Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-18
a. Fr,..5t GLORIA Pasaaas,s

Every body knows about our eloriops
naval achievements in Paraguay, The way
that the President vim ndicated our national
honor has been enshrined in platforms, and
has become one Of the eternal principles of
Democracy. Every Administration must
have its naval victory. Pierce had the bonn
bardment of Greytown. Buchanan had the
triumphant Paraguay expedition. But not
satisfied with that, and looking around, like
Alexander, for more worlds to conquer, he
took San Juan from the British, being the
tail of the hide which we gave away when
he was Secretary ofState. This comes from
his having been elected honorary member Of
Philadelphia independent military COM
pany after he got to be President, just as up
at Dayton they elected Adah Isascs Menken
to that honor; and It illustrates the danger
which Henry Clay 20 eloquently deprecated,
in the Old Hickory times, of having great
military chieftain for President.
President Lopez destroyed the property Of
our citizens. We demanded indemnity for
the past, aud security for the future. He
told usto go to a place which is supposed To
be much nearer and warmer than Paraguay
The President was indignant; he reported to
Congress, and Congress gave him carte
blanche Then he organized the greatest
naval expedition that we have ever sent out,
and dispatchedit it with Commissioner Bowlin,
with instructions to demand immediate salts
faction, to the tune Of half million, or to
know the reason why. l.s isv1a :,
Then we had the novel instance Of an
armed expedition, which went out after
negotiation had been exhausted, with immense
preparation, to enforce demand, returning
hone empty handed to negotiate at some fu-
ture day. But, then, Commissioner Bowlir
wrote Mr.. Buchanan private letter, tick
ling the old bachelor's imagination with q
description of the bare,necked and bare
legged country girls Of Paraguay that was
some comfort; and then there was the Crom-
well line Of canal propelers which were
chartered and then purchased, greatly to the
comfort of some faithful patriot besides sew
eral fat contracts, all of which went to show
that peace has triumphs more glorious than
war; and in addition 70 all this, Lopez en-
braced Commissioner Bowlin, which, as HI
is nearly half-white, and tolerably greasy
considering our national partiality for color
ought to be worth the cost. y1NaF
The joint commission, which wa
agreed upon to arbitrate the claim agains
Paraguay, has Just reported that there il
nothing due. So we negotiated, demanded
sent great naval expedition at the cost o
millions, returned and arbitrated, and nj
e.zne-eraus. To aggravate the thing Lope
offered quarter of q million, cash, to settl
it, when the expedition was there. As tn
claim was for private property destroyed
the claimants are just quarter of a millio
worse off than when the great and powerful
expedition, which went out to demand, re
turned to arbitrate The least the Govern
ment can do is TO pay that quarter Of mi
lion to the claimants, and pocket the glor
ana rns embrace and che. Bowlin descriptio
ofthe bare-Iegged girls, for its share.
There can be no question that this is
warlike nation. What other could hay
made so much warlike preparation, for :
little outcome? What other could haV
kept a boundary dispute along for half
century, merely by giving up territory enoug
for half dozen States to keep it alive?