Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-08
We transfer from "The South" Of yesterday, the
following letter from Gen. Walker 10 the President
II will, doubtless be read with universal interest
LETTER FROM GENERAL WALKER TO
PRESIDENT BUCHANAN.
WARRINGTON. Ian. 4


WARRINGTON, Jan. 4, 1858.
Sir; On the 18th June last had the honor to address
you letter relating to the manner in which emf
grated from California to Nicaragua the events which
followed my presence in Central America, and the
unjust and illegal acts by which was forced for
time to abandon my adopted country
In that letter stated facts which defy my ene-
mics to controverti and then hoped your Excelency
would take steps for the punishment of the grisvous
offences against right, justice and public law, COM
mitted by United States officers in the seizure of
Nicaraguan vessel in Nicaraguan port. Comman.
der Davis has, however gone unrebuked, 30 far as
am informed, for his violation Of international law,
and of the Constitution of the United States; and
it grieves me to say am again obliged to approach
you with complaint against another and yet higher
officer of the United States navy.
In approaching you as supp!iant for justice,
know that it is necessary for me to remove erroneous
Impressions which have been made on your mind con.
corning my conduct in connection with Nicarsguan
affairs. Corrupt and malignant persons have sur.
rounded your Excellency and poured into your ears
false stories concerning events in Central America
And new, to you the President of the United States.
! directly charge, and stand ready to prove what
say, that your officers Of the Navy not only by ire
sponsbe statements through the press. but also in Of
fetal communications, have misrepresened facts and
falsfed events. Feeling aud believing as do, that
you would not willingly wrong any individual, no
matter how humble, am Satisfied that the summary
Judgment you pass on my conduct in your Annual
Message 10 Congress, is the result of incorrect nor
nation and trust and confidently expect, that when
the truth is placed before you, your Judgment will &C.
quit me Of the grave charges brought against me.
Permit me, then If you please before proceed to
call your attention to the conduct OF Commodore
Pauding, to deny most unequivocally, that / have
ever been engaged at any time or in any manner with
any unlawful expedition against Nicaragua. In your
message to Congress you seem to imply that my fret
departure from San Francisco was Illegal for you say:
"when il was first rendered probable that attempt
do IN
against Nicaragua" With all Difference beg leave
to repeat what said in previous letter and to again
inform you, thai ef; San Francisco in May, 1885,
with the sanction and approval of the Federal officers
of the port and that the Captain OF the revenue cut
ter sent his sailors to bend the sails which carried us
from California to Central America. Allow me, also
to suggest that the Government OF the United States
recognized and legazed the immediate resuts of the
emigration from California, in the reception Of Padre
Vigil as Minister from the Republic CT Nicaragua
Not only was the first expedition it has been called
to Nicaragua entirely lawful in it's origin but all its
consequences were marked by strict adherence to
law and justice. Some have told you, know, that
am man "without faith and without money" but
from the beginning to the end Of my career in Mica
ragua, challenge the world to produce single vio
lation public faith single deviation from the great
principles of public right and public justice. On
the contrary,th Americans in Nicaragua have always
maintained the faith and honor OF their race, in the
midst of fasehood and treachery on the part of their
enemies-in the faco OF countless hosts srrayed
against them-no less than in the presence of famine
and OF pestilence Our conduct in the midst Of trials
and of dangers ia sufficient answer TO the epithets
which have been hurled against us; and when the
passions and prejudices of the present have died
away We calmly await the judgment of posterity on
our conduct.
But an officer of the United States Navy forced us
to become e1ies from Nicaragua; and let me remind
you of the fact that from the moment We touched
natal soil we protested against the Illegally and in.
justice of the act and declared intention to return
to the land whence we had been wrongfully brought.
Everywhere before the functionaries OF the Gov.
ernment-in the presence of assembled mutiudes of
the sovereign people--we declared that no effort
should be unused in order to regain the rights wresed
from US by fraud and illegality.
Do you suppose that If we had been conscious of
any violation, or intended violation of law, would
thus have proclaimed object and intentional Is
1t the habit of offenders agsinst public right, OF
conspirators against public justice 10 herald their acs
on the corners of the streets and publish their wrong
doings in the market placel
Would we have violated the public conscience of
this nation by calling the people to disregard their
your District Attorneys exhaust their energy and
their ngenuy-et them attempt pervert the law to
purposes for which it never was intended-they can
not make good the charges which have been made
against us.
Once the District Attorney attempted to convict
me OF breach of the neutrality laws; but jury Of
the country rendered verdict of mot guilty" 81.