The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-10
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, MAY 10, 1858.

We hold 1t to be an lncontroVeruple PioPooi'ion
that any government which does not promptly
resent an insult to its flag, or an INJURY wantoniy
inflicted on its citizens, is grossly deficient IN SELF
respect and degrades itself in the eyes of foreign
nations It is not too much to say that even in
the Questionable case of the Hungarian Koszta, the
sprited course adopted for his rescue from his Aus
trian captors, by Commander Ingraham, exercised
n salutary effect upon the Oriental mind and that
its good effects may be seen in the greater Difference
which has since been paid to the remonstrances of
our Consuls The immediate response accorded to
the demands of Mr.. De Leon, our Consul General
in Syria, for the arrest and punishment of the
Arab fanatics, who broke into the house of an
American missionary at Jaffa and murdered one of
his family, is an evidence of the respect in which
the Egyptian authorities now hold our diplomatic
representatives. Had similar energy been displayed
in pressing the case of Captain Walter NJ. Gibson,
whose schooner unjustly seized, and whose life
was imperilled by the Batavian officials, our mer
chants might now be trading freely with the rich
Spice Islands of the Indian Archipelago, while
our war steamers would have found an advanta-
geous coaling station at point where additional
supplies of this necessary fuel are so much needed.
Lying within easy distance of our own shores is
whose fertile plains are watered by the Amazon
and La Plata and their navigable tributaries How
noble field these riparian states offer to CONNER
cial enterprise already know from the admirable
letters of Maury, and from the graphic narrative of
the explorations So 81 ccessfully accomplished by
Lieutenants Herndon and Gibbon. Brazil views
with jealous eye the extension of our commerce
with these Republics, and has placed restrictions
upon the navigation of the Amazon which are at
variance with international comfy. To what
extent she may have affected American intercourse
with the States of La Plata, and especially, with
the Dictatorate of Paraguay, we have no means of
ascertaining. When, however, General Urquiza,
in 1852 opened by decree the river La Plata and
its tributaries, to the flags of all nations our Gov
eminent ordered Commander Page to make an
exploration of La Plata, and invested him with
authority to make commercial treaties with Bra
iii, the Argentine Confederation and the Dicta-
torate of Paraguay. These orders had been al
ready partially anticipated by our Minister to the
Argentine Confederation, who, in conjunction
with the representatives of England, France and
Sardinia had negotiated treaty of friendship and
commerce with the Government of Paraguay.
This treaty our Senate would at once have ratified
but for the existence of some verbal errors which
required correction. 1t was, therefore, sent back
to Commander Page, with instructions to have
these errors amended and then to have the official
ratification made finality. Under the impression
that no difficulties would be interposed to prevent
the immediate completion of the treaty, American |
capital was at once invested in certain prospecvely
lucrative works at Assumption, the capital of Para
quay. In the meantime, however, President |
Lopez evaded, under various frivolous pretexts an
exchange of treaties and finally quarrelling with |
the agent of the American Company, DESTROYED |
the property of the association and put stop to |
their agricultural operations These outrages
called forth an energetic remonstrance from Com
mander Page and matters were so far adjusted |
that passports were granted to the Americans,
authorizing them to leave the country Lopez alb
soutely refused, however, to allow them to take |
with them their effects, unless they first consented
to surrender to the government the title deeds to
their lands. Under these circumstances, Com
mander Page invited them to take passage home in
the Water Witch, an act which Lopez denounced as
evincing contempt for his authority. After leaving
Assumption, and while portion of her crew was
absent duty, the steamer was fired into and
barely escaped destruction. She was, however
permitted to depart, but some time afterwards
while on the neutral waters of the Parana, and at
time when large proportion of her officers and
men were absent on duty, she again fred into
without provocation. Ten balls entered her hull,
and one man was killed upon her deck
For these outrages President Buchanan demands
satisfactory apology and an appropriate indemni-
ty. 1t is well known that the business of negotiat-
ing with our Spanish American neghbors, is at
the best of times slow and unsatisfactory process;
and that the temper of our dplomatsts has been
frequently tried by the insolence and supercilious-
of ignorant officials, who resort to subterfuge
when argument fails, and to procrastination at all
times. The course pursued by New Granada, with
reference to the Panama outrage ought to admon-
ish us how little is to be gained by temperate de-
mand for reparaton, even for an acknowledged
wrong, unless it is backed by sufficient display of
power to enforce it, We, therefore, consider that
the Senate has acted with proper regard for the
national honor in authorizing the President to use
force, if necessary, in adjusting difficulties with
Paraguay. If we have been unable by mere diplo-
macy to obtain satisfaction from New Granada, a
State lying within few days sail from our own
shores, how much more difficult does it become for
us to operate in pacific manner upon Paraguay,
which can only be reached after coasting the entire
Atlantic shore of Brazil, and subsequently navi-
eating the river La Plata, for further distance of
twelve hundred miles to Assumption the capital of
the Dictatorate There are States as there are in
divduals, who will never consent to do justice to
those whom they have wronged, but under the
pressure of superior force and of the sautary dread
itinspires. Prominent among these are the mongrel
Republics Of South America, relying for immunity
from punishment, some upon their acknowledged
feebleness, and Others like Paraguay, upon their
remoteness from the nation they have injured But
neither weakness, nor distance, nor shutting, nor
evasion should be permitted to interfere with the
prompt enforcement of redress for injuries received
by citizens, or for an insult wantonly offered
to our flag There need be no apprehension what
ever that the squadron asked for by President Bu-
chanan will provoke hostilites with Paraguay 1t
is only necessary for ships to appear in the port
of Assumption, and President Lopez will instantly
yield to our just demands, as he has already, on
similar occasion, and upon a similar display of
force, yielded to those of Brazil The. moral effect
upon the South American Republics, of so vigor-
GUS demonstration will be felt in our diplomatic
relations with them for years after our vessels of
war shall have left the waters of La Plata.
Tucf of fl,o |