The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-01
Gen. WALKER. THE GULF PIRATE

The arrest and return of the notorious
Walker. who is rightly denominatsd the
Gulf Pirate, BY order Of Commodore Pauld.
ing, is exceedingly irritating to the Southern
Slavery e1tontionist,. We give below the
letter Of Commodore Paulding to the Score
tary Of war, detailing the circumstances un
der which no arrested Walker.
Flag Ship Wabash,
OF Aspinwall, Dec. Is.
Sir:-My letter of the 18th inst. informed
the derar nent that I had broken up the
camp Of Gen. Walker, at Punta Arenas,
d,sar,ued his hwless followers, and sent
them To Norfolk in the Santoga. The Gen.
eral came here with me, and will take pas
sage IN one Of the steamers for New York,
where we will prevent himself before tire
Marshall Of that District.
The department being in possession OF oil the
facts in relation TO Gen. Walkers escape,
with his followers, from the United States,
the letters oil Capt. Chatard md Gen Walk.
er To me, after he landed at PuDta Arenas,
will. l presume, be fully comprehended:
Icould not regard Gen. Walker and his
followers in any other light than outlaws,
who I'D escaped from the vigilance OF the
officers Of the government, and lett our
shores for the purpose Of nipine and mur.
Ger: and saw no other way to vindicate
the law and redeem the honor OF our coun-
try, than by the disarmlng and sending
them home. In doing so am sensible OF
the responsibility have incurred, and con-
idently look to the Government for my JUS
ti6cation. Regarded in its true light, the
case appears to me q clear one, ami the
points lew and strong. Walker came to
Point Arenas from the United States, hav.
ing, in violation Of law, set on foot militia
~ organization to make war upon people
with whom we are at peace. lie landed
there with armed men and munitions OF war,
in defiance of the Guard OF ship OF war.
placed there to prevent his landing; with
nothing to show that he acted by authority,
he formed camp, hoisted the Nicaraguan
dag, called it the head quarters Of the army
Of Nicaragua, and signed himself the Com.
mander-in. Chief.
With this pretention, he claimed the right
of a lawful Government over all persons and
Kings within sight of his aag. Without
right or authority, he landed 50 men ut the
mouth of the river Colorado seized the port
of Castillo, on the San Juan river, captured
steamers and the goods Of merchants, IN
transit to the interior, killed men AMI made
prisoners of the peaceful inhabitants. and
sending to the harbor OF San Juan del Mort,
come 80 or 40 men, women and children, in
the steamer Morgan. In doing these things
without the show Of authority, they were
guilty of rapne and murder, and must be
regarded us outlaws and pirates. They can
have no claim to DO regarded in any other
light. Humanity, us well Us law, justice
and national honor, demanded the dispersion
of these lawless men. The remnant of the
mi.enible beings who surrendered ut Rivas
were conveyed in this hip last summer to
New York, and their suHerlngs are yet fresh
in the memory Of all On boar1.
Besides the sufferinSs tn It must necessari
ly he inflicted upon an innocent and unoi.
tending people, these lawless followers OF
Gen. " Walker, misguided and deceived into
course of crime. would doubtless have per.
ished i'm Central America, or their mutilated
and Estered bodies would have been brought
hack to their friends at the expense OF their
country.
For the above reasons, which appear to
my mind are quite sufficient. have dls,r!ncd
and sent to the United ) ates Gen. Walker
and his outllwed and pinlticil followers for
trial, or for whatever action the Government
in its wisdom. may think proper to pursue.
Capt. 0rmanny of II. b. NJ. ship Bruins
wick, offered to cooperate with me in re-
moving the party from Point Arenas, hut as
thew were my countr, men, deemed il prop
er to decline tho the participation Of for
eign flag