Daily True Delta, New Orleans
Our Havana Correspondence- The Star of the West brings us the subjoined interesting letter form our attentive Havana correspondent, by which it will be seen that Gen. Walker hand his companions, seventy in number, have been captured in the river Negro by a British war steamer, and carried back to Truxillo and delivered over to the Honduras Government. The men, who are represented as being in a most wretched condition form wounds and disease, were permitted to return to the United States, after taking an oath never to engage in a similar expedition. Walker and Rutter were condemned to be shot, and have no doubt, ere this, met their melancholy fate
The following is our correspondent’s letter:
…pursued by the British was steamer Icarus, and a schooner, having on board detachments from the army of Gen. Alvarez. They were taken back to Truxillo, and put at the tender disposition of the Honduras Government, with the condition that the seventy men, who were in a most wretched situation from wounds and disease, should be allowed to return to the United States, after taking an oath never to engage again in any expedition against the States of Central America, and the Consular Agent of the United States to provide their return passage expenses- Walker and Rutter (I give the last name as I find it) to be dealt with as the laws of the and its justice may determine.- They have both been shot, probably, before this reaches you, as they were in the Castle, with the understanding that such was the fate predetermined for them, on the morning of the departure of the Francisco de Aris. [Spanish steam war ship]
So closes the singular career of William Walker!
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New Orleans Commercial Bulletin
Walker’s Last Raid.- The mad and unwarrantable enterprise of the great filibuster has ended in disaster and utter defeat. Another band of brave, but recklessly impulsive, young Americans have, it is most probable, by this time met the fate of their predecessors in Central America. According to the latest, and it seems entirely reliable accounts, Walker has been compelled, by Capt. Salmon, of the British sloop-of-war Icarus, to evacuate Truxillo, and with his few remaining followers- having lost many of his men in various encounters with the Hondurean forces- he is now endeavoring to escape through hostile country, closely pursued by an enemy overpowering in numbers, and but too eager to destroy him utterly. Truly, the destiny of “the grey-eyed man of destiny” seems that of disastrous failure.
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New Orleans Commercial Bulletin
A Washington dispatch, of the 3rd, says: General Walker’s plan excites so little interest in official quarters, that no naval vessels have been directed especially to watch his movements. Every precaution will, however, be taken to intercept any armed bodies leaving our shores to join him. The errand of Minister Dimitry, from Costa Rica to Nicaragua, recently, to exercise all the power vested in him to repel the invader, was, it is known, more in a spirit of diplomatic duty than with the means of success. Information has reached here, that before Walker captured Truxillo, he dispatched agents to Nicaragua to secretly organize his friends , in anticipation of his invasion of that State.
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"Southerners were willing to concede that their lot in the Union would decrease, while the free states would increase"
I don't recall trying to make that point, however, I would disagree (agreeing with you) Southerners were willing to concede anything.
"Southern agitation about "states rights" in the territories had much to do with the suitability of western lands for plantation agriculture. A marked decline in political power was not something most Southerners would accept, despite the obvious facts, nor did they particularly care how many slaves actually tilled the soil in new slave states, should any be admitted."
Agreed again and again, my point was my observation of the period, it does not appear Southerners were truely aware the argument over the legality of slavery in the Territories was already moot. I have found only one person who put that fact on paper in 1862, a Southerner who refused to sign Mississippi's secession law.
1860 saw Democratic Party split over a legal issue in regards to Territorial administration of slavery, but there is no specification of what Territory that required this administration...not in any argument I've read. It would sure be interesting to know where they wished to create a slave Territory to understand their arguments in 1860.
Thanks for the California article, that was good.
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David Upton