GENERAL WALKER.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 340, 22 January 1861, Page 3

GENERAL WALKER.

General Walker was executed on Sept. 25 by the order of the authorities of Honduras. The British war-steamer Gladiator took the news to New Orleans, together with the remnant of Walker's folknvers. Ten shots, it is stated, were fired at him, amid the cheers of the nutives, and he was afterwards buried by foreigners. Colonel Rudler escaped with a sentence of four years imprisonment. '-'Walker's other followers got off scot-free.

General Walker, shortly before his death, delivered the following protest to the correspondent of the New York Herald for publication :—

I hereby protest before the civilised world that when 1 surrendered to the captain of her Majesty's steamer Icarus, that officer expressly received my sword and pistol, as well as the arms of Colonel Rudler; and the surrender was expressly and in so many words to him, as the representative of her Britannic Majesty. William Walker.

On board the ste&mer Icarus, Sept. 5, 1860,

The New York papers publish a correspondence between Walker and Captain Salmon, but it does not relate to his surrender to the Honduras authorities which is unexplained. The Herald makes the following comment on the facts:—

We have no excuses for Walker's foolish and criminal conduct in his late expedition. It was begun in folly, conducted with criminality, and has ended in blood. Had lie been captured by those whom he attacked, no regret would have attended his fate. But he was not captured by those who have been his executioners. He surrendered without resistance to an officer of the British Crown, and that officer, powerless and even without cause to execute him himself, gives him up to those who had not the valour to attack and take him, but who, it was well known, would gladly murder him if he were only delivered harmless into their power. This is the disgraceful act that Commander Salmon has performed, and it will be a lasting stain upon British humanity and chivalry. For his conduct he will, no doubt, be called to account by his Qneen, whose crown he has sullied with his own inhumanity. Walker's great and fatal error next to making his foolhardy descent on Truxillo itself, was his declension to accept literally the terms proposed in the first letter of the British commander, which were to give up all arms, side arms of the officers excepted, refund all moneys and papers that had been taken, and accept the protection of the British flag. Walker said he knew of no money taken, and therefore could not refund. It does not seem that he made any answer to Captain Salmon's second letter, except by an abandonment of the port on the night of the same day on which it was dated, and a retreat down the coast. It is evident from his protest that he surrendered in the full belief that he and his followers might confide their safety to the British flag. The result is the most bitter comment that can be made upon those who accepted his sword.

On the other side the Neio York Times remarks:—

Commander Salmon of the Icarus, far from showing any unnecessary cruelty, did all in his power (o save the wretched man and his deluded followers. In a letter dated September 21, Walker then being in possession of Truxillo, Captain Salmon informed him that the Custom-house receipts of the port of Truxillo were mortgaged to his government for the payment of a debt, and that, to protect the interests of Great Britain, he must re-establish the legitimate authority of Honduras. In the same communication he offered Walker the protection of the British flag if he would lay down his arms, refund the money that he or his followers had taken from the Custom-house, and leave the country. These terms were formally accepted by Walker in a letter addressed to Captain Salmon; but while they were in course of arrangement the filibusters surreptitiously evacuated Truxillo, and thereby forfeited all claim, if they ever had any, to mercy or consideration. The Icarug, with a foice of Hondurenos, followed in pursuit, and on the 3rd of September they were captured and brought back to the city. Walker of course, and with his usual effrontery, protests, " before the civilised world," against being delivered over to the tender mercies of the Hondurtnos. He claims that he Bin-rendered to the British officer, but as he himself violated the conditions which were proposed to him, and which he engaged to fulfil, there was clearly no surrender at all. As a band of desperate freebooters, roving about the interior of Honduras with no other objects than those of robbery and murder, the extermination of every filibuster would have been a perfectly justifiable act; and they have to thank the British commander of the Icarus that they did not receive this punishment at the hands of the Hondurenos, whose homes they had invaded and whose national independence they had attempted to destroy. The action of Commander Salmon will, we doubt not, be approved, not only by his own government, but by the government and people of the United States. In the very disagreeable task it became his duty to perform, he has displayed judgment, discretion and humanity. We trust that the service he has rendered to common justice in the capture of an outlaw so wedded to deeds of blood as Walker will be recognised, and that it will be the means of stopping, for a time at least, these piratical invasions of peaceful and unoffending states, which have reflected such disgrace upon the American character.

We find the following telegraphic announcement in the latest New York papers : —"New Orleans, Sept. 29, IB6o.—The commander of the British war steamer Gladiator was knocked down to day in the bar-room of St. Charles Hotel by a friend of General Walker. Considerable excitement exists in regard to the affair." In an American letter dated Truixillo, Sept. 18 we lead.:-^-

Wa'iker was shot on the 12th, at 8 o'clock a.m. lie siiowed throughout tlio greatest coolness, not even changing color when walking from the prison to the plaza, where lie was shot. Two soldiers, with drawn swords, advanced in front of him, end three, with fixed bayonets, followed him. In his right hand lie carried a hat, and in his left a crucifix. Before taking his seat on the fatal cauquete he requested the priest in attendance, inas.nmch as he could not speak loud enough to be heard, to say to the people that he asked the pardon of all whom he had injured in his present <?xpe<litiou, &B. 8 \yhjcli ja variously reported by

various persons. He then sat down. A file of 10 soldiers advanced and fired on the instant. He died at once. The soldiers gave three cheers and all was over. His remains have been decently buried, with the usual rites of the church. I think there was a deep feeling of sympathy for his fate on the part of die people generally, nor does there appear to be any spirit of vindictiveness on the part of the government and its officers." Another correspondent, evidently a Spaniard, writes :—" In his six days of imprisonment Walker had ample time for thought, and consience smote him on contemplating his prison, and also on seeing the people that he had defeated and driven from their homes on the Gth of August treating him with the greatest benevolence and kindness. Carried to the place of death and being ready to be executed, he begged leave to address the people in these few words :—'l declare myself to be a member of the Roman Catholic church. I declare tiiat I have injured the people of Honduras to a great extent, being led to do so by the people of the island of Ruatan, who after calling me deceived me and left me to my fate. I ask pardon for those poor men that accompanied me, for they are not as guilty as I am. If my life can be of any benefit to society I lay it down with the greatest readiness, pardoning ray judges, that I may be enabled to obtain my pardon in the next world.' These were his last words, and with these the scene closed ; it being worthy of notice that although the port of Truxillo was attacked ruthlessly by him, yet the people of the town pitied him, and in the whole crowd there was not one glad countenance.''