Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-01
Tur r,IInI1srERI>G HERO.

nh f,,Iow;no attract from ffeNdsnt bucnanau :
,,., ns..,o. will throw sone light upon the present
,,,i,;o, of Gan. VIM walker, who has now been
-. . bsro ,ndeed, We ara without the official
a.,,nan,s connected with the recent arrest OF Walk
=. hr, :, .,rkes ms that Commodore Pauldlng, in
.,;,no walker on the soil of Nicaragua, must have
-. havo,a h;s Instructions and counter to the neu-
,r,li.v Law of 1915. which specially guards agalns
.,. ds,,r,n,s Of ssoh unlawful expeditions from the
limited States. This impression we feel compelled 10
take No. at the came time agreeing with the ffesiuen'
that ali suoh movements have an Injurious effect IN
checking the natural expansion OF American nhuenoe
and mower, and, above all in throwing dd1cuities
around the acquisition Of Cubs-sn object OF such
ds.r interest to Mr. Buchanan and to the great mass
of the American people:
The Isthmus Of Central America, including that OF
Panama, is the great highway between tne Auanuc
and Pacific, over which large portion OF the com
merce of the world 10 destined TO pass. Inc unnea
states are more deeply interested than any other ma
tion 10 preserving the freedom and security OF all
communications scross the lsthmus. 1t is our duty,
therefore to take care that they shall not be inter.
rupted either by inveson from our own country or
nv wars between the independent States OF Central
America. Under our treaty with New Granada OF
this 18Th Decep ber 1896 We are bound to guaranty
IN. neutrality Of the Isthmus Of Panama, through
which the Panama railroad passes, "as we'll as tho
r;xhts o. sovereignty aud property which New Ora
NADIA has and possesses over the said territory,
This obligation Is founded upon equivalents granted
by the treaty to the government aud people OF the
United States.
eress the passage Of act auhorsing the President
In case OF necessity, TO employ the land and naval
toross of the United States to carry into effect this
guarantee OF neutrality and protection. also re.
Commend similar legislation for the security Of any
o.her route across the lsthmus in which We may 40
qulre an Interest by treaty.
With the independent Republics on this Continent
1, 10 both duty and our interest to cultivate the
most friendly relations. We never feel iBdiffer
snt to their fate, and must always rejoice in their
prosperity Unfortunately, both for them and for u.s.
our example and advice have lost much OF their IN
fusncs in consequence OF the lawless expeditions
which have been fitted out against some OF them
within the limits of country. Nothing is better
calculated retsrd steady material progress or
impair our character as nation, than the federation
of such enterprises in violation OF be law OF nations.
II 10 one Of tho fret and highest duties Of any indie
pendent State in it's relations with the members Of the
great family Of nations, to restrain its people from
acts Of hostile aggression against their citizens or SUBJ
i.ots. The most eminent writers on public law do
MT hesitate 10 denOupce such hostile acts as murder
and robbery.
Weak and feeble States, like those Of Central Amer
o. NAV not feel themselves able to ASSERT and vlndi
cate their rights. The would be fer different II
expeditions were set oE foot within our own Terrific
ms TO mako private war against powerful nation.
If such expeditions fitted out from abroad against
any portion Of our own country, to burn down our
Cities murder and plumber our people, and usurp our
government, We should call any power on earth to
o. let account for not preventing such enormltles
Ever sincs the Administration Of General Washing.
ton, acts Of Congress have been in force to punish
severely the crime of setting foot military expo
don Within tho limits of the United States. to pro-
csed from thence against nation or State with whom
n are peace. The present neutrality act Of April
2hh, 1875 10 but little more than collection OF pre-
existing laws. Under this act the President is EN-
powered to employ the land and naval forces and the
militia, "for the purpose Of preventing the carrying
on OF any such expedition enterprise from the ter
ritories and jurisdiction of the United States" and
the collectors Of customs authorized and re-
Quired to detain any vessel in port when there IA
reason to believe she is about to take part IN such
lawless enterprises. :SrF
When it was fret rendered probable that an attempt
would be made get up another unlawful expedition
against Nicaragua. the Secretary OF State issued IN
struotious TO the Marsbals and District Attorneys
which were directed by the Secretaries OF War and
the Navy to the appropriate army and navy officers
requiring them to be vigilant and 10 use Their pest
exertions in carrying into effect the provisions OF the
cot OF 1913. Notwithstanding these precsutions' the
expedition has escaped from our shores. Such enter
prses can do no possible good to the country. but
hav, already inf cted much injury both its interest
aud its character. They have prevented peaceful
emigration from the United States to the STATES OF
Cent, al America, which could not fail to prove highly
beneficial to all the parties concerned. In pecu
mary point of Wow alone, o,zens have sustain.
ed heavy losses from the seizng and closing OF the
transit route by the San Juan between the two oceans
The leader Of the recent expedition was arrested At
New Orleans but was dischsrged on giving bail for
hi. appearance In the insufficient sum Of two thou
sand dollars.
commend the whole subject to the serious atten
ton of Congress- believing that our duty and our In.
terest as we'll national character require that
We should adopt such measures as will be efeoiual in
restraining our citizens from committing such out
y6eSh