Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-29
The Martinez Decree.

A few days ago we published decree of
the Martinez Government in Nicaragua, de-
claring that William Walker and the other
foreigners who came with him, or were
brought by him to NEEDLE in the internal dis
turbances of the Republic" "have never
been" "a are not, nor can they be either citi-
zens or officers of the Republic" AS this
decree assumes to deny and destroy rights
guaranteed to Americans by a Government
recognized by Mr.. Pierce in the person of
Padre Will and by Mr.. Buchanan in the per-
son of Senior Yrissarri, it may be of impor-
lance to examine its value and validity.
Col. Walker and the Americans who accom-
panied him were induced to emigrate to Mic
aragua in 1855 by the offers of the Provis-
ional Government established at Leon and
directed by Don Francisco Castillon. The
Provisional Director and his adherents con-
tended for the Constitution of 1888 in Oppo-
Sition TO that of 1854 and under the former
any native-born citizen of an American Re
public became citizen of Nicaragua on Il
simple declaration of intention to that effect.
Not only were Cob Walker and the native
born Am. ricans with him constituted under
this section of the law, citizens OF Nicaragua,
but in virtue of grants made to them they
became each entitled, they and their heirs, to
five hundred acres of land, to be selected
from the public domain.
But further than this by the treaty Of the
23d of October, 1855. the GOv' rnment organ
lied under the Constitution of 1854, recOg-
nized and guaranteed the rights granted TO
the Americans by the Provisional Govern
ment of Leon. The treaty of the 23d of Dc
tober was not, often stated, treaty be-
tween two military commanders, but was a
treaty made between two governments strug-
Cling for the supremacy. Corral negotiated
that treaty, being delegated, as his commits
sion read oDnimodpnente," by Estrada, acting
as Senator President after the death of Cha
MORO, under the Constitution of 1854. This
treaty being compromise, expressly recog
nized the validity of the clauses concerning
naturalization contained in the Constitution
of 1885, and by inference recognized that of
1854, by appointing Provisional President
an office only known under that organic
law. Bedsdes this, the treaty over and over
again acknowledged the rights of the Ameri-
cans already acquired in Nicaragua: and
General Martinez himself gave in his adj
herence to the treaty by acting commander
of the port at Nicaragua, and in that capacity
receiving and Obeying orders from General
Walker as commander-in-chief of the Mica
raguan forces.
The United States, too, legitimated the
treaty of October, so far as its relations with
Nicaragua are concerned, by the reception of
Padre Will, Minister from the Provisional
President, Don Patricio Rivas. Again, the
present Administration received Senior YRS
sarri as Minister from Nicaragua on creden-
tials furnished him by this saIuv ratrlcio hiNas
after he had lost nearly all authority in the
Republic. How, after these two acts can the
United States ignore the rights which Ameri-
cans have acquired under the treaty of the
23d October, 1855?
But most of the Americans, it may be said
forfeited their rights in Nicaragua when they
ceased to act under the authority of Rivas
Many, however, died previous to the detection
of Rivas, and their heirs are for the most part
American citizens. The President in his late
message to Congress, pirates about the Ameri-
cans who have "miserably perished' in Mica
ragua. Why does he not take steps to see
that justice is dealt out to their heirs? Have
the United States fallen so low that they will
permit a tribe-we will not call it a nation
of half-breeds to rescind the contracts they
make with Americans at their own will aud
pleasure?
The President of the United States has in a
most arbitrary and illegal manner interiered
with the comrades of the Americans who fell
in Nicaragua, when they returned thither to
make good their own claims and those of the
heirs of their martyred companions-in-arms
Therefore. the duty doubly devolves on him
of securing the rights of those whose relations
have fallen in Central America. viii he take
any steps to force the recognition of Ameri-
can rights in Nicaragua? Or is he so busy in
reading of the enormities his message hints
at that he has no time to notice the insults
and wrongs which mongrel race heap on his
countrymen and their Governmentg-N o.
Crescent.