Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-01-13
FROM GENERAL wALK1R 20
!PREs1p ENT ButRNAN
LETTER

81 & AZ W.sHnescx, a. j1a5A
n s1s OF the 15sh Juns last rhsa hszhonsvto
Sddrees yod sslett0f rellting thefhanner3d wtSch
smigrsted from California to Nicaragua, the events
which followed my presence in Central America and
the unjust and illegal acts by which was forced for
. time to abandon my adopted country.
In that letter stated facts which. defy my eng
mics to controvert; and then hoped your exceieh-
ey would take steps for the punishment of the grew
Gus offences against right justice and public law
Nicaraguan vessel in . Nicaraguap port. Com
mander Davis, has, however. gone unrebuked. 80
far as am informed for his violation Of information
al law, and of the Constitution Of the United States
and it grieves me to say that am again obliged to
approach you with complaint against another and
vet higher officer Of the United States Navy.
In approaching you as supplicant for justice
know that it is necessary for to remove errone-
GUS impressions which have been made on your
mind concerning my conduct in connection with
Nicaraguan affairs. Corrupt and malignant persons
have surrounded your Excellency and poured into
your ears false stories concerning events in Central
America. srr-fs ..eetp b: go sa x
And now, to you, the President of the United
States, directly charge and 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 misrepresented
facts and falsiied events Feeling and believing as
do, that you would not willingly wrong any indi-
vidua. no matter how humble, am satisfied that
the summary judgment you pass on my conduct in
your Annual Message to Congress, is the result OF
incorrect information; and trust and confidently
expect, that when the truth is placed before you,
your judgment will acquit me of the grave charges
brought against me. .e.s5H# RI
Permit me, then, if you please, before I proceed
to call your attention to the conduct of Commodore
Pauldng to deny most unequivocally that have
ever been engaged at any time 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 e-
gal for you say "when it was first rendered proba-
bic that attempt would be made to get up anoth-
er unlawful expedition against Nicaragua" With
all Difference beg leave to repeat what said in .
previous letter and to again inform you that left
San Francisco in May, 1866, with the sanction and
approval of the Federal officers of the port and 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 United States recognized and
legalized the immediate results of the emigration
from California, in the reception of Padre Vigil as
Minister from the Republic of Nicaragua. Not only
was the first expedition, as it has been called to
consequences were marked by strict adherence to
law and justice. Some have told you, l know, that
am a man without faith and without money!" but
from the beginning to the end of my career in Mic
arngua, challenge the world to produce single
violation of public aith-a single deviation from the
great principles of public right and public Justice
On the contrary, the Americans in Nicaragua have
always maintained the faith and honor of their race,
in the midst of fasehood and treachery on the part
of their enemies-in the face of countless hosts ar
rayed against hem-no less than in the presence of
famine and of pestience. Our conduct in the midst
of trials and of dangers is sufficient answer to the
epithets which have been hurled against us; and
when the passions and prejudces Of the present
have died away We calmly await the judgment of
posterty on conduct
Rnt off If fho Ckafa Nov
US to become exles from Nicaragua; and let me re-
mind you of the TACT that from the moment we
gality and injustice of the act and declared in
tention to return to the land whence we had been
wrongfully brought
Evcrywhere-before the functionaries of the Gov
ernment-in the presence of assembled multitudes
Of the sovereign people-we declared that effort
should be unused in order to regain the rights wres-
ted from us by fraud and iliegality.
Do you suppose that il we had been conscious Of
any violation, or intended violation of law, we
would thus have proclaimed our objects and inten-
tons? Is it the habit of offenders against public
right or of consprators against public justice, to
herald their acts the of the streets and
publish their wrong doings in the market place?
Would We have violated the public conscience of
this nation by calling on the people to disregard
their own enacted statues? No, Mr.. President, let
all your District Atornies exhaust their energy and
their ingenuty-lett them attempt to pervert the law
to purposes for which it never was intended-they
cannot make good the charges which have been
made against A..
Once the District Attorney attempted to convict
me of q breach of the neutrality laws but jury
Of the country rendered verdict of mot guilty,
almost without leaving the bar. Again like effort