The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-01-15
DINNER TO GEN. WALKER.
SP Il X G III e s, &C.

number Of prominent gentlemen Of the cit,
having rendered public dinner to 0ensrsl Ws
WALKER, II was accepted, and came of at the Anne
Tican Hotel last night Among the gentlemen
present, were Hon. Jas. A. Seldom, VIM. NJ. Am
bier, Esq, Speaker Of the Senate o. VI. Crutchfeid
Rsq., Speaker Of the House OF Delegates, Messrs
Douglass Ciaibor ne, Deneae and others Of the Sen
ate, and Messrs. Seldom, Claybrook, Massie ant
others Of the House, X. A. Pryor, Esq, and others
After IN hour spent IN conversation 10 the par.
Tor, during which Gen. Walker was informed Of tn
destruction Of Fort Castillo by Col. Anderson, the
company repaired to the supper room, where q re
pastnever before surpassed for taste and elegance
In this city-wss prepared. The first table wa,
presided over BY W. N. Amber, ESQ., supported Q!
A. Pryor, Esq, o. NJ. Crutchheld. ESQ, being al
the foot. The second table was presided over by
d. b. Douglass, Esq, Mr.. Chapman being at the
foot. The supper being disposed OF, Mr. Amber
rose and said:
Gentlemen when the star under whose guidance
our race was led in its march from jamestown Il
the golden shores OF California seemed TO hover fol
a moment over those shores, those who had watch
ed It with eagerness and anxiety TO know which
way IL would next turn, heard sounds which came
from another shore, telling Of deeds of American
yaior-telling as that band governed by the love
Of the just aud tho right and the true-by the An
gloSaxon spirit, sought TO implant In far Of land'
what We worship here. What breast was there thai
did not beat quicxer-what heart that did not rise
In pride when is heard of deeds of vslor which ri
vailed those recorded in the page OF historyf Need
! say where shosS deeds were shown-where those
victories woui will give you an answer In the
sentiment:
To the progress of free institutions and WIN
Waller.
GEK wALxsR rose and raid 1t is difficult for me
70 express the gratitude feel at the least sign oil
approval 10y the public men of Virginia, Of the
course pursued by the Americans in Nicaragua
The sentiment feel is that OF pupil. when he
receives the appreciation of his teacher, for tits
from Virginia and her sons that have learned
all know of political ethics, and by her lessons
have directed my course. Early taught to inyes-
tigate the principles Of political philosophy, l
have thought that saw more. in the teachings OF
her statesmen, Of the principles which guided our
fathers II we 20 back to the cradle Of the race,
10 the mon who founded our iastitutions--which
Virginia especially has perfscted-ws find them
standing OUT boldly rs the advocates Of the princi-
pies Of liberty and Law, In their most essential
iorms
II there 10 one sentiment more than another
which lies at the basis Of the grandeur Of our
Il 10 that Of respect to law. Look at the revolu-
lions of our race In earliest times, how contrsds-
tingushed FROM those Of all other people do you
md them In other countries they are marked
by now principles OF metaphysics or philosophy;
but where you see the Anglo-Norman or American
struggling in the ranks Of the revolution IL is not
for the overthrow, but for the maintenance Of law.
We come from men who never have been slaves,
and who, to maintain their freedom In the future,
have only to Look to the past.
What said our ancestors when, on the plains Of
Runnymede, they resisted the mailed cohorts of
ths Engishi They said, ''Ws are unwilling that
the laws Of England shall not be maintainsd;' and
when In later years our more immediate ancestors
met their foe on a still grander field, still they
asserted they had come forth to vindicate the
laws they had enjoyed in the past aud not to bat
tbs for new principles And it is, gentlemen, by
this principle that the Americans in Nicaragua
have been guided. 1t is by this same Difference to
Law, by the assertion of no wild scheme, but the
maintenance Of law-long established, interna-
tional law-that We have endeavored to carry out
the revolution inaugurated In Central America
II 10 asserted that the Americans In Nicaragua
have been lawless In their proceedings; but
challenge the world to produce the first instance
Of deviation from right and justice in their
When We left San Francisco, that Illegal p
We sailed In broad day, with none to contradict it
or oppose us. Indeed 80 far from meeting with
opposition from the Government, we were aided
and assisted by Its officers. They knew that we
left California nnder grants from authorities
then existing in Nicaragua They themselves
had seen the title deeds given. They had that
that rejected the first contract from Don Casti.
giione, the Director of Nicaragua, because
it WAS opposed to the letter OF the law
The contract was to raise 800 men, for which
was to have q Colonels commission, and the men
10 have land and money. He sent it to San Fran
cisco; but a. II was In opposition to the Federal
Law, rejected frsm it, and required him grant OF
colonization. Months elapsed ere the grant came
but we did not sail; We had considered the ma tier
and determined to be like CAESARS wife, 'abo We all
Hua0aciop." The grant came, and IL was only af.
ter Il had been submitted to the Federal authori-
ties and approved, that We left. (Applause.) We
went to Nicaragua and after landing, letters OF
naturalization were issued to all In few days it
was proposed to us to assist the Democrats " no
we're struggling with Legitimists for supremacy in
the country. At the time the contract was first
sent to me by Castiglioue the Democrats posse ss-
ed the entire state, except the city of Grenada
81 h..
the Democrats had begun to lose ground and give
way before their enemies. 1t was then they ask ed
our assistance. 1t WAS from them we had received
kindness, and gratitude prompted us to their res
cue. WAS offered a CooneIs command, but q
jealousy sprung up in the breast of their COM
mander in-chief, who feared that the Americans
would rob him Of he credit Of the war. went
to the Director and telling him Of this, informed
BIN that Il our presence were to prove cause o
dissension, We were ready to leave the country
and 90 elsewhere, for we had received from tn,
bsats OF Honduras assurance similar to those re
eeived from Nicaragua.
The Director refused the proposition, and cam,
down to the port OF Realijo on board the vesse
which contained us, and besought Us not to leav.
the country, telling us We were the only hope O
Nicaragua indeed, of Central America. We un
dertook the campaign which ended in the captur,
OF the city OF Grenada. At the taking Of the cit,
the Americans numbered 100, and the native Dem
Ocrats 800. When We entered 1t, (0ct. 1857 til.
native soldiers insisted on the right TO sack ano
pillage II, and IL was then that the existence o
Grenada WAS due TO the Americans under my com
maud. The town was deserted, the men had fed
leaving their women and children and huu .ehold
goods, with none to protect them but those Ameri
cans who had been declared their bitter enemies
We saved them, giving victory to the Demo.
erats and safety TO the Lgitinists. 1t was after
this that both parties came forward and hailed us
a. their deiiverers.
On the I'D October, the treaty Was ratified,
under which the provisional government of Rivas
80 nFHA nj I'D He has, A.
ricsns In Nicaragua were recognized by the I.egi-
timists themselves, and We were on the soil by
the consent OF all parties We we're there by
the prayers and entreaties Of both parties for
the protection Of both. The treaty was made
between General Corral aud myself, and If
forwards ratified by the Democratic Govern
msnt at Leon. The concluding clause of the
treaty made Zen. Corral and myself SPONSORS
that President klvss should faithfully perform the
duties Of his Office. Let US see who violated the
treaty. We had just kissed the holy erueifx, and
we're hardly cur VI sight of the house "f God when
the very man who signed, violated IL, by sending
letters into Honduras and other States Of Central
America inviting them to come and expel the
Americans from the country. Three days had
hardly elapsed before the letters were written
Tho proof was plain. He did not deny his guilt
and only asked ior mercy. Was the exercise Of
mercy wise ~ just Was 1t wise or Just that
should pardon the nrst offender, and that offender
the very man who had signed the tresty. Ii would
have been the blindest folly, and whatever men
msy say against IL. can stand In the presence
Of Almighty God, and say did my duty. ZAP.
piause)
This act checked the conspiracy In ito first flush:
and IL was not for six mouths that the couspira-
tors commenced their work. II was only after the
United States government refused to recognize the
government Of kivas, that the Central American |
States Undertook 10 drive US out. Now, who were |
the sggressors IN that wsrt Soon after the gov. /
.fnmene OF hisas was insugnrated, at my instance
letters were seot to the Central American States,
rus not for violence and bloodshed but for the re-
rsnsration Of the land. They were entrested even
beyond the bsnnds Of diplomacy to send ministers,
lhas they might satisfy themselves Of the fact
they rejected these offrrs with scorn and disdsin
On tbs LET Of March, 1855, Costs Rica declared
vaT, not against Nicaragua, but against the Amer.
cans within her borders portion, not the whole
Il Der population. IL was not war In accordance
nth the laws OF civilized countries, but var oil
determination; DECLARING that every prisoner
sksn IVES 70 b. shot. We had sntrsAtsd for peace;