Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-11-05
PROCLAMATION.
WASHINGTON, October 80,

Whereas, information has reached me
from sources which / cannot disregard,
that certain persons, in violation of the
neutrality laws of the United States, are
making third attempt to set on foot a
military expedition within their territory
against Nicaragua, foreign State, with
which they are at peace. In order to raise
money for equipping and maintaing this
expedition, persons connected Herewith,
as have reason to believe, have issued
and sold bonds and other contracts pledg-
ing the public lands in Nicaragua and
transit route through its territory as Sc
curity of their redemption and fulfillment.
The hostile design of this expedition is
rendered manifest by the fact that these
bonds and contracts.can be Of no possible
value to their holders, unless the present
government of Nicaragua shall be over
thrown by force; besides the Envoy Ex-
traordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of that government in the United States,
has issued a notice in pursuance of his in
structions dated on the 9th inst, forbid
ding the citizens or subjects of any nation
except passengers intending to proceed to
Nicaragua over the Transit route, from
ocean to ocean, to enter its territory,
without regular passport signed by
proper minister or consul general of the
Republic, resident in the country from
whence they shall have departed. Such
persons, with this exception, will be stop
ped and compelled to return by the same
conveyance that took them to the country
From these circumstances, the inference
is irresistible that persons engaged in this
expedition will leave the United States
with hostile purposes against Nicaragua.
They cannot, under the guise which they
have assumed, that they are peaceful emf
grants, conceal their real intentions, and
especially when they know in advance
that their landing will be resisted, and can
only be accomplished by an empowering
force. This expedient was successfully
resorted to previous to the last expedition,
and the vessel in which those composing
it were conveyed to Nicaragua obtained a
clearance from the collector Of the port of
Mobile; although after careful examina-
ton no arms or munitions of war were dis
covered on board, yet whep they arrived
in Nicaragua they were found to be armed
and equipped, and Immediately commenced
hostilities. The leaders of former illegal
expeditions of the same character have
openly expressed their intention to renew
hostilities against Nicaragua. One of
them, who has already been twice expelled
from Nicaragua, has invited, through the
public newspapers, American citizens to
emigrate to that republic, and has desig-
mated Mobile as the place of rendezvous
and departure, and San Juan del Norte as
as the port to which they are bound
This person, who has renowned his ale
glance to the United States and claims to
be President of Nicaragua, has given no.
tice to the collector Of the port of Mobile
that two or three hundred of these emf
grants will be prepared to embark from
that port about the middle of November,
For these and other good reasons and
for the purpose of saving American citizens
who may have been honestly deluded into
the belief that they are about proceeding
to Nicaragua as peaceful emigrants, if any
such there be, from disastrous conse-
quences, to which they will be exposed, l,
James Buchanan, President Of the United
States, have thought il fit to issue this my
proclamation enioining upon all officers Of
the government, civil and military, in their
respective spheres, to be vigilant, active,
and faithful in suppressing these illegal
enterprises and in carrying out their stand
ing instructions to that effect, exhorting
all good citizens by their respect for the
laws and their regard for the peace and
welfare of the country to aid the efforts of
the public authorities in discharge of their
duties. In testimony whereof / have
hereuuto set my hand and caused the seal
of the United States to be affixed to these
presents. Done at the city of Washington
this the Both day of October, 1858, and of
the independence of the United States
the 93d.
[signed] JAMES BUCHANAN.
BY the President.
LEWIS CASE, Secretary Of State.