National Republican., 1883-07-05
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE COLOMBIAN SITUATION.

THE COLOMBIAN SITUATION.
TO ne Editor
Your issue of to-day, fourth of July, brings
report, dated at Panama on the twenty
third of June last, charging the government
of Colombia as being anxious TO declare war
against Ecuador, charging also the future
president of Colombia, DIR. Nunez, as being
the most anxious In destroying the actual un-
happy republic of Ecuador, under the pretext
of reforming the old Colombian confederation;
and this report, which l regard as tho mean
work of the gratuitous enemies of the pronl-
nent DIR. Nunez all along the littoral of the
isthmus, may easily alarm the spirit of many
worthy Colombian and Ecuadorian citizens
residents in this country, | request, most re-
spectfully tho publication of the following
lines showing the reason for which the gov
ernment of Colombia is to-day taking steps
to declare war, not against the kEcuadorlan
actually in arms to recover their public liber-
tics, but against the cruel and usurper gov
ernment of Veintemilla.
II is facG that the City of Guayaquil is
tho settled residence of many Colombian
merchants, whom by reason of their sympa-
| thy for the cause headed by the most NOR
| itorious men of that country, Flores and
Alfaro, have become the victims of Veinte-
milla. Many of these industrious Colom-
bians have been robbed and shot down like
| dogs by the officers of that hardhearted Gen.
Veintemilla, who at present is causing the
misery of his two sisters. who are held as
prisoners in Alfaro's encampment.
telegraphic dispatch, dated at Ballenita,
Ecuador, on the tenth of May last says:
Veintemilla. backed by his troops, attacked the
Bank of Guayaquil and robbed its contents The
| citizens of Colombia are ruined, and implore the
mercy of their government.
Another dispatch dated May IL says
ventemlla forced open the vault of the Bank
| of Guayaquil, which was sealed up with the seals
! of Colombia and other foreign nations, and
robbed 1t of the sum Of sS2o,0OO. We are impotent
| to re sist.
These dispatches were received at Buena-
ventura, Colombia; and another received at
| Panama on the 18th says:
veintemilla robbed the bank Of $4,000 An
| Ecuadorlan officer appealed to the consul OF Co
| lombia for protection.
A letter received lately from Guayaquil
gives full explanation of the robbery. 1t is
| stated that Veintemilla, fearing at every mo-
ment an attack from Alfaro's force, threat
ened to set on fire the beautiful city of Quay
aduil and the merchants-among them the
| Misunderstanding to lose their prop
erty in the fire, proceeded to deposit their
money in the bank whore the ladies of
the city had deposited their valuable
Jewels. Once the money was placed in
the bank, the merchants requested tho
consul of Colombia and other foreign consuls
to seal up the vault with their national seals,
which they did most vc.dntarily. When this
was dcne Veintemilla proceeded to the place,
AMI without the least regard for the foreign
seals forced open the vault and appropriated
the money and the jewels to himself. The
consul of Colombia, being informed of this
unequaled scandal, went to the presidential
mansion and most bravely protested
against such arbtrariness, and the result
was that said consul was ordered to suffer the
penalty, del garrote Whipped publiclyl Co
lombia in consequence is feeling as deeply out
ragged by Veintemilla's arbtrariness, and
therefore is right in actually doing what the
United States and other reasonable and civil
lied governments would do in similar cir
cumstances. M. M. De MEZA, M. ID.
WASHINGTON, D. C., July 4, 1858.