New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-01-06
PAuLDTsc AND THE MICA
RAGLAN TNFANYY.

uublished bv us Yesterday morning, that the Admin
istrston AT washington viii not inict condign pun
ishment upon Commodore Paulding, either by court
msrtiaiur him or striking his name from the rolls OF
the navy as disgrace 70 the service, still that indi-
vidual il destined to occupy an unenviable aud
Illuminating position in the eyes Of many millions
| who consider Themselves unfortunate In being his
countrymen. The notoriety Of his illegal, unwarranted
| and cowardly outrage upon Gen. Walker at Punta
Arenas will cling TO him as the shirt Of Nessus chung
TO Hercules and II he has spark Of manhood left he
will rid himself Of il without delay according to the
manner and form set forth by NEUROLOGICAL authors.
tosdy and pimp 10 the British, a bully and a
braggart to Gen. Walker when, by the display OF an
overwhelming force, he had the latter completely
in his power, and who acted without authority,
as admitted by his letter to the Department OF the
Navy the only honorable resource left him is to hang
himself, shoot himself, drown himself, poison himself
or do something that will rid his country OF the re-
prosch Of his continued vitality. The thirteen colo
mics had an Arnold but he possessed deceucy enough
to quit their service and engage in that Of ner enc
mics. Some Europeans were engaged with the
sepoys Of Delhi in the perpetratiosof unpublshable
| outrares upon English men, bsys mstrons, maidens
and infants; but. luckily the sake Of human just
| ice they have received due and meet reward. The
Boys Of evolutionary days cut the Threats Of
chair uatye5orn brethren burned their houses above
them committed depredatens OF almost every con-
ceiyxe description but II is not record that they
6re the uniforms or bore the commissions OF great
nation or that they ever finched, when 1T became
necessary, from an open, fair hand to hand conflict
They were brave enough to take the chancesto dare
the hazards the occasion might bring orthand it is
not stated in the annals Of the past that they
bullied insulted and Dragged over fallen foe They
had too much selErespect for that. Brutes, as they
unquestionahly were, they would not lower the dig
nifty Of their native, reckless hardihood, TO such
inconceivabIe depths. We might run the parallel
further, but it is not necessary Pauding Is Pauld-
ing He Is his proper parsleE-history furnishes
none otherand bis late brave daring chivalric Eve
believe history is silent regarding his former
splendid achievements) acts, carry with them their
own, their only appropriate commentary.
We have read Pauldng's correspondence with Gen.
Walker at Punta Arenas, and would publish the
whole but for two reasons In the first Place we are
cramped for room and in the second wediske to aid
in the publication of official account Of that which
brings burning shame upon the nation a nation.
Walker assumed high, noble, defensble ground-the
Commodore the reverse to as deep extent as acts
and the language permitted.
To show the contemplate bullying OF Commodore
Paulding as well as his utter ignorance Of propriety,
law or right, we append paragraph from his letter
to Gen. Walker dated +" United States Flagship Wa
bash, off San Juan del Norte, Dec. T. 1857
Now, sir, you and your fellows here in violation
OF the laws Of the United States and greatly to its
dishonor making war upon people with whom we
and private justice, as well as what is due TO the
honor and integrity of the Government Of the United
States, command you and the people associated
here with you, to surrender your without delay
and embark in such vessels may provide for that
purpose.
The letter, Of which the above Is part is formally
superscribed " To General William Walker, Punta
Arenas" thus clearly recognizing the latter In his Of
fetal capacity Was ever absurdity so glaring-un.
mitigated improperly Enthusiastically 50 APP
parent-or an utter lack Of professional knowedgeso
papable! In the first place the Commodore charges
Walker, using the grossest words of opprobrium,
with all sorts Of dishonors, misdemeanors and crimes
with acts which, If committed, would put him out
Of the pale of humanity--and then winds up by ad-
dressing him as General William walkerlp And
to take up another Of his acts in his official letter to
the Secretary of the Navy, he procaims to adopt the
language Of respected contemporary Gen. Walker
as an outlaw bent on purposes of npiBe and
murder p yet he accords to this outlaw and :" p
rate the honors Of his cabin, recognizes his military
title, and receives him prisoner of war of the
first class. These inconsistencies further prove the
uncertainty Of Commodore Pauldings decisions, and
as he admits the responsibility that he has incurred
He IL so much coneunded at his own doings that on
reflection, he begs the Government TO justify him.
glance at the past may not be out of place here
in order that the general public mind may be refresh
ed regarding the fact that former Administrations
have punished naval officers for committing acts of
war without color Of law authority, no matter IL
the present Administration sustains Com. Paulding
We quote the history Of an important case from the
Washington States Of the s0th instant and trust 1t
will be attentiyely considered by our readers
Commodore David N. Porter was contaminated
In July, 1926 the charge that he "a captain 10 the
navy of the United States, then in command of the
naval forces of the United States In the West Indies
and Gulf Of Mexico. did with part of the military
force under his command, forcibly land upon the
island Of Porto Rico part Of the dominions of his
Catholic Majesty, the King of Span then and still
at peace etc. with the United States and "did then
and there commit acts Of hostities within the terri
toriesn etc.
The facts of the case are worthy of recital. We
condense them from the dispositions under cath of the
witnesses on Porter's trial. Some goods belonging to
American commercial agents at St. Thomas having
been stolen, Lieut.. Plat, commanding the Beagle
there, went IN search Of the thieves and the goods to
Foxardo, Porto Rico. Here be was disrespectfully
treated, and imprisoned by the Alcalde and con.
sdered the insults heaped upon him as insults 10 the
national flag. Some sixteen days after discovering
the broad pennant OF the Commodore standing Ia for
the harbor of St. Thomas, be boarded the flag ship,
and made known his grievance to Porter. On the
l4th November, the Commodore landed force at
Foxardo and compelled the Alcade, under threat of
the utter destruction Of the place. to yield apology
for his treatment of the Lieutenant For this Porter
was court martiaed, suspended and severely cen
sured that he could not reenter the American navy.
There were extenuatng circumstances in the case
Of Com Porter. American goods had been stolen,
and American officers maltreated. But, in the case
Of Pauldng there are no palliating circumstances.
No American goods had been stolen; no American
property was in danger and no American citizens
were moested or were likely to be molested On the
contrary everything American was likely to be better
secured and protected by the success Of Gen. Walkers
expedition than II had ever been before Yet in the
face of these ncontroyertble facts Paulding invaded
foreign country, captured its lawful President sent
him to the United States prisoner, plundered and
destroyed his property, and waged war of the most
odious description, to all ntents and purposes.
Therefore, we put the question to an honest public.
II the punishment inflicted upon Commodore Porter
was just what sort of punishment does Paulding de-
serve? The severest that can possibly be imposed,
wal be the unanimous response OF this we Gave no
mose doubt than that we are living.
In conclusion feel 1t due to ourselves to Justice
and to Commodore Pauldng to say that il his orders
were imperative to invade Nicaragua and CAPTURE
Cen Walkar that nnah If tl,a ,,o,,., :,