Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-19
DINNER TO GEN. WALKER IN RICHMOND


;ny rendered a public dinner TO General WILLIAM
WALKER It was accepted, and cameoil al me Amer
can Hotel, last Thursday night. Among the gsnle'
men present, were Hon. James A. Se!don, WIhsm
NJ. Amber, Esq, Speaker of the Senate, y. Al.
CrutchGeld, Esq, Speaker of the House OF Deeeaes,
Messra. Douglas, Claiborne, Deneale ana DINERS Oh
the Senate, and Messrs. Seddon, Clayhrcok, Mass'e
and others Of the House, RI A. Pryor, Esq, ana
others.
during which General WALKER was informed Gi Tie
destruction Of Fort Castillo by Col Andrrsoi' l''n
company repaired To the supper room wheTs rept7'
-nev-r before surpassed Tor TASTE anu ei7Shh'T III
fs city-wag prepared. The first table was presided
over by w. NJ Amber, Esq supported on h!s right
by Gen. WALKER, and on his lett BY H. a. fryor'
E-q., y. NJ. Crutchield Eco, being NJ me font Inc
second table was presided over by b. Is; Douglas
Esq, Mr. Chapman being at the 'oo' Inc supper
being disposed of, Mr.. Amber rose ana ehia
G.ntlemen, when the star under whose guidance
our race was led in rs march from Jamestown 10 The
golden shores of California, seemed 10 hoVerior mo
nent over those shores, those who had watched IL
with eagerness and anxiety 10 k!"" n"''.' va! II
would next turn, heard sounds which came from ano-
Their shore, telling OF deeds Of American vhi"r-teiug
us that a band governed by love OF the just ana
the right and the true-by the Anglo. saxon Spiti',
sought to implent 10 far of lands what We worship
here. What breast there that did nor oeat QUICK
er-whst heart that did not rise III pride Wheh eard
Of deeds of vaor which rvaed those recorded In tue
page of historyl Need say where those aseds were
shown-where those victories won! l VIII give you
an answer in the sentiment: ,,,
To the progress of free institutions anu WILLIAM
WALLER. .c.
GEN WALKER rose and said II is ditncult for me
to express the gratitude feel at the leas sign OF ap
prevail by the public men of Virginia. OF me course
pursued by the Americans in Nicaragua lne Sen.l,
isent feel is that of pupil, when he receives tue
appreciation ofhis teacher for rs from virginia anu
her soma shat have learned all know OF political
Ethics, aud by her lessons have directed my course;
early Taught 10 investigate the prne'pses Vi po'Tni
| philosophy, have thought that saw more IN me
teachings of her statesmen Of the principles whcn
guided our fathers II We 20 back 10 the cradle Oh
the race OF men who founded our instntlons-
which Virginia especially has periected-we una
them standing out boldly az the advocates OF the
principles Of liberty aud law, In tnelr most es'enl'a'
| forms.
II there il one sentiment more than anUher Wnich
lies at the bass OF the grandeur of our race 1t that
| of respect to law Look at the revolutions OF our
those of all other people do you find them In other
countries they are marked by new principles o.
mel aphysics or philosophy; but where you see the
Anglo. Norman or American struggling in the RANKS
of the revolution. it is not for the overthrow nut TOT
the maintenance of law. We come from Men who
never have been slaves, and who, I" MAINTAIN their
freedom in the FUTURE have only to look to the past
What said our ancestors when, on the plains OF
Runnymede. they resisted the mailed cohorts oI he
Epgishl They said, 1--WE are unwilling that the
laws Of England shall not be maintained" ana
when In later years our more immedlst9 ancestors
met their foe on still grander field still they
asserted they had come forth to vlndcate the
laws they had enjoyed in the past, and not 10 pat
is for new principles. And it ia, gentlemen, ny
this principle that the Americans in Nicaragua
have been guided. 1t ia by this same Differences to
law by the assertion OF no wild scheme but the mann
ensnce Of lsw-long established, international law
that we have endeavored to carry out the
naugursted in Central America. IL s asserted tha'
the Americans in Nicaragua have been lawless 10
their proceedings but challenge the world to pro-
duee the FIRST instance of deviation from right ano
Justice in their career. When We left San Francisco
was that illegal We sailed in broad day, with none
| 10 contradict it or oppose US. Indeed so tar from
meeting with opposition from the Government we
were aided and assisted by its officers. They knew
that We left California under grants from authorities
then existing in Nicaragua. They themselves iaa
seen the title deeds given. They had seen that
/ rejected the first contract from Don Cnsti
xlione, the Director of Nicaragua, because II
was opposed to the letter OF The law. Inc con
tract to raise three hundred men, ior winch
was 10 have Colonel's commission, and the men &c
have land and money. He sent it to San Fran
cisco, but az it was in opposition to tbs Fedora
law, rejected u. and required from him grant VI
colonization. Months elapsed ere the grant came
but We did not ea we had considered the mailer
and determined to be like Csssr's wife, "above al
suspicion" The grant cans, and it only after
il had been submitted to the Federal authorities and
approved, that We left IApplsusel We went t.
Nicaragua, and soon after landing, letters OF natura
cation were issued to ALL In few days il was pro
posed to us to assist the Democrats who We're strug
Cling with the Legitimsts for supremacyin the country
At the time the contract frs. sent to me by Gas
tiglioue tho Democrats possessed the entire STATE e1
cent the city OF Grenada, but go much time was los
in ths negotiations that the Democrats had begun tt
lose ground and give way before their enemies. Il
was then they asked our assistance. II from them
we had received kindness and gratitude prompted u!
to their rescue. was offered Colonel command
but jealousy sprung up in the breast OF their com
mander.in chief who feared that the Americans wonli
rob him OF the credit of the war. went to the ID
rector, and telling him of this. informed him that i
our presence were prove cause OF dissension, We
were ready to leave the country and 90 elsewhere
for We had received from the State OF honduras as
surances similar to those received from Nicaragua.
The director refused the proposition, and came
down to the port of Reaio on board the vessel which
contained u.s. and besought us not to leave the c'un
try telling us we the only hope OF Nicaragua
indeed, of Central America. We undertook the
campaign which ended in the capture Of the city o.
Grenada. At the taking of the city the Americana
numbered 100, and the native Democrats 300 Wher
We entered it, Oc 1851 the native soldiers insisted
ON the right to sack and plage 1t, and It was ther
that the existence of Grenada due to the Amer
cans under my command. The town YVES deserted
the men had fed. leaving their women and children
and household goods with none to protect them bu
those Americans who had been declared their bitter
enemies. We saved them. giving victory 10 the De
this that both parties came forward and hailed us Al
their deverers.
On the 23d October, the treaty ratified, under
which the provisional government OF RivGs was or
papized. By that treaty the rights of Americans ir
Nicaragua were recognized by the Legitimate them
selves and we we're the soil by the consent OF al
parties. We there by the prayers and entrea'ie
Of both parties for the protection Of BOTH The treaty
WAS made between General Corral and myself, ant
afterwards ratified by the Democratic Gorernmen
Mt Leon The concluding clause OF thu treaty mad'
General Corral and myself sponsors that Presd-n
Rivas should faithfully perform the duties OF hls oire
Let US who violated the treaty. we had Jus
kissed the holy crucx and were hardly out oil sigh
of ths house OF God, when the very man who signed
violated it, by aending letters into Honduras ant
other States of Central America, inviting them L
come and expel the Americans from the country
Three DAYS had hardly elapsed before the Letters were
written. The proof was plain. He did not deny hi
guilt, and only asked for mercy. Was the exsrols,
of mercy wise or JUST Was it wise or Just that
should pardon the first offender, and that offender tn
very man who had signed the treaty 1t would have
been The blindest folly, and whatever men may ga!
against it, l stand in the presence OF Amign'!
God, and say did my duty. Applause
This act checked the conspiracy in its first flush
and il was not for six months that the consp,rstor'
commenced their work. 1t was only after the United
States Government refused to recognize the Govern
men. of Rivas, that the Central American states un
dertook TO drive US out. Now, who we're the az
gresaors in that war7 Soon after the Government
| Of Riv8s was lnalgurated, al my lnstanCe ie,te
we're sent to the Central American States telling then
that the Americans came to Nicaragua not Tor VIC
lence and boodshed. but for the regeneration OF I'M
land. They were enreated even beyond the hound
of diplomacy to send ministers. that they might ga
tisfy themselves of the fact They rejected thes
! offers with scorn and disdain.
On the LIST of March, 1856, Costa Rica declared war
not against Nicaragua, but against the American
within her borders-s portion, not the whole OF ne
population 1t was not war in accordance with tn
law Of civilized countries but war OF e1termlna
shot. We had entreated for peace; they dared snt
detied us to war We should have been unworthy o
our fathers if We had shruhk from it. CONTINUED
applsu.e.) The was carried Oh with varied sue
| cassss and finally ended by the interference oil M
officer of the U s. Navy. The allies had attempted
to invest Rivas, but found it impossible, from tn
large force required to accomplish it. They attacked
us in March and April, and were repused. But in tn
meantime, negotiations had been going on 6esweer