Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-11-02
BY JAMES BUCHANAN,
President or THE UNITED STATES or AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.

A
Whereas information has reached ne from
sources which | cannot disregard that certain
persons. in violation Of the neutrality laws Of
the United States. are making q third attempt
to set on foot a military expedition within their
territory against Nicaragua, a foreign State,
with which they are at peace. In order to
raise money for cquippingan maintaining this
expedition, persons connected herewith. as !
have reason to believe, have issued and sold
bonds and other contracts pledsins the public
lands of Nicaragua and the transit route through
its territory as a security for their redemption
and fulfllmcnt.
The hostile design Of this expedition is rem.
dered manifest by the fact that these bonds and
contracts can be Of no possible value to their
holders, unless the present government Of Mica
ragua shall be overthrown by force. Besides,
the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipo-
Tertiary Of that government in the United States
has issued n notice, in pursuance OF his lnstruc-
tons. dated on the 9th instant. torbidding the
citizens or subjects of any nation, except pas
sengers intending to proceed through Nicara-
qua over the Transit route from ocean to ocean.
To enter It's territory without a regular passport.
signed by the proper minister or consul general
of the republic resident in the country from
whence they shall have departed. Such per-
SONS. with this exception. will be stopped and
compelled to return by the saline conveyance
that took them to the country" From these
circumstances, the inference is irresistible that
persons engaged in this expedition will leave
the United States with hostile purposes asainst
Nicaragua. They cannot, under the guisc,
which they hive assumed, that they are peace
full cmigrantS, conceal their real intentions, and
especially when they know, in advance, that
their landing will hc resisted, and cnn only be
accomplished by an ovcrpowcring force. This
e1pcdient was successfully rcsorted to previous
to the last expedition. and the vessel in which
those composing it were conveyed to Nicaragua,
obtained a clearance from the collector Of the
port Of Mobile. Although, after 4 careful e1-
animation. no arms or munitions Of war were
discovered on board. vet, when they arrived in
Nicaragua. they were found to be armed and
equipped and Immediately commenced hostili-
ties.
The leaders Of former illegal expeditions of
the same character have openly expressed their
intention to renew hostilitics against Nicaragua.
One of them. who has already been twice ex-
PEELED from Nicaragua. has invited, through
the public newspapers. American citizens to
elllSTllc 10 lIldt IcpuDIlt. tApt i"o h'E'S'oeNN
Mobile As the place Of rendezvous and depar-
ture. and San Juan del Norte rs the port to
which they are bound. This person, who has
renowned his allegiance to the United States,
and claims to be President Of Nicaragua, has
given notice to the collector Of the port Of
Mobile that two or three hundred Of these
cmigrants will he prepared to embark from
that port about the middle of November.
For these and other good reasons, and for
the purpose Of saving American citizens who
NAV have been honestly deluded into the belief
that they are about to proceed to Nicaragua as
peaceful emigrants, if any such there be, from
the disastrous consequences to which they will
be exposed. ], James Buchanan, President of
the United States. have thought it fit to issue
this my proclamation enjoining upon all officers
of the government, civil and military, in their
respective spheres, to he ~yigilant, active, and
faithful in supprcssing these illegal enterprises,
and in carrying ont their standing instructions
to that effect; cxhorting all good citizens, by
their respect for the avs and their regard for
the peace and welfare of the country. to aid
the efforts Of the public authorities in the dis
charge Of their duties.
In testimony whereof, | have hcreunto set
my hand and caused the seal Of the United
States to be afixcd to these presents.
Done at the city Of Washington, the thirtieth
t.. s.. day of October, one thousand eight
hundred and iity-eight, and Of the
independence Of the United States the
cighty-third.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
b. the President:
LEWIS CAss. Secretary Of State.