American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-01-15


. laundering administration which has
already surpasseditslame and impotent
predecessor in the number and gravity
of its errors. The seizure of Walker
far exceeds in improperly and absurd
ity the ridiculous bombardmcnt of
Greytown. For the one there was
some shadow of provocation; for the
other there is not particle of either
provocation or Justification.
The course of Mr.. Buchanan in re-
gard to Kansas has already shown CON
clusively to the nation his utter inefli-
cheney and entire ignorance OF the first
principles OF craftsmanship. 1t was
scarcely worthy of demagogue cross
roads politician; bat his miserable
want OF decision and abject insinccrity
in this Walker matter cannot fail to
bring his administration into contempt.
In the Kansas case he manifested Il
singular lack of sufficient courage to
meet the responsibility of his own acts.
lie found himself in a dilemma from
which he could only extricate himself
by mourning the disfavor of the North
ern wing OF his party or the fierce in.
dgnation Of its Southern leaders. lie
tried to shift the responsibility of his
mlsmanagement and unstatesmanlike
conduct from his own shoulders to those
of his agent, who had acted entirely
in accordance with his instructions
He cndcavored to make Gov. Walker
the scapegoat Of the Kansas blunder,
and vented upon him the displeasure of
the administration for strictly carrying
out its orders. The people were not
deceived, but it suits the humor Of the
u!tra-southern faction of the Democrat
cy to unite With the President in heap
ing cXecrations upon Gov. Walker,
while tor their own purposes they cX-
cuse the fountain of the authority and
the author of the instructions under
which he acted.
The insincerity and double dealing
of Mr.. Buchanan in regard to the Me
aragua affair, if not more manifest is It
all events much more ineXcusable than
his Inconsistency in regard to Kansas.
For months before Gen. Walker sailed
for Nicaragua it was everywhere known
that he was preparing another cxpedi-
ton. His agents were publicly known.
They were in the city of Washington.
It has been stated upon reliable au-
thority that they even held consulta-
tons with Mr.. Buchanan's Cabinet,
and that assurances were given that
the expedition would be allowed to 90
out unmolcsted. The time Of its de-
parturc was publicly known in all the
principal cities, but no effort was made
to arrest it in the act Of leaving our
shores, and there is ample reason to
believe that it sailed not onl y with the
full knowledge but the connivance of
the government authorities. The Pres
ident-was ridiculcd for his inability or
perhaps inclEiciency to arrest and bring
to punishment those who had effected
this bold and patent offence against his
notwithstanding proclamation, and to
shield himself from the ridiculc and
exhibit a petty show of iirmness and
. determination he dismissed from service
a subordinate officer whose duty it was
supposed to be to make the arrest, and
issued orders to a naval commander to
pursue the Nicaraguans and seize upon
them.
Whether Mr.. Buchanan intended by
his Instructions to Commodore Paudinc
that Walker and his men should be
( captured on sea or land, within the
| jurisdiction of the United States Gov
crnment or out Of it, docs not appear.
From the report Of Commodore Paul
ding it would seem that he has been
! guided more by the spirit than by the
! letter of his instructions, and has trans.
ccnded the limits of the authority of
United States officer from his own PC
cnliarly iastldous moral convictions,
and with the expectation Of pleasing
the President by his superabundant ca
gerncss to effect the purposes for which
he was despatched. Walker has been
seized upon foreign soil, within the iu'
risdictlon Of foreign government. lie
has been brought home and placed in
the custody Of the civil officers Of the
administration. The next question is
what will be the result ? :. What is
to be done with the captive Gllibusters?
As the editor Of the st. Louis Demo.
crat quantity says, "thc President no
doubt feels now like the man who drew
the elephant i'll the lottery" He don't
know what to do with Walker, now
that he has him. r. fierce fire of in.
| dignation is raging along the whole
Southern border, kndlcd by this un-
warrantablc arrest. The prosecution
Of the Nicaraguan General will bring
down upon tho head of the President
the direst wrath of the same Southern
leaders to whom he looked for support