Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-01-21
To THE HoN. A. b. STEPHESs

ter from Zen. Hennlng5en 70 A. ID. stephens NJ -
from Georgia:
WASHINGTON, Dec. l6, 1857.
To THE HoN. A b. STEPHKSs:
Dear Sir:-In conformity with your express de-
sire beg leave to enclose some notes on Central
American matters. You will perceive from their
perusal that the bulk Of the population Of Central
Americans Indian-an Indian not resembling the
Indian of the North American continent unter,
nomade and savage-but Of the race that COrtez,
Pizarro and the Spanish cOnquerOrs found-barba-
rians il is true but stationary, agricultural PEG
pie, docile patient industrious and superssitiOus,
who had built large cities and raised stupendOus
temples on whose affairs smoked indeed the blood Of
human victims. The rest of the population, which
may amount to from quarter to one third Of the
whole consists Of the sdmXtUre Of Spanish, Indian
and negro blood mingled andreintermingledi every
Imaginable degree.
The pure Indian races are the people WI Guilt
vate the soil who produce, who have never ad any
share in government, aud who are dragged As sue
cessive factions are ascendant) from their willing
Iabors to fight for the mixed race. This mix ed race
is in a state Of rapid moral and physical degeuer-
acv. A large majority are borne with the faint Of
hereditary disease, and the incesssnt revolutions
since the Spauiards were driven out, the general
decay Of cities OF agriculture, Of industry and Of
population, the Abandonment Of plantations and Of
mines attest hot utterly visionary is the idea that
anv sslf-amelioratiOn can be expected.
have 10 hesitation in putting on record my con-
viCton that five years after that country Is Ameri
csnized as some day will be, its prOduc ton in
sugar and coffee will approach equal that Of Cuba
at present and that It's mineral products viii fall
litle short Of that of California now. l say, sir,
Americanized referring 10 our own people because,
with an instinct prophetic Of their destiny, this is
The term by which the Spanish and Indian races
designate them; yet if by any great cOnvuls ion Of
nature those races could be eectUally cut of from
communication with the people Of the United States,
It is my firm belief that in fifty years-and probably
within half that period-the mixed races would be
entirely wiped out by the Christanized Indian, and
the Chrisianized Indian, in turn, conquered and
assimilsted by the wild heather Indians in GuGte
mals. which alone contains half the population Of
Central America This is already obvious
The Indians, many years ago, were only pre-
vented from exterminating the mixed population
because Carrera, himself an Indian, gained
over by the clergy, and by few families who have
bowed 10 his despOtism because he can hold the
Cuistianized Indians in check. But in the rear of
these are the pagan Maya Indians who have swept
through Yucatan, deyastilg nearly every town, Oc-
cupvinc nearly every portion Of its territory, and
by whom the Christianzed Indians will be as GER
rainly subdued and absorbed as the mixed race
rooted out eventually by them. lneed not remind
YOU that in the Mexican territories the savage is
everywhere steadily encrOsching on the s9se ciVili-
zation Of Mexico.
small portion Of this mixed race in Central
they are divided are incurable factionists, whose
trade is revolution. There is, however majority
fully aware Of the facts 20 which l have been ad-
vering and who look TO the Americanization of the
country the only hope Of avertng its decline into
utter barbarism and ruin. One Of these parties is
designated the democratic party, the other has
cepted the appellstiOn, originally given TO IL by its
adversaries of servIle. When the Spaniards
driven out the former prevailed in Nicaragua; but
in the reaction consequent its excuses, the ser
vies-thst is to say, the old aristOcratc families,
the employees of the Spanish Government and their
friends, representing exactly what represented
in this country by the tories in the Of independ
euce-0btained the ascendanCy, we're again over
turned and again established, through a countless
series of revolutions, always in a diminishing mi
uority; till, through recent events and by foreign
interference that servie party, represented by the
Government Of Martinez, and dwindled do WI TO a
mere faction, is temporarily estahlished-that is to
say, draws men and resources from about One-third
Of the country.
Il would no doubt be highly desirable. in NH
lanthrOpc point of view, If by the contrivanoe of
ingenious diplomacy these politicians and parties in
Central America, and contiguous regions could he
induced TO subside into united happy family till
the settlement Of the country by colonsts from the
United States should so far have progressed as to
fuse a controlling amount Of practical sense enter
prise and vigor int those countries; but the idea is
more than delusive. II the native governments
As
their own acts and proClamatiOns show are bent on
excluding Americans. Where in the history of the
las. twenty years has any colony Of United States
citizens been established by pacific DEVELOPMENT in
any one Of the Spanish American countries? What
foothOld, what security for life property have they
now on the lsthmus Of Panama beyond what The
guns Of g United States squadron afford them
What has become Of the United States citizens
who ured by dclusve contracts, offers of protection
and treaties started with their ploughshares their
engines, and their tools y On the other hand the
rifles Of the Texans convertedthe wilderness into
hourishing Stale Of the Union, and indirectly
brought California and New Mexico into those rels-
tions with this country which have rendered them
benefit TO the civilized world.
In the case Of Gen. Walker aud the emigrants
from the United States TO Nicaragua, sIl circum-
stances concurred TO legitimatze their enterprise
according 10 the strictest letter Of the law; and
without misrepresentation peryersion Of facts his
opponents may be challenged to show any difference
between the circumstances under which Lafayette
and hosciuskO took part in the of Independence
and he IN the civil Wat of Nicaragua, which not
in favor of the Legitimacy of his acts He was
called in by government which had proved by oc-
cupying all the country except Granada that it had
the sympathies Of the majority He repaired the /
disasters his party had met with He conquered the
whole territory Of the Republic and was elected /
President by q vote Of the majOrty-that is TO saw
ma ority Of that very industrious class Of which
nave &OONe Uaue meullOu. ne QtlenQeQ the
try calamity against the assault of four foreign
States and was only driven from it by the unauthor-
lied interference Of a United States officer The !
ground assumed in recent letter TO the Hon. Sec
rotary Of Stlte that but for such interference Presi
dent Walker would not have had to abandon Nicars-
qua, is abundauty confirmed by the message Of the |
President Of Costa Rca, from which ! subjOin sn /
extract
Il is true that he attributes to his own sagactya
result which was only due to the interference Of |
Captain Davis and to the seizure of the schooner
Granada. This act the administration has visited /
with its censure, through the Secretary Of the Ma
W. who blames Capt. Davis for giving up the
schooner Granada to the Nicaragusus. beg leave
10 remark that it was given up to the Costa Rcans
The censurs Of public servant is, however, not
the reparation of public wrong, and think, sir,
you will agree with me in considering that the peo-
pie Of the United States would better get rid Of that
responsibility and more ds0reeiy further the future
interests Of The country by repeating certain clau
ses Of the neutrality laws than by the most success
ful treaties with Spanish American Governments Of
this continent an, sir, very truly, your obedisHt
servant, 2. F. RAhhIhSsEh'