Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-03
From the Mobile advertiser, Jan. 27ta-
-tarastsno VIfscIosures
Touching the Duplicity Of the Administration m
Rauard 10 the Nicaraqaa Expedition.

Of the sneech of General Walker, max
ing certain disclosures touching the con-
duct of the Administration towards his
enterprise that startled his audience, and viii,
undoubtedly, surprise the country. For the
present, we simply give Gen. Walkers state
ments regarding the matter, as we find them
reported in the Mercury of this city We may
say. however, in this connection, that we re-
Trained from reporting or giving a synopsis OF
the speech ourselves, by particular request,
supposing that all our contemporaries were
expected to do likewise.
After referring TO the present opposition OF
the Administration to his enterprise and his
recent arrest in this city for trial in New Or
leans, he proceeds to make disclosures, which
he saws. under other circumstances, he should
still have kept secret lie then spoke as fol-
lows:
You all know how we returned to the Uni
ted States from Nicaragua in May last. You
know that we came hither, not by our own
will and consent that we came in obedience
to the strong arm of force used by the United
States officers. As soon as We touched this
soil as soon as we became once more free, we
declared our intention to return to Nicaragua
Soon after landed in New Orleans, met
two gentlemen who had returned from Wash
ington. They told me of the interviews which
they had had both with the President and with
his constitutional advisers, the members of the
Cabinet. They told Inc of President Buchan-
ans admitting the full legality of the acts of
myself and the parties who had inaugurated
the new order OF things in Nicaragua. They
told me that President Buchanan assured them
that was as much President of Nicaragua as
t..f he nit Sfafa
more than this, told me that it was not the in
tention of the Government to assist the Amer
leans in Nicaragua by mere words, or by mere
declarations; it was by something more sohd
and substantial, by positive acts that the Cab
met had determined to show its good will to-
wards the Americans who were labOring to
secure permanent government Ill Central
America.
They told me that it had been stated to the
Cabinet that at sundry times the English
Government, by their OIicers at San Juan del
Norte. had interfertd with our proceedings in
Nicaragua and they were told by the Cabin
ct there should be no futher interference on
the part of English officers. They were told,
so far as the Americans in Nicaragua were
concerned, the United States Government
were resolved to assert the doctrine Of Mon
roe. and no English Government interference
should be tolerated. And that this might be
provided for, American ship,-of war should
be stationed there, in order not to permit such
interference, But, futher than this, not only
was Great Britain to be kept Oft, but the
United States were to render active assistance.
In the spring of 1856, just after the Costa Ri
can declaration of war against Nicaragua, GER
tam letters had been intercepted. from which
it was found that the British Government had
furnished arms and a large quantity Of am
muntIon, on favorable terms-a long credit
, to the Government OF Costa Rica which, as a
! neutral nation, they had right To do. In
! the exercise of a similar right, the United
| States Government would furnish certain
! arms and munitions to the Government OF
| Nicaragua.
| was not satisfied with these promises and
| these declarations which were made at time
when it was supposed that we were in Nicara-
| qua. | determined to go myself to Washing
/ ton, to see whether this disposition was per
severed in. On my way thither | made no
effort to conceal my resolve early pos
sible to return to Nicaragua. | declared that
| would never rest until | had recovered my
losses, and with these declarations on our lips
we sought the President Now if we were
| engaged in IA lawless understanding, how would
the President receive man with these declar-
ations? II | am the liwless person which his
message describes how should he, the Presi-
dent of the United States, receive me, William
! Walker, II criminal and offender against the
! laws of this country! Would it be proper
that he should receive me at all? Was it pro-
Der that. with his consent, if | were such as
he has stated was ii right, and was 1t roper
that | should cross the threshold of his door,
and that he should receive me as an equal ?
But this he did. He received me by appoint
ment | saw him, and cOnvcrscd with him,
in relation to the matters which had transpir-
ed in Central America /; and after having made
these statements | was requested That they
should be reduced to writing, as it was proper
that they should be made public in order that
the people of the United States should be
made acquainted with the whole matter. 1t
was with his own consent that the letter to
him which published in June last was writ
ten and published.
1t was. of course, not to be expected that
| should. in detail. or even in auy manner
state to the President OF the Unit States
what my future plans or intentions were
and, therefore, it was not done IN that inter
view. But within day or two afterwards,
when | was at the house of one OF the conf
Dental men, without seeking it myself, but by
the act of that Cabinet officer, was invited
| to an interview and there he sought my conf
dence | sought not his nor that of the Cabi-
! net. He desired 10 know explicitly whether
| intend d to pursue the enterprise, and, when
| | answered aiirmatively. he went On To give
| his views in relation TO the matter He, u
| Cabinet adviser of the President, told me
| where to go and where not to go, where
could go with safety, and where | could only
go with danger. He remarked in the course
| of the interview, ''you will probably sail in an
! American vessel and under AN American fiag
| After You have passed the American limits IL
| AN American vessel, and under an American
! flag. no one can touch you but by consent d
| this Government You will proceed in thin
! American vessel to San Juan del Norte, or tC
| any other port in Nicaragua But, IN anuci
| patton of difficulties, il was distinctly stated
| what might expect from his government, and
this not ut my OWN Instance. did not 80 ian
| forget myself rs to ask what the conduct OF
! his government would lic, but he industrious
! ly stated that there would he American vessels
| at san Juan del Nurtc, and there should be nC
| more British interference. That if We went
there with American flags flying over US sucl
interference would naturally be at the risk OF 4
war with the United States.
| | ask Won whether, under these circumstan
! cesI had not right 10 assume that the Gov
crnment of the United States not only sane
! toned, but approved of the enterprise; nay
was anxious for it! Such at least, WAS the
| conclusion at which | arrived. | could MOI
| infer that the Cabinet officer would hold sucl
conversation with me unless with the knowl
| edge and advice of the President; and il vac
| with this conviction, that, after having rvceiv
| cu WHAT CousiuclSN must PoettiNS seSSei'iilSSS
| | came southwark. and undertook to prepar,
the means for returning To Nicaragua Tner,
/ never was at any time an attempt made Il
| conceal our motives or our conduct Their,
was nothing done in the dark; every thing wa
done in the light OF day; because with IN,
consciousness that there was 10 thing illegal il
our acts. Would We have dared, If We hat
violated your own laws, would we have dar, {
to appeal TO you as citizens If Mobile, to ash
| your sympathy and your support Ia violation
| OF these laws which you yourselves had made
! But We felt that we were acting IN accordanc,
with the law, and therefore We have venturet
/ TO take the COURSE which We have taken.
Until the month of September | understood
4 II IL. a