Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-01-22
General Walker and Congress.

many minds that there are no statesmen
in the present Congress. The time was,
when Webster, Clay, and Calhoun were
members, tina; our Congress would "bea;
the world for statesmen, but now, alas!
how fallen. Nothing shows this fact
more conclusively than the speeches and
movements in regard to General William
Walker. This man is allowed to occupy
a large share Of the time and attention
Of Congress, his name is lauded, and he
occupies before it the place of an injured
patriot, hero, and beneiactor Of mankind.
And yet, who is he? 4 mere robber, and
that too without any Of the shrewdness
or address Of one. As such, even, he Is
very much inferior to Bristol Bill and
scores Of others who after all were not
smart enough to escape the States Pris-
OF. II Walker should be Landed, they
should be canoaized, or at least have q
triumph decrced them.
His who'll. history. or the last part Of
it, is ol;i ton f pjra,ies or attempts
at piracy, terminated by successive fail
ures. lie first made his appearance in
this line in California; when, at the head
Of few lawless men, too lazy to work
and unsuccessful in gambling, therefore
ready for any piraIical enterprise, be
made fcray upon Lower California,
hoping to hold it against the weak gov
eminent Of Mexico. But the first aD-
pearance Of real opposition cowed the
bravery Of himself and his rufiaus, and
the enterprise ended, clearly showing the
weakness of the man.
Subsequently lie was invited to aid the
president Of the Mosquito kingdom in
Nicaragua to put down a petty chief Of
that sublime people. lie accepted The
invitation, and the combined force was
successful The government was estab-
lished, and rebellion siIenced. But Walk
er at once assumed the control Of the
government which lie had protested to
ald' and soon procured a sort OF election
to the presidency Of the so called Re-
public. Then the people rose against
hin. President Riyas, whom lie had
suPplauted, called in tue aid of the Costa
RIcanS, and the battle commenced.-
Then, had Walker been a man Of gen.
ius, or even courage, he had the opporiu-
nry OF driving back those semi-barJari-
ans, and, destroying them, establish IN
extensive kingdom over he whole Of
Central America. But the result proved
that he was not only a man Of no resour-
ces' but coward. lie was driven from
one place 10 another, and finally. confined
TO snail village, ard reduced 20 few
dogs for his whole food. he surrendered
to United States vessel, and was bot
home at free cost.
But here again he showed the mean
ness Of Lis character. Soon after he
landed he entered a formal complaint g.
galnst the captain who had saved him
from his enemies.
y termination 30 disastrous to his Mos
quito enterprise would seem TO have been
enough to satisfy him, and all svmpatbiz-
e7s, that he was not the man for the place.
let so restless was his spirit. and so
many others were there who rartook Of
a Ike character, that, backed bv the MN
ey OF the slaveholding south. another ex-
petition was set on foot. and half watch
cd, half assisted By government officials.
he landed at Punta Arenas to act over
again the same game Of bIoodshcd. rob
berry, crime and folly. There Commo.
dore Pauld;ng interfered, captured hi.
whole force, and returned him to the [
nited States.
And this las made him, .,le weak. cow
ardly miscreant that be Is, into : hero. the
great lion Of the day. It appears tia.
PauIding went beyond the strict letter Of
his instructions in entering upon Nicara-
guam soiIto arrest Walker. having really
no authority there. lie exceeded Ii. in
stTu t ns about as much As an officer
m GILT be supposed to who breaks tbroryb
door TO arrest burglar. Yet because
the Commodore committed 4 technical
irespass on Nicaraguaa territory. Walk
e. the land pirate, the murderer, Is a he
TO- 0eneiactor Of mankind; senator.
and representatives IT. Congress are my
ious to shake his bloody hand. and eve,
60 20 lar as 10 argue that lie should he
sent back there in a government vess II
and bid God speed7 in his career of
crime and blood Alas for our derene.
rate Congress. Ais for the men Of the
age. How are the mighty fallen, A.
well might the court, trying the burglar
taken IN the very act, decide that because
the olleer trespassed upon the grounds of
the man who v-os - III