The American Government has put itself officially right by a
proclamation declaring that citizens who join armed expeditions against foreign states will be outlawed. We do not know how far the American Government will be able to carry out this threat, either in fact or at law. Few things are more difficult to establish than a power of outlawing the citizens of any state, but particularly in a republic where the executive is feeble. There is every reason, too, for supposing that the proclamation, if not too late, is unaccompanied by sufficient strength to restrain General Walker, who is said to be gradually advancing upon the state of Nicaragua for its conquest. Affairs in the broad isthmus which joins the two great continents of America are so compli- cated, that it is quite possible to suppose General Walker en- dowed with an authority from the Government of the very country which he is invading. To the proud descendants of Spain, whose ostensible parentage is somewhat alloyed with the cal native genealogy, the Yankees will probably enough be like he Normans of the middle ages—protecting allies in the first in- stance, resident conquerors in the second. It would be very un- fair, however, and equally imprudent, to treat the proclamation of the rallied States Government as a mere form. We have no doubt that the American Government would greatly desire to stand unentangled with these Central American complications ; and if there had been less parade of warlike threats, the two Governments might have succeeded, not only in keeping apart from each other, but in keeping the ground really neutral. As it is, right is obscured by disputation ; authority is broken down by cross-purposes ; and buccaneers have the chance of getting off with the spoil,
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