The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-05-05

nations did not preclude all well di-
rected efforts to keep the peace among
them, that as O peaceable citizen Is
not obliged to stand by inert while
another Is suffering from the unlawful
violence of a third person, but may
justly interfere with force to prevent
an infracti0n of the laws-a murder,
for example; so a nation, witnessing
the like disturbance among her sister
nations, need not rest absolutely inn
passive, but with sincere neutrality,
might interpose with force, If necessa-
ry, to keep the operations of billiger-
ents at least within the law for the
protection of neutral persons and neu-
trail property. .flie'i,tss 81 ssii
81 / am aware that action in the pre-
misses on our part involves great re-
spOnsibility, but / have come to the
conclusion that, with England as an
alley, 1t was my duty now to aid them.
/ told the English Admiral what /
had written, and frankly added that
his commerce was more extensive than
ours, and more convenient to the
coast of Spain; but as we had more
to suffer in consequences of a rupture
with Spain, that his interests In Chill
rose to thousands, while ours were
The English Admiral said at first
he would go with me, for | plainly
declared that I would not take step
without him. / said that had no
intention of becomingza cats-paw to
draw European chestnuts out of the
fire, and then have the power I served,
laughing at my singed paws while
they enjoyed the. fruits of mystemerity.
The English Admiral finally deter
mined to throw the responsibility
upon the English Minister, who did
not. choose to act In the premises. g
English cooperation having failed,
no separate action on my part was
taken, as none had been proposed. |
have used such measures as / could to
bring about an accommodation, but
without success.
This morning, at 8 o'clock, the
Spanish ADMIRAL opened upon the
town with shot and smell direct
ing his fire principally against the
public buildings and houses. After a
continuous fire of two hours and fifty
minutes, the firing ceased, and the
Spanish Admiral withdrew his vessels.
-Four Of the stone, buildings connected
| with the custom house were entirely
destroyed, { with their contents, and
other adjoining buildings used for the
same purpose were much injured.
The value of the merchandise de-
stroyed in these was vaguely esti-
mated at some $22,000,000, The
Government H9ase,E the Exchange,
and the railroad buildings were dam
aged to considerable extent. Natu-
rally and inevitably, parts of the city
which the Spanish Admiral declared
ma MANY Of ms fflssiias ingegfaYd dB66Uk.s
of private buildings were destroyed by
fire, and churches and hospitals were
not exempt from injury. Only few
lives were lost1-not more than eight
or ten.
[ enclose herewith copy of the let
ters addressed to me by the foreign
residents of Valparaiso, representing
nearly all the nations of Christendom,
bearing an official character, with a
COPY Of my answer; also, copies OF the
manifesto and letter of the Spanish
Admiral. When / was assured that
the English Admiral was determined
not to resist the bombardment, !
called upon him and said that, as |
did not propose to drift to a collision
when I had no purpose to collide,
should move my vessels out of the
way of the Spanish. This intention
was communicated verbally to the
Spanish Admiral s4a4asfa osassw
Thrust by circumstances into po-
sition' IN which it became necessary otc
take some part, | felt a natural ankle
ty to know whether the one / took
meets, with the, appreciation. of the
Government. Asa sssAA% sA
In mywhole course | have conferred
freely with our Minister, General Xii
patrick, and desired the benefit of hi
advice and assistance In all have
done or offered to do, he has been con
suited, and has freely concurred. /
: his name has not been mentioned be
fore, it was because L did not wish t
break the continuity of my nara
tive, and not because [ am without ;
strong sense Of obligation for his co
operation.4I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant,
JOHN RODGERS, Commodore.
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secy Navy.