The herald., 1895-04-26
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lION ) IAIL SIILL NHGS
Growing Interest in the Affair
at Nicaragua
SOME COMPLICATIONS ARISE
Indemnity to Be Paid to. American
Citizens
Affairs Since the Arrival of the British
Are Very Uncertain-A Few
Inside Facts

NEW YORK, April pa special from
Washington says: From the most trust
worthy sources it is learned that the pres
ident has again upset the policy which
Secretary Gresham had outlined in deal.
ing with the Nicaraguan question, and has
taken matters practically in his own
hands. There is to be no protest o.. the
part of the United States against any ac-
ton Great Britain may take in enforcing
her demands for the prompt payment OF
he $75, 900 of the indemnity claimed fol-
the expulsion of her consul-general, Mr..
Hatch. Mr.. Gresham's S carefully outlined
programme was to prevent the landing of
troops, the seizure of the custom house
and the cesson of any land which Mica
ragua might be willing to transfer to
Great Britain in payment of the indem-
nifty. The president, however, has decided
that so long as England makes no direct
attempt to annex any part of Nicaragua
this country will not interfere.
Nicaragua's last hope of assistance
from the United States in her controvel sy
with Great Britain to prevent the seizure
of Corinto, vanished this evening. DIR.
Guzman. the Nicaraguan minister, who
has been waiting with intense anxiety to
see Secretary Gresham, was family sue
cessful about o'lcock, when the secretary
came into the department from the
White House where be had been in con-
sultation with President Cleveland, pre-
sumably on the same subject.
The interview was very short. In five
minutes the minister emerged from the
secretary's office looking very much de-
pressed. He refused TO say word as to
what had taken place. but it can be
stated the secretary gave him to under
stand very clearly the United States would
NJ inf i'm fan
there are now three courses open to Mica
ragua, namely: To pay the indemnity !;
to permit the occupation of Corinto, or
to fight and the next twelve hours must
find the choice declared for the British
troops are TO land at daybrea tomorrow
at Corinto.
AS already stated in the Associated Press
dispatches the position taken by the pres
ident in this matter is that the dispute
is one entirely between Great Britain and
Nicaragua IN which the United States has
no call to interfere unless there should
be committed acts injurious. to American
in teresss in Nicaragua or there should be
shown disposition by Great Britain to
acquire Nicaraguan territory. On each
of tn ese points favora bic assurance has
been had from Great Britain and it is
said that all that can now be done is to
watch the course of events. This decision
was not hastily reached, for the entire
subject OF our relations to the countries
of Central and South America was con-
sidered and discussed carefully by the
president with his constitutional advisers
and there has been made a close scrutiny
of the precedents that might suffice for
our guidance. There have been found
at least three cases. The first was
fully set out in the message of President
Buchanan to congress in 1859 in that por-
tlon relating to Paraguay. For several
years preceding this message the United
States had great difficulty in maintaining
friendly relations with Paraguay, the lat
ter country being thel under the dicta
torship of DR.. Lope. who was carrying out
policy OF excluding the rest of the world
from his country by the most drastic
measures. He had, as President Buch-
anan stated, upon the most frivolous and
even insulting pretexts, refused to ratify
the treaty of friendship and commerce
concluded with Paraguay; had seized and
the property of American
citizens residing in the country in
violent and arbitrary manner and finally
the Paraguayans had fired upon the
United States steamer Water Witch in
1855 and killed the helmsman while the
vessel was making Il peaceful survey of
the Parana river TO determine its fitness
for steam navigation. The honor as we'll
as the interests of the United States de-.
manded satisfaction and the president
being clothed by congress with the neces-
sary power, sent a naval expedition up
the Parana river to the capital of Para
quay and compelled ample apologies from
the president. the payment of an indem-
nifty OF $40, QUO to the family of the man
killed, and finally secured the ratification
of the treaty. The application of this
case TO the Nicaraguan situation is not
exact, but it is regarded as committing
the United States to the recognition OF
the principle of the right to demand an
in denim ity for the abuse OF United States
o tficers and therefore we could not con-
sistently deny the same right to Great
Britain. The second case which was re-
lied upon as a precedent grew out of tine
difficulties encountered by Spain. France
and Great Britain in their relations with
Mexico in 1860. These nations asserted
they had been placed by the arbitrary
and veXatious conduct of Mexico under
the necessity of exacting from the au-
thorities of that country more effective
protection for the persons and properties
of other states as well as the execution
OF obligations contra cted with them by
Mexico. and therefore they had combined
to effect their ends by force if need be-
The United States, which had
had similar grievances against Mexico,
was invited to join these European ma
tions in enforcing their demands. This
lHNitdllol was utCllHeu ny tlle tn1teQ
States, which was then in the throes of
civil war, but the significant point in the
case is found in the declaration by Secre-
tary Seward: 'As the undersigned has
heretofore had the honor to inform each
of the plenipotentiaries now addressed
the President does not feel himself at
liberty 10 question and he does not ques-
tion that the sovereigns represented have
undoubted right to decide for themselves
the fact that they have sustained griev-
ances and to resort TO war against Mexico
for the redress thereof. and also have
right to levy the war severaly
or jointly. The United States has a
deep interest which, however, they are
happy to believe. is an interest held by
them in common with all other civilized
states, that neither OF the sovereigns by
whom the convention has been concluded,
shall seek or obtain any acquisition of
territory or any advantage peculiar to
itself and not equally left open to the
United States and every other civilized
state. within the territories of Mexico
especially, that neither one or all of the
contracting parties shall. as result or
consequence of the hostilities to he in
augurated under the convention, exercise
in the subsequent affairs of Mexico, in
fluence calculated to impair the right of
the Mexican people to choose and freely
institute the form of Its own govern
ment.'
1t appears that these stipulations were
acknowledged by the contracting parties
to the satisfaction of President Lincoln,
although it was found necessary after the
lose of OUr own war to IA <p ctppg to