The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-01-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

COe
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Nicarsguan Treaty-Opinionso ofProm
inent Omcials CONCERNING the Measure
White House Notes, etc.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. December q. 1884.
EDIron CHEZ:
The coup d'ttat Of the present Admins
tration has been the, Nicaraguan treaty
No subject for long time has excited sucl
interest among politicians and officials a
Washington. At the Capitol, through th.
lobbies. and about the hotels one hear
little else now but this Nicaraguan ques
ton. As the. matter comes to be full,
comprehended it opens up possibilitie.
that are startling. It not only means .
liberal construction of the theory of oul
Government relating to foreign occupation
of any territory ON this continent, as enun
ciated by President Monroe, but the ac
QUESTION of territory more than thousani
miles from our southern border and III,
maintenance Of free ship-canal, and th,
construction Of powerful forts and theil
occupation by garrisons sufficiently strong
to hold the territory acquired and enforcl
our canal regulations against amy foreigr
power. The scheme has all the essentia
attributes of Mr.. Blaine's plan Of AZ
imperial republic; that is, republic ths
southernmost boundry of which would bt
under the Equator-the most audacious a
it Wis the most dazzling scheme Of oul
time.
| With view to finding just how this mat.
ter appeared to others, and in particular te
the Army, and Navy and the best political
| thinkers, I interviewed persons who are
representative men of the class mentioned.
ut will be a great thing for both the Army
and Navy" said an officer Of high rank, a
member of the Swain court-martial now
sitting in Washington, "and for the fol-
lowing reason: Two strong forts will be
required, one at each end of the canal, and
perhaps third midway between the two.
These will nesd to be of the best modern
type known to military engineering
science, otherwise they would be perfectly
useless, and special garrison of not less
than three thousand men, perhaps more,
will be needed TO properly man them. You
see this action of the President and his Sec
retary Of State is pretty audacious piece Of
business. We have notified all the world
that we intend to control the inter-oceanic
canal route, build it ourselves, and regu-
late the passage Of commerce and war ships
through it, as we may see proper. This
means great deal when you come to think
about it. To England it is q notice that
this Government will open and keep under
its ewn control a line of communication 10000
miles nearer to the British colonies in the
Pacific than any existing route. But don't
misunderstood me. am for the canal.
eneed something to stir up the military
spirit Of the nation, which the all-pervading
anxiety among our people to get money
has somewhat stopped, and this would do
it. We are very rich, and very weak. The
President has done wise thing, and we
can not go back on him now"
After this interview hunted up a naval
officer who was prominent participant in
one of the most famous engagements of
our lats war, and to him put very much
the same questions as were propounded to
the military commander. "Nothing since
the Yirginius affair has created such i've
ly sensation in our service as has this Mic
araguan treaty" said he, "and don't see
how either branch Of Congress can disre-
gard it. The President has put Us into
deep water before We knew it. If we fail
to ratify this treaty all Europe will under
stand that we were simply afraid to do it,
and a pleasant position that would be! #
we do not ratify it, then we must get ready
to maintain our pretensions in the Carrib-
bean sea by something more than talk
II think this Niearaguan treaty will be
ratified by the Senate" said Democratic
Senator with whom next talked. eve
have talked it over somewhat and the gen
eral opinion is that We will do we'll for the
country, and our party. too, to stand by
the President. Unless this nation is weaker
and meaner than I am willing to believe it
is, Congress will ratify that treaty"
Mrs. McElroy, President Arthur's sister.
is expected at the White House the day
after Christmas. She will be the guest Of
the President during the social season, and
will doubtless perform her duties to society
in the same agreeable manner as ON pre-
vious occasions.
The President proposes to eat his Christ
mas dinner aud spend tie day very quietly
at the White House. de will probably re-
ceive goodly supply Of canes, umbrellas,
cases of wine and boxes of cigars, unless
his friends think less of him now than they
did one year ago. / hardly believe he
would be offended If he should, upon
awaking Christmas morning, find in his
stocking the assurance from majority of
the Republicans in the New York Legisla-
ture that he shall have the Senatorship.
Congress takes its holiday recess from
to-day. The work Of the session thus far
is like the weather, pretty near zero.
Yours truly, ALERT.
Mr.. John Levet's sugar -houee, on the left
bank of the river in st. John parish, was
destroyed by FIRE the night Of the 26th ult.,
together with ten barrels Of syrup. twenty