Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-20
Washington Letter.
wAsn1NcroN. Dec. ID. 1s5s.


Although the official intelligence received
here from Nicaragua relieves the point of en-
barrassment occasioned by the visit of the
British officers to the steamer Washington,
and brings the usual stock of " satisfactory
explanation" it is very manifest that these
accidents cannot happen so often without
eventually producing results which must in
vOlve the peace of the two countries. 1t is
now very well understood that England has
determined to exercise this authority in Mica
ragua, by virtue of her alleged protectOrate
there, and independent of the arrangement
which is believed to have been made, inviting
her to extend aid for the expulsion of filibus-
tiers. That position is directly in conflict
with the views of the Administration and of
the country.
The President in his correspondence with
Lord Clarendon, aud in his message last year.
emphatically repudiated this arbitrary con-
struction Of the Clayton Bulwer treaty, and
in fact. it has been the basis of all the differ
ences between Great Britain and the United
States since 1850. when the Convention was
made. The assertion of the British interpre-
taIion in such an offensive form now would
present practical test. which could not be
ignored on our side without the most humili-
ating surrender.
1t is due TO Commodore Mcintosh, upon
whose conduct at San Juan comment has been
made with an imperfect knowledge of facts,
to say that he did not arrive there until sew
eral days after the offensive visit and then at
once took prompt and decided steps in ma
king the Investigation which terminated as
stated above. Captain Jarvis OF the Savan-
nah, was on the spot, but appears to have
taken no part.
As soon as the friends of Judge Douglas,
here, ascertained that he was to be deposed
from the Craftsmanship on Territories, they
telegraphed him to New Orleans. urging the
necessity of his immediate presence at Wash
ington, in the hope of making capital out of
this persecution. Hence, instead of returning
to Chicago, as had been designed, he took the
steamer for New York, and is now expected
here very shortly. After that, we shall see.
In the meantime. it is worthy of remark that
Mr. Stuart of Michigan, is retained at the
head of tina Committee on Public Lands.
He sympathised fully with Douglas, and voted
with and sustained him throughout. This
fact is cited as proof that no prescription was
designed by the majority but only the purpose
of indicating their own consistency. 1t is,
however, family quarrel which the parties
interested might be allowed to settle for them
selves.
The opposition can have very little interest
in elevating one faction by depreciating the
other. They are both too nearly alike to add
nit of much choice. The belief is enter
tanned here that the Vanderbilt interest in-
duced the Captain of the Herman to desert
her on the Pacific side, and thus prevent the
re-6penihg of the Nicaragua route by the
failure to connect with the Washington
This. impression is strengthened 10y the fact
that Vanderbilt is the recipient of a large
subsidy from the Panama corporations for
Withholding competition, and that he was the
principal means of preventing the ratification
of the Cass-Yrissarri treaty, which if con-
firmed. wond long since have terminated
these isthmian complications