The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1858-01-20
Gen. Walker-His "Indisc retiOn
and Lack of Capacity"

Inc Herald says Nv hlle RlvaS was
at the head of the Government, and he
(Gen. Walker) General-in-Chief of the
army, things went on prosperously
enough; but a paltry ambition to be hail
ed as President of Nicaragua, soon threw
everything into disorder. If true, this is
grave and serious charge-one which
should cause General Walker not only to
be abandoned by those who followed him
to that country, but by the friends who
aided and assisted him. But unless /
am very much mistaken in regard to the
history of affairs in Nicaragua prior to,
and about that time, the charge is not
sustained by the facts.
While then, Colonel Walker was op-
Grating on the Transit, General Munos.
fought the Legitimists at Souce, where
he was killed, but his troops gained the
day, and Castillon died of cholera. This
left the Democrats without civil or mil
itary head. There were a number of as
pirants for the chief command, and their
rivaly was likel y to end in rupture,
when by way of compromise, it was I'M
animously agreed to make Col. Walker.
Commander-in-Chief of t he Democratic
forces, which was equivalent to ranking
him head Of the Provisional Government.
His defeat Of Guardiola had attracted to
his standard a-considerable number DEM
ocrats from Leon, and his American force
had been increased to eighty, making in
all three hundred. On learning that the
Legltimists were concentrating at Rivas,
for the purpose of driving him from the
Transit, General Walker, marched his
force to Virgin Bay, where he embarked
on one of the lake steamers, which led
his enemies to believe that he was going
down the river San Juan. But instead
of doing 50, he ran up above Granada,
landed his troops, and before they were
aware of his designs, he marched in and
took that place, without meeting any Sc
rious opposition. Here he found large
number of Democrats prisoners, many of
them, men of the first responsibility, who
had been chained together in pairs, and
made to perform all manner of drudgery.
These he at once released. Can the Herald
discover in this "indiscretion and lack of
capacity ?"
The loss of his stronghold, induced
Carol, the Legitimist leader, to sue for
peace. Rather than protract the war
which had then been waged constantly
for nearly eighteen months, Gen. Walk
er, as the representative of the Democra-
tic party, entered into a treaty of peace
and amity with Carol This gave salts
faction to neither of the parties They
had become so embittered against each
other, that they desired war of exter-
mination. This treaty provided for a
Provisional Government. Patricio Rivas,
conservative, was to be made President,
Gen. Walker. Commandel-in-Chi with
the rank of Major General, and the other
four principal officers were to be divided
between the four principal Departments.
The Democrats were not satisfied with
this, because they considered themselves
entitled to all the officers under the Gov
eminent, being the conquerors, but they
feared to do otherwise than submit. The
Legitimists were not only opposed to the
treaty of peace, but opposed to any DEM
ocrat holding Office. So great was their
hostility to the whole arrangement, that
the troops were induced to go upon the
plaza of Granada with their uns loaded,
the day on which they We're paraded to
receive Rivas as their President and Gen.
Walker as Conlmander-in-C Chief, for the
purpose of opening fire upon the Gene
raj and his followers. They We're only
restrained by Carols promising that no
Democrat should hold Office, and that the
Government would soon be in their hands
unain 'IO haua tbI1c ,,,onncraI fhaco I;a
cordant and warning elements, and to
have forced two parties. between whom
the most deadly hatred existed, into
peace, seems to me to have shown any
thing but display of ''indiscretion and
lack of capacity" And had General
Walker been actuated by "paltry ambi-
ton to be hailed as President of Nicara-
qua" then was the time to have gratifed
it to his hearts content. He might have
declared himself President, and the Dem
ocrats would have sustained him. They
expected him to do So They would have
sustained MIN, had he put to the sword
the Legitimist leaders. That he did nei-
ther, greatly surprised the Democrats, and
to this they mostly ascribed his hereaf-
ter difficulties. They say, if he had be-
headed the leader there would have been
no more revolutions. These facts are
sufficient to satisfy any one that General
Walker is not actuated solely by ambi-
ton to be President. That he is ambi-
tious to establish Southern Republic
iu Central America, and thus gain name
and fame, will not deny. But this is
laudable ambition. His remaining in
command of the army was necessary to
the success of the Government
1t is true that "things went on pros
perously enough" while Rivas was at the
head of the Government. In the first
place, the Legtim lists failed to carry out
the stipulations Of the treaty for the re-
lease Of prisoners and the reduction of