Daily national Democrat., 1858-12-04
The Acquisition of Slave Territory.

The Acquisition OF Slave Territory.
The position which President Buchanan
has taken in his late proclamation, with re-
gard to the contemplated warlike expedition
of Gen. William Walker against Nicaragua,
is likely to arouse very bitter anti-Admiu-
istration feeling in a large portion of the
South. This expedition has been organized
with much care and delberation, and at vast
amount of expense 1t has been favored hy
some of the leading minds of the Southern
States, and is even now openly vindicated by
a large portion of the Southern press. Il i.
denied, that it is an expedition for flibuster-
ing purposes. On the contrary, it is contend
ed that Gen. Walker is the lawful head OF
the Nicaraguan Government, having been
duly elected to that office, and deposed by
the foreign and wholly unauthorized power
of Costa Rica. which came into the Nicara
guam limits with an invading force and over.
threw the existing government of the country
with Gen. Walker at the head. 1t is claimed,
therefore, that he has an undoubtcd right to
recover, by force and arms, what he has lost,
and rid Nicaragua of the dictation of Costa
Rica 1t is further eontended that, years
ago, Gen. Walker became citizen of Mica
ragua, renouncing his allegiance to the Gov
erhment of the United States, and that over
him, personally. or his movements, the Pres
ident's proclamation has no shadow of legal
effect. Certain it is, that Gen. Walker first
went to Nicaragua by invitation of one OF
the contendng parties in an intestine war
then raging, led that party to victory, and
was ly them elevated to the Presidency OF
the Republic, which position he held until
eertain'disaffected partisans joined hands with
the Costa Ricans and drove him from the
country.
Now, it makes but little difference what
are the merits of the question. The friends
Of Walker in the South, and their name is
legion, want to see him reinstated in his losts
position. They look to the time, when the
rich cotton and sugar producing fields of Nj
caragua shall be added to the domain of the
South and give new strength and Importance
to that portion of the Confederacy. And
they are going to be very impatient of every
obstacle that comes between them and their
tavorite hope, purpose and desire. Right or
wrong, therefore, the Presidents proclamation
against Walker is destined to weaken the Ad
very greatly in the South, and,
as consequence, very considerably affect
the chances of any friend of Mr.. Buchanan
for the Presidency in 1860.
Aside from the selfinterest of the South in
the matter, it is obvious that that great high
way between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
that important line Of communication be-
tw cen the eastern and western possessions of
the American Union, ought to be in the hands
and under the control of the Government
of the United States. Especially so, in order
to prevent the gaining of any foothold there
by England or any other foreign power; a
circumstance which would put an undue lin
it to the natural spread and growth of Amer
lean institutions. Already the extent of the
British Possessions on this continent is very
great, and should that colonizing Govern
ment, which has planted its settlements with
magical rapidity in nearly every zone and
quarter of the EARTH acquire anything ike the
amount of territorial property to the south of
the United States that it has in the north it will
be the preponderatng Power in this wes-
tern world, and will gradually swallow up
the lesser powers around it, and embrace
within its grasp all those extensive provinces
now held by the feeble tenure of dccaving
governments, and which would otherwise
fall naturally into the possession of the Uni
ted States In the process of colonization
the United States cannot begin to compete
with England, TIE very nature Of the Amer
lean governmental constitution forLidding
it, and, therefore it is deemed so important
that our Government should obtain the first
permanent foothold in Central America
The policy of this Government should GER
tainly be to extend its territorial limits south.
ward, in order to maintain its position as the
leading Power of the Western Hemisphere,
but what in our judgment should be the
precise manner Of carrying out that policy
we shall not undertake at present to indi
cate.