Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-01-09
UNITED STATES FLAG SnIr WAnAsn,
OH San Imam dol Marta No.. = lSk7

S"l Juan uel Norte, Dec. I, 1901
SIR: Your letter of Nov. 80, was received at AS.
rlnwalI, and sent with my dispatches to the Gov.
eminent, That Of Dec. ., camo to hand ycster.
day.
These letters surprised me With their tone of
aud1clty and Justification Of facts.
Your rude discourtesy in speaking Of Capt.
Chatard OF the Saratoga | pass without comment
The mistake he made was not in driving you from
Punta Arenas when you landed there in defiance
OF his guns.
In occupying the Point Arenas and assuming it
to be the headquarters Of the army of Nicaragua,
and You It's Commander.in Chief, you and your as
sociatcs, being Iawless adventures, deceive no one
hy their ahsurdity.
Lieutenant Cilly of the Saratoga informs me that
he was in uniform, and you say ne was II plain
clothes when you threatened to shoot him. While
you use such threats it may be OF some impor-
'ancc for you to know that if any person belong
ing to my command shat receive injury from Your
i""lcss violence. the penalty to you shall lie Il tri-
butte to humanity.
Now, sir, you and your fellows are here in
viola tion Of the laws of the United States, and
greatly to its dish0nour, making war upon u
people with whom we are at peace; and, for the
sake of humanity, public and private justice, as
well rs what is due to the honour and integrity Of
the Government of the United States, | command
you, aud the people associated here with you, to
surrender your arms without Delay, and embark
in such vessels as | may provide for that purpose.
| am, sir. very respectfully,
Your obedient servant.
ii. PAuLDING,
Flag Officer, Commanding L. S. Home Squadron.
10 Gen. HiHjam HdHer, Funta arenas.
In his official report of the affair, addressed to
the Secretary of State, Commodore Paulding says:
IL could not regard General Walker aud his fol-
lowers in any other light than as outlaws who had
escaped from the vigilance of the officers of the
government, aud left our shores for the purpose
OF rapine and murder and | saw no other way
to vindicate the law and redeem the honor of our
country than by disarming and sending them
home, In doing so | am sensible Of the resp0n-
sibility | have incurred, and confidently look tO the
government for my justification.
Regarded in its true light, the case appears to
me u clear one, and the points few and strong
Walker came to Punta Arenas, from the United
States, having, in violation OF law. set on foot a
military organization to make war upon Il people
with whom we are at peace. lie landed there
with armed men and munitions Of war, in defiance
of the guns of a ship of war placed there to pre-
vent his landing. With nothing 70 show that he
acted by authority, he formed IL camp and hoisted
the Nicaraguan flag, called it the Headquarters
of the Army of Nicaragua and signed himself
the Commander in.Chief. With this pretension,
he claimed the right of a lawful government over
persons and things within sight of his flag.
Without right or authority he landed fifty men
at The mouth of the river Colorado, seized the fort
of Castillo, on the San Juan river, captured steam
ers and the goods Of merchants in transit to the
interior, killed men, and made prisoners of the
peaceful inhabitants, sending to the harbor of
San Juan del Nurte some thirty or forty men, wo.
men and children, in the steamer Morgan.
In doing these things without the show Of au,
t bority they were guilty Of rapine and murder,
aud must be regarded as outlaws and pirates.
They can have no claim to be regarded in any
other light. Humanity as well as law, justice and
national honor. demanded the dispersion of these
men,"