Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1858-01-12
letter from gen. walker to President
buchanan.

Walker complaining of his capture in Nicaragua.
W AsHIssTos, January 4 1858.
SIR. On the 18th of June last had the honor 10
address you a letter relating the manner IN which
emgrated from Californis to Nicaragua, the events
which followed my presence IN Central America,
and the unjust and illegal acts BY was
for a time TO abandon my adopted country: In
that letter stated facts which defy my enemies TO
eontroyer,; and then hoped your Excellenes would
take steps for the punishment otthe grtevous
ce against right justice and public law committed oy
United States officers ia the seizure ora Nicarangan
vessel in a Nicaraguan port Commander DAVIS
has however, gone uurebuked, SO far as aui in
formed for sis eEoss violation of international law
and ofthe constitution OF the United States. Aud
it grieves me say that am again Obliged TO APP
psoach you with compla1nt against anoIher ana
yet higher officer of the UniIed States navy:
Ia approach ing you as a snppllant. for justice,
know that is necessary for me to remove errone-
GUS impressions which have been made on your
mind concerning my conduct in connection with
Nicaraguan affairs. Corrupt and maligI persons
have surrounded your Excellency aud poured into
your ears false tories concerning events n Central
America And now to Jou the President of the
United States ] directly charge, aud stand ready TO
prove what say that your officers of the navy not
only by irresponsible statements through the press
but also in official communications have mlstatSd
fncts aud falsified events, Feeling and believing
as do that you would not willingly wrong any
individual, no matter how humble. am satisfied
that the summary judgement yon pass on my CON
duct in your annual message to Congress 10 the re-
suit OF incorrect information aud trust and con
dently expect that When the truth is placed before
you, your judgement will acquit me OF the grave
charges brought against me.
Permit me, then, If you please, before proceed to
call your attention to the conduct Of Commodore
PanIding, to deny most uneqnivocaly that have
been engaged any time or in any manner with
any unlawful expedition against Nicaragua. In
your message to Congress you seem to imply that
my first departure from San Francisco Was illegal
for you say, "when it was first rendered probable
that an attempt would be. made to get up another
unlawful expedition against Nicaragua" With all
Difference beg leave TO repeat whatl said IN pie
vious letter. and to again Inform you that LETT San
Francisco in May, 1855, with the sanction and
approval of the federal officers of the port,
aud that the captain of the revenue cutter
sent his sailors to bend the sails which carried US
from California to Central america. Allow me
also to suggest that the government OF the Unlted
States recognized and legaliZed the Immediate re-
suits of the emigration from Cali fornia in the recep
tion of Padre Vigil as minister from the RepAohc
of Nicaragua.
Not only, was the first expedition, as it has been
called, TO Nicaragua entirely lawful in its origin
but all its consequences marked by strict ad-
herence 10 law and justice. Some have told you, !
know that am .'withuut faith and without mercy"
but from the beginning 10 the end Ut my career IN
Nicaragua L challenge the world 10 produce sim
gle violation of public faith, single deviation
from the great principle public right and public
Justice. On the contrary, the Americans in Near
aqua have always manta ned the faith aud honor
ofther race in the midst of a!sehoOd and reachery
on the part their enemies in the face Ofconntless
hosts arrayed against them. no less hun in The pres
ence oil famine and of pestilence. Ourcundnctln the
midst oftrias and dangers is sufficient answer to the
uilhets which have been hurled against us, ana
when the passions and the prejudces OF The present
have died away, we calmly await the judgement OF
posterity on our conduct.
Bat an officer of the United States navy forced us
to become exiles from Nicaragua aud let me re.
mind you Of the TACT hatIroni the moment touch
ed our natal soil protested against the Illegally
and injustice fthc act, and declared our intention
to return 10 the land whence we had been wrong.
| FULL brought. Every where, befo the function
aries of the government in the presence of assem-,
bled muItitudes of the sovereign people we declared
that no effort should be unused in order TO regain
the rights wrested from us by fraud and ilegalty
| Do you suppose that if we had been conscious Of
any violation or intended violation oflaw we would
| thus have proclaimed objects and Intentions
Is the habit of offenders against pnhlic right or
of cOnspirators against public justice TO herald their
acts on the corners of the Streets and publish their
| wrong-doing in the murket-plsce Would we nave
violated the public conscience of this nation by ca l.
ing on the people to disregard their own enacted
statues2 No, Mr.. President; let all your district
attorneys exhaust their energy and their ingenuity
let them attempt to Wrest the law to purposes for
which it never was Intended, they cannot make
good the charges which have been made against us.
O1ce the District Att0rn of the United States at
tempted to convict of breach of the neutrality
laws but jurr Of the country rendered verdict OF
s;not guilty" almost Intoxicating the box. Again
| a like effort would be crowned with like result.
After q long effort aud much patieat endurance
we at length sailed from Mobile for San Juan de
| Nicaragua the I4th day of November last. The
vessel on which we sailed regularly cleared by
the collector of the port and special collector
sent aboard to examine the cargo and the passen-
gers. Our rights, too as NIcar1guans were ncknow-
lodged for the collector refused to clear the Fash
ion with Captain Fayssonx commanding, on the
| ground that he was net a citizen OF the United
| States. With regular register and clearance We
supposed when once on the high seas that we were
beyond the possible interference ofany United States
! authority for even if we were Admitted beliger-
| ents against power with which the United States
peace, the owners of the neutral vessel had
clear right to carry warke persons as well as con-
traband of war, subject only to the 1sS OF capture
| by the euemy's cruisers. We did not for moment
imagine that naval officers would undertake. 10 res
| traints on American commerce in the absence OF
| federal law and congressional authority. The de-
| ference too we know your excelIencV has for the
! constitution of the United States Precl9dtu
tho suppostion that any orders had been
;ssued to detnin and capture an American vessel
whose papers showed she was engaged IN lawful
voyage. - 1;., ofo,- ,--o,.
90 49, did not hesitate to eTier tine port of San
Juan de Nicaragua although We knew tnata Uni-
ted States sloop-of-war was present III VIC ;a1 w.
But we had scarcely landed before were SI'9ese1 ~
a series of illegal and Insulting acts by the CON-
mauder of the Saratoga. These acts nave been de-
tailed in two letters addressed bv.me 10 Commo-
dore Paulding aud now on file, presume IN the
navy department.
While we were being embarrassed by the action
of the Saratoga we had not been idle. Col. Ander-
son-who had served his native country throughout
the Mexican war-at the head of fifty men had as
ceuded the river and gained possession OF the strong
hold which, in the last century, had for days deted
The genius Of the proudest naval mama in British
annals. Not only this, but he had regaiDea posses
sion of valuable American property, unlawfnlly
held by Costa Rican soldiers, aud had given
ders TO restore it to the agent claiming it for the
Permit me to ask whether it is such acts as
these which authorize your naval officers to apply
to MS the vilest epithets OF the language
Scarcely, however, hal the possessi of Castillo
Viejo opened to us the way 10 Lake Nicaragua, aud
to the rcgaining ofall had lost by Capt. Davis
interference, than most grieyous wrong was again
inflicted on us by Commodore Pauhiug. On the
snrrender to him, and the Niearasr,.I Rag a
second time hauled down on Nicaraguan soil by The
orders of the United States Navy.
1t would be snperogatory, sur, for me to say
that the act of Capt Pauldng was wiihou, warrant
of law Much, too, as We felt the wrong. il not
the act itself as much the manner in which itwas
-dn rifr 10 niiick Hh kna hat the