203
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
squadron himself, - and he will procure testimony which it will be utterly impossible for him to discredit. MR. BUCHANAN has a natural aversion to recall for misconduct any of his own appointees. But in so flagrant a case as this he has no choice. He cannot retain Gen. LAMAR in his present position with- out sanctioning his conduct, and sharing the disgraceful responsibility which it involves. If he has any sense of personal or official propriety left, he cannot avoid noticing acts which have made the cheek of every American on the Isthmus burn with shame and indignation. In the present critical condition of our Central American relations, moreover, it is little short of madness to leave the large interests we have at stake there in such incompetent and faithless hands. The English special Minister is there, with means of influence which nobody better appre- ciates than Mr. BUCHANAN, eager to deprive us of the ascPIH!ancy we have always asserted in the affairs of the Isthmus, and French intrigue is boldly and sagaciously aiming at the same result. That under such circumstances the defence of American honor and American interests against such odds should be intrusted to a Minister habitually disabled by habits of intoxication from any adequate attention to public busi- ness - so careless of his personal dignity as to be seen openly lying in a public warehouse, without hat, coat, shoes or stockings - a sub- ject of derision to strangers, and of pity and shame to his country- men, - and so careless of the trust confided to him as to leave the most confidential papers· of his mission scattered upon the floor and open to all, is certainly deeply to be deplored. We need in Nicaragua now the ablest diplomatist in the public service, and the President could not do anything better for his own reputation or for the welfare of the country than to send such a man forthwith to the post now dis- graced by the prcsenee of Gen. LAMAR. No. 2731 1858 Feb. 9, J.M. CAZNRAU, WASHINGTON, [D. C.] TO (M. B. LAMAR, LEON? NICARAGUA] 41 Washington Feb 9.th '59 Dear General It is painful to call your attention to such assauts on your position but it is the duty of a true friend to warn you of the coming storm. The enclosed slips 42 from the New York Times are the worst specimens of the kinu, but other papers are repeating and pressing similar accusations on the attention of the country and gov- ernment. We are doing what we can, my dear friend to stem this terrible current (and I enclose one of the articles in answer 0 ) but it only rests with you to be on your guard against spies and calumniators to stop all this ·
•A. L. S. "No. 2730 is the only one·of these now with the Lamar Papers. 41 No. 2729. Google
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