The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-13
ARREST OF WILLIAM WALKER.
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN SLIDELL,
on LnltrikNA
OF LouriANA
,.,c... g., -


,t sI,IpEIfA ] ask the Senate to take up the next
special or1er
The motion was agreed to and tho senate as in COM
,tt of the whole resumed the Consideration of the
;,t resolution Is No. y directing the presentation of
> ,ssI, 10 Commodore Hiram Pauding the bill IS No
S complementary to the act entitled sAn act in addition
10 the act tor the punishment OF certain crimes aanst
the United States and to repeal certain acts therein
t,us approved April 20, 1885, the resolutions report
ed Inv Mr. MASON from the Comnttec on Foreign Rela-
tons IN regard TO the seizure of William Walker; and
Mr. s,prlL 3 amendment to these resolutions.
MIR sIIDEILI AS the resolution of tho senator from
Wisconsin, Ms well as the report OF the Committee on
Foreign Relations under consideration, will first
oceed explain the reasons why shall vote for the
amendment of my friend from Mississippi, and then pre-
sent INV views generally the subject of neutrality
laws aud especially the necessity of such modifct-
ton Ms IL proposed by the amendment have offered to
the resolutions OF the committee.
Iprcs,lme that the senator from Wisconsin, iii offering
his resolution for the presentation of medal to Commo
ore Psuding did it rather 10 have occasion to ex-
rs his individual appreciation of the conduct of that
officer than with any hope of his prcpuetion obtaining
Che sanction OF the Senate The medal has heretofore
been given only recompensc for gallant service
oompaned by some degree of personal danger. To this
yule think there be found exception The reso-
tuition seeks confer for gallant and udcious service
The from Wisconsin win scarcely claim that there
any very remarkable display of gaantry In the cap
t,ro OF hundred and fifty men, armed with rites
only, encamped sandy beach, directly under tho
batteries of squadron mounting sxty seventy heavy
guns and served by at least eight hundred men, Was
his conduct judcious? This question presents double
aspect the capture of Walker authorized either by
his instructions or by the law of nations cr II by neither
the circumstances such Justify the exercise of
remedy above and beyond law for cfiecting high and
useful purpose admire the who, in great emcr-
gences ds'cs TO take responsibility which his poslon
imposes upon him but he does it at his peril He must
abide the verdict of public sentiment the popular mind
has almost unerrng instincts in such questions If he
be right he will be s,istained and applauded if not he
must bear the consequences of his want Of Judgment and
discretion The masses will never lie severe when the
error proceeds from excessive zeal in the performance Of
supposed duty.
1t not pretended that the capture of Walker on the
territory of Nicaragua, justified by the instructions
given to Pauding directly Those to Lieut. Almy of the
18th October expressly conne him TO the prevention of
the landing of any military expedition in any part Of
Mexico Central America These instructions were of
course, known to Commodore Pauldng indeed, he OK
vressy admits in his letter of 18th Dsceiiber that he
had gone beyond mis- instructions He says ~ am
siblc Of the responsibility have incurred, and confident
y look to .he government for my Justification Were
ibc circumstances grave and urgent to Justify the
connodose in assuming the responsibility of exceeding
hs Instructions Clearly not. Walker had with him
ono hundred and fifty men, without artillery, and with
very limited stock of provisions his arrival had pro-
duccd no other feeling then that of alarm among the
people Of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. No aid could be
expected from them, and all reinfocehens and supplies
from The United States we're entttually cut off In few
weeks his motley band composed mainly Of desperate
acntre with few enthusiastic and misguided strip
ings, would have deserted him. and probably appealed
70 tho American squadron for protection and subsistence
Walker would have returned, for the third time to the
country whose allegiance he had renounced and whose
hospitality nc had abused broken down and harmless
Quxote None of the false sympathy which has since
been enlisted in bis favor would have been excited he
would have wandered about for while complaining of
the administration and boasting of what he would have
achieved had he been allowed carry out his schemes
without the interference of the Executive, and perhaps
nave settled down at last in the pursuit of honest
livelihood pauldng has, for the time, succeeded, in
he eyes OF many of people, in investing him with
'he martyrs crown and meudomartyrs have, in all
ages found dcvotecs to worship at their shrine.
IN speaking thus of William Walker, know that
snail brlng upon myself the violent denuncation of
tain presses and perhaps shock the honest prejudces of
many who, without examination reflection, have mp
proved his course and admired his character The man
WHO can be deferred by such considerations from express
ng his opinions has business here he is unworthy of
the high trust which has been coniided to him. Who
and what, then is William Walker speak only of luis
career snoe he first undertook the mission of regcnemtng
Mexico and Central America Except in that connexion
KNOW nothing OF him. / am willing to conccde that
he Is man OF good education fair intelligence gentle
manly habits, and, in private life man Of irreproacha
PIE character His first military enterprise was against
sonora he landed there with handful of brave men,
ana fong to meet with any sympathetic response from
o people OF whom he proclaimed himself the champion
anu nnerator he escaped leaving most of his dcluded
followers to perish mserably We next find him landing
" "eenual America, where having espouscd the of
one OIL the factions that divide and evastae that wretch
ei country OF which revolution and anarchy have long
~ e,i' "nu Win the mongre race that occupies it,
WI ever Dc the normal condition, he succeeded, with
,nc and OF repeated renorcemcnts from the United States
III making himself virtually the supreme authority Of
NcahSm Not contentng himself with the substance
W power ne must needs have the title also by the
p"en' 'afce OF popular election, played with the
soo'hg accompaniment of the hayonet he became the
PRESIDENT OF the free and independent republic of Mic
"gua' lie now, for the first time, had oppor-
'unitl o displaying his qualities as statesman One
" m earliest acts was to conscate the valuable property
an association of American citizens engaged in the
transportation OF passengers across the sthmus-a compa
tat had rendered him the most essential service in
eyng the troops and supplies that were necessary to
ic support OF his government. This new William the Con-
of next proceeded to dsposscss the ancient propfetors
" oen domains, distributing them among his adherents.
among the recipients of these bounties we find some
WuSe civil services had secured TO them this distn-
seshei mark OF presidential favor and who i'm the hope
" pectng their titles were since actively engaged In
| up hS last expedition. His whole career Pres
'"s' was marked by rpne and blood In this he but
700 faithfully carried out tho programme of a military
So'onment not tnnsitory but permanent indicated by
ms ie..er TO General Gocoura OF 18th August 1856
M IVou oy the senator from Maryland, and in which he
upu''s nm TO solicit English alliance, " to cut the
>i'"'ioy and expansive democracy of the North. u
Now Orleans Dea that the few
oh January In relation 10 this subject elected by
- povonsy made by him and uttered in spirit
Now the only which have been honcred
e notice OF that gentleman, that said
MS speech made Mobile 18th January. have the
mat speech published m tho Mercury the following
rciort mentioned; but Walker arrival
Orleans and conference with his advisers there he published
my s va his amended version cf H. IN which my name was used
a' was the 10Th January, dny spoken OF him
e senate Froin this specimen tho dealing
b piece Walker MS prime minister's public judge
e oreiencc that should attach to anything that may be said by