Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-17
The Message--Niearagua.

TheSstate of our relations with Nicaragua
-. as presented in the Message, is of very un-
satisfactory character s@S s$ss1
The injuries which have been inflicted
upon our citizensinEosta Rica and Nicaragua
aetinring the past two or three years remain I'M
~ redressed. OF these, the most aggravated
10 was 1.-THE transaction at Virgin Bay, in April,
1856, where company of unarmed Ameri-
6 cans, whowere in no way connected with any
beliigereht conduct or party, were fired upon
- by the troops of Costa Rca, and numbers of
' them killed and wounded"
The Nicaragua transit route is still closed
:, greatly TO the prejudice of citizens Of the
" United States. Whilst the sovereign rights
Of Nicaragua ought to be respected, " it is
the duty of other nations to require that this
- important passage shall not be interrupted by
the civil wars and revolutionary outbreaks.
" which have SO frequently occurred in that re-
oil gion"
The treaty negotiated with Nicaragua in
" November. 1857, under the stipulations of
which the use and protection of the transit
route would have been secured, not only to
- the United States, but equally to all nations,
has not yet been ratified by Nicaragua the
" principal objection being to the provision au-
- thorizing the United States to employ force to
keep the route open, in case Nicaragua should
fail to perform her duty in this respect
Nothing. then, has been gained for the
United States by the forcble expulsion of
Gen. WALLER from Nicaragua in 1856, by a
S naval force of the United States. nor his ex-
pulsion by Commodore PAUIDMG in Novem-
Der, 1857
Z The Executive Government of this country.
says Mr.. BUCHANAN, in its intercourse with
foreign nations, cannot legitimately resort to
force without the direct authority of Con-
gress, except in repelling and resisting hostile
attacks. 1t would have no authority to en-
ter the territories ofNicaragua, even to prevent
the destruction of the transit and protect the
lives and property of our own citizens on
their passage But Commander DAVIS and
commodore PAULDING could enter the terri
tories of Nicaragua" and by an armed force
eject Gen. WALKER, the rightful President of
Nicaragua, and owing allegiance to the
United States For their reprehensible con-
duet in this regard, the Executive of the
United States is clearly responsible By not
visiting DAVIS with the weight of Executive
displeasure-by not causing him to be dealt
with manner commemorate with his offence,
President PIERCE took upon himself the res
possibility of his acts. By not causing
PAULDING to be dealt with in a like manner,
President BUCHANAN, took upon himself the
responsibility of PAULDISG's fragrant proceed
ings at Punta Arenas ..
Ru the unauthorized opd ar,,oJ ;,.or
ference of those United States officers. there
can be little or no doubt that Gen. WALKER
would have succeeded in restoring peace and
order in Nicaragua, by the final expulsion
from its territories of its ruthless invaders;
the transit route would have been opened,
and kept open. to all nations there would
have been no need of Nicaragua's granting to
the United States authority to employ force
to keep the route free should it become ne
British ships of war stationed at San Juan
del Norte to visit American vessels and inter
fere with American emigration and there
would have been no significant intimations
thrown out by the Executive organ at Wash
ington that persistence in such a course of
policy by the British naval force at San Juan
would result in rupture of the peaceful re-
lations now existing between the two coun-
tries
The expulsion of Gen. WALKER from Mica
ragua was proceeding wholly understandable
in ITSELF and grossly unjust to him and the
American emigrants who had acquired rights
OF property there. 1t has been prcjudicial to
the true interests of the people of Nicaragua,
and was not desired nv Thorn A nj On far M
the United States was concerned. it will prove
to be an act of the most laundering, short
sighted policy.