The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-10
THE ESCAPE or THE "sUsAE. :

lt must be paipable 10 every one lnat tle escape
of the Nicaraguau "emigrants or flibusters from
Mobile may precipitate at any moment crisis in
the foreign relations of this country. From man
iestations that have been given out hardly be
doubted that the British and foreign forces in Central
America the eager lookout for excursions OF
this Sort in that direction and that the "emigrants
may either be intercepted by capture before landing
be pursued on land, combated and arrested after
embarking The news of such event would at once
the volunteer feeling in this country to the
highest degree of excitement our whole southern
and eastern coasts would be in blaze, immense
Inducements would rush from our shores TO rescue
countrymen and sustain interests in Central
America, collision would ensue between these bands
and the European forces found in that region, and
the most angry and threatening state Of things
probably result between government and those
of Great Britain France and Spain.
Nor could our government itself look calmly upon
exercise of force by European powers fog the
uation of affairs in the central portions of
tinent. 1t has given abundant earnest of its own
purpose to repress illicit excursions from its own
shores against the peace Of the Central American
States; and even overstepped the limits of const
tutional and international law in arrestng, at one
time, on the shore and within the limits of the local
jurisdiction there, Illegal expedition of this sort
but it is hardly probable that it would look with
complacency upon interference the part Of any
European power in the local affairs of Central
America, for the purpose of protecting its feeble
governments from assaults Of our people, which we
have given every proof that VIC will prevent by all
the legal and constitutional means at our command.
There would arise not merely the ethical question
whether the particular act of the foreign government
were justified in morals but the great political ques-
ton whether European governments should be al
lowed to interfere for the regulation of affairs upon
the American continent.
1t is In this view that the otherwise trifng event
of the sailing of few emigrants" from our shores
professedly peaceful enterprise, really pos
momentous importance. 1t is not to be de-
MED that the efforts which have been going on for
some time to recruit and embark such an expedition
has given our government great deal of annoyance;
and it is for this that it has employed every
means it was clothed with by the law to battle and
defeat the expedition. We do not suppose any
fears that, if unmolesed by third parties, the
"emigrants" would do any very great harm to any
body else than themselves in carrying out their pro-
ject; but it was in view of the serious political
crisis which they might bring between our gov
eminent and European powers if they should be in
tercepted by European war vessels on their way, or
arrested by European forces on the territory of
Nicaragua that these efforts were made by our gov
eminent
1t must be confessed that the endeavors of the
government to avoid such a crisis as may now be
brought on have not been as fully sustained by pub
lie sentiment in the Gulf Statesas it had good reason
to expect that they would If there is any region of
the Union directly and profoundly interested
in the preservation Of the peace Of the world-os-
pecialy Of the peace between this country and Eng
land and France-itis the region composed of the
cotton-growng States. 1t is quite natural that Lou
isiana largely interested in sugar monopoly should
look with indifference upon war and the suspension
of a commerce which brings vast quantities of for
eign sugar into competition with her own but it is
almost incxplicable that the cotton States of the
Gulf, 80 far from endeavorng to repress the flibus
ter movement, should have so openly and actively
encouraged it.
II was the duty Of the administration under the
imperative requirements of the laws standing upon
our statute books--which tho cotton States have
made no effort to repea-to all lawful means in
it's power to rcpress this movement and, added to
this imperative mandate of the law, there was every
thing in the diplomatic aspects of tho case to ex-
tort from tho administration all the exertons it
could put forth to defeat the whole scheme Unmis-
takably encouraged, however, in the cotton States
the very States which it may affect most suddenly,
intensely, and njurously, portion of the expedi-
ton has got off, otlarge enough indeed to effect any
design it may have in Central America but large
enough to bring about the very political crisis which
government has been deprecating so continually
aud so anxiously
It's to BIO hoped, however, that our own naval
vessels may yet succeed in ntcrcepting the fugitive
Susan" bringing her back to ports and preserv
ing this fbuster question still longer as purely
domestic one in our policy. Upon the vigilance of
our officers in the waters Of theGulf, may depend
in great measure, the peace of the world Let us
hope that little feet in those waters will be for
tunatc enough signally to illustrate this occasion
the importance Of an efficient and patriotic navy to
the preservation of peace between nations.
ARrzosA.--Wc publish an interesting letter to-day
from Sonora addressed to Hon. S. Mowry, the dele
pate elect from Arizona II ia from thorouphly