
the ruined people of Nicaragua-tte unfortunate
citizens of Granada for instance-so ruthlessly de-
strOyed out of pure spite by Walker and his
nyrmidons, are going TO sit down quietly without
any attempt of obtaining some indemnitication for
their losses On the contrary, as it strikes us,
there are two methods of obtaining redress to
which those sufferers will be very likely to resort.
What would Mr. George Law say to being served
with little Law himself, if not in the shape of
muskets ammunition and cannon, contributed
toward burgarous attack upon his house in the
Fifth avenue, at least in citation before some OF
our Courts to show cause why he should not re-
spond in damages for the plundering operations In
Nicaragua, for which-taking for granted the au
thenticty of certain intercepted letters published
a,t aud, oh,
fathers upon him-he jointly with Gen. Henning'
cen would seem to be responsible Surprising,
which we would MT be willing to insure without
pretty handsome premium, that some
legal loOphoes might be found by which such
legal responsibility his part and that of other in
diyiduals might be eyaded, that would only open
the way for reclamatons against our Government,
from which, in honor and conscience, we see no
possibility of escape. In our opinion, every Mica
rasuan who has been plundered of his property by
Walkers men, or whose house has been burnt
down by Walkers orders will have much stronger
claim against the Government of the United States
for reparatiOn than nine. tenths Of the claimants
whose applications yearly pass muster at Washing
ton. 1t is clear principle both of justice and law,
actions which We might and ought to have pre-
vented, but did not The man who looks on, and
especially the public officer who looks on and al
lows murder, robbery and houseburning to be
committed under bis nose without lifting finger
to prevent it, is justly regarded as sharing IN the
crime TO which he thus gave his consent and sub
stantially his assistance.
The ultimate result, undoubtedly, of all these
flbustering operations will be long list of heavy
claims for damages, which, if not recovered from
the wealthy private contederates in these robbing
expeditions will at all events De valid as against
the Government which, in allowing these expedl-
tons TO go on with nothing more than few color
able attempts to Suppress them, must be consd-
cred as sharing not merely in the wrong, but in re-
sponsibty for the consequences of it.
Proudhon we believe, as the result Of some years
devotion to the study and eucidatiOn of the Science