The record-union., 1895-04-26

authorities are understood to be in con-
sultation. There is very strong convic-
tion among the officials, however, that
Nicaragua will not yield.
MUST GO IT ALONE.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-Nicaragua's s
last hope of assistance from the United
States in her controversy with Great
Britain to prevent the seizure of Corinto
vanished this evening. DR.. Guzman, the
Nicaraguan Minister, who has been wait
ing with intense anxiety TO see Secretary
Gresham, was finally successful about 3
o'clock, when the Secretary came into
the department from the White House,
where he had been in consultation with
President Cleveland, presumably 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 a word as to
what had taken place, but IL can be stated
that the Secretary gave him to understand
very clearly the United States would not
Interfere in the case as it stands.
so there are now three courses open to
Nicaragua - to pay the indemnify; to
permit the occupation of COrintO, or to
tight; and the next twelve hours must
find the choice declared, for the British
troops are to land at day break tomorrow
at COrintO.
AS already stated in the Associated
Press dispatches, the position taken by
the President 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 un-
less there should be acts committed in
furious to American interests in Nicara-
trn ha Sh
ton by Great Britain TO acquire Nicara-
qua territory. On each OF these points a
favorable assurance has Deen had from
Great Britain, and it is said that all that
can now be done is to watch the course
Of events.
PRECEDENTs FOR AMERICAS COURSE.
This decision was not hastily reached.
for the entire subject of our relations TO
the countries OF Central and South Amer
lea was considered and discussed care
fully by the President with his cOnstiLu-
tiOnal advisers, and there has been made
a close scrutiny of the precedents that
might suffice for our guidance. These
have been found in at least three cases.
The first was fully set out in the mes
sage of PRESIDENT Buchanan to Congress
in 1859, in that portion relating to Para
quay. For several years preceding this
message the United States had great diff
Guilty in maintaining friendly relations
with Paraguay, the latter country being
then under the dictatorship of Lopez.
who was carrying out policy of exclud-
ing the rest of the world from his coun-
try by the most drastic measures. He
had, as President Buchanan stated, upon
the most frivolous ard even insulting
pretexts, refused TO ratify the treaty of
friendship and commerce concluded with
Paraguay; had seized and Appropriated
the property Of American citizens in
violent and arbitrary manner, and finally
the Paraguayans had fired upon the
United States steamship Waterwitch in
1855, killing the helmsmen, while the
vessel was making peaceful survey Of
Parane River to determine its fitness for
navigation.
The honor as well as the interests of the
United States demanded satisfaction, and
the President, being clothed by Congress
with the necessary power, sent naval
expedition up the Paraua River to the
capital of Paraguay and compelled am
pie apologies from the President, the
payment of an Indemnity of $4,000 to the
family OF the man who was killed, and
finally secured the ratification of the
treaty.
The application of this case to the Mic
araguan situation is not exact, but it is
regarded as committing the United States
to the recognition of the principle of
the right to demand au indemnity for the
abuse OF l nlted States officers, and there
fore we could not consistently deny the
same right to Great Britain.
The second case which was relied upon
as precedent grew out OF the difficulties
encountered by Spain, France and Great
Britain in their relations with Mexico in
1869. These nation3 asserted they had
been placed by the arbitrary and yexa-
tiOus conduct.Of Mexico under the neces-
sity of eXacting from the authorities Of
that country more effective protection
for the persons and properties of other
States as well as the execution of obliga-
tlons contracted with them by Mexico,
and therefore they had combined to ef-
feet their ends by force if need be. The
United States, which had similar griev-
ances against Mexico, was invited TO iCin
these European nations in enforcing their
demands. This invitation was declined
by the United States, which was then in
the throes OF civil war; but the significant
point in the case is found in the declara-
ton by Secretary Seward:
AS the undersigned has hereto .oro had
the honor to inform each OF the pleniDo-
tentiaries now addressed, the President
does not feel himself at liberty to ques-
ton 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 Mex
leo tor the redress thereof
1he third precedent was found in the
case OF the war between Spain and Chile,
N 1866, when, upon being appealed TO on
behalf OF Chile, in the name of the Mon
roe doctrine, TO prevent the lombard
ment OF Valparaiso, Secretary Seward
wrote to United States Minister Patrick
at Valparaiso as follows: 1.-The Govern
ment of the United States will maintain
and insist, with all the decision and en-
ergy which are compatible with our ex-
listing neutrality, that the republic which
is accepted by any of those (South Amer
ican) States shall not be wautOnly as
sailed, and that il shall not be subYerted
as an end Of a lawful war by European
Powers
But beyond this point the United
States Government will not go, nor will
it consider itself hereby bound to take
part in wars in which a South American
republic may enter with European
sovereign when the object OF the latter is
not the establishment in the place of the
subverted republic Ola monarchy under
a European Prince"
Upon these precedeuts rests the decis-
ion ofthe Administration to refrain from
interference between Great Britain and
Nicaragua at this stage oi the proceed
ings.
NICARAGUA's CLAIM.
In behalf of Nicaragua, though without
success, 1t would appear that it has been
urged that the occupation of COrinto by
the British troops would be a direct vio-
Iatlon OF the Clayton-Bu treaty be-