The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-06

I
The successful escape of Walker on another
expedition against Nicaragua, or some other
of the Central American States, has taken the
public by surprise. Vague intimations it is
true, have been current for some time past at
the South and West Of a concentrated move
ment on the part of the great filibuster and his
followers, but no one really supposed that the
thrice baficd adventurer could command either
| the men or the money for a new undertaking
The government officials as well as the general
public, seem to have regarded him as "playcd
out" and, as faf as his position was to be esti-
mated by ordinary and rational standards he
was played out" Too cold and selfish to
| command those warm attachments which often
| give brave and generous men train Of unfal-
tering and devoted adherents; with no prestige
except that of disastrous failure in all of his
enterprises it really is astonishing that he
should be able to make any new and serious
efforts in the direction of his former ex-
ploits. Walkers only great quality, Of which
! this last movement is but another proof, is an
indomitable, and, to borrow a term from the
latest political vocabulary, "irrepressiblo"
persistence, or rather obstinacy This always
! commands certain degree Of admiration, but
rarely any great degree of confidence. We
must look, therefore, to other motives, i'm
| pulses or attractions than Walker himself can
inspire in order to account for the successful
getting up and departure of this new, and as
we fully believe it to be- disastrous expedition.
That the imaginations of many young men,
and the ardor of many of our adventurous and
reckless spirits not over young, are greatly ex-
cited by the prospect of a country of bound
less resources and inexhaustible wealth, and
| moreover occupying the finest geographical
position in the world, lying at our very doors,
is not surprising. The coolest and most con-
servative among us cannot contemplate its fu-
ture without prophetic glow We can readi-
ly understand, therefore, that the spirit of
well directed and earnest, as well as lawlcss
and reckless adventure is, and must continue
it is brought into new relations with the world,
possibly under the dominance of new race,
and made to take the rank marked out by its
geographical position and the variety and ex-
tent Of its resources.
But we have no faith in Walker-less even
than in the system of which he is the present
exponent. Whatever may have been his oppor-
tunities-and they were great-they have been
lost. He once had it in his power, when in the
undisputed control of the government Of Mica
ragua, to have identified himselfwith the liberal
sentiment and progressive spirit of Central
America, and to have built up party in the
country itself which would have worked its
regeneration and commanded the respect and
sympathies of the civilized world. But he
chose to rely on the reviewers of few hum
dred reckless followers perhaps, in tear
ing down dilapidated structures, but incapable
of building up new ones-under the mistaken
belief that with these, decimated every ninety
days by rum and riot he could hold in subjec-
ton a population Of two millions of people
Perhaps he has learned wisdom since Captain
Davis "plucked him as brand from the burn
ing" at Rivas, but the evidence is wanting The
same defects of character and wantof Judgment
which have hitherto caused his failure will
ruin him a fourth time, when there will be no
Davis, not even a Paulding, to save him from
the consequences of his folly.
We believe Walker will fail now, not
only from the causes which occasioued
him to fail before, but also because he
has greatly enhanced difficulties to encounter.
Should he direct his course to San Juan del
Norte, he may be fortunate enough to find the
English and American vessels, which have been
watching that port for the last three years,
ohanu on IF
The chances are ten to one that such Is not the
case If any are lying there, they will GER
tainly prevent his landing. If not they will
almost as certainly return before he can effect
departure for the. interior. And even if he
should succeed in going up the river San Juan,
it can scarcely be doubted that both the Eng
lish and American forces would consider them
selves justified in following him into the very
heart Of Nicaragua. We say nothing of the
chances Of his defeat in the country itself.
where he would be thrown on his own re-
sources, and compelled to depend on the men
he may succeed in introducing, for it is OBJ
vious that no reserves would be permitted to
join him.
1t has been suggested that he has proba-
bly, gone to Omoa, for which his sea COM
mander, Maury, once started, but was fortunate
enough to be wrecked on the way, and sent
home, with his followers, by the British Cover
nor Of Belize. Should this be the case, he may
possibly effect landing. But he could not ven
ture into the interior without first reducing the
Castle Of San Fernando, the fortress of Omoa,
and one Of the strongest defences south
Of Vera Cruz. Before this could be done, ad-
hitting the assault to be in every way success
full, the news Of his landing must reach Belize,
one hundred and eighteen miles distant, where
considerable British force, land and naval, is
ALWAYS kent m ready tn nounco down on hia