Accordingly, as soon as order was established, steps were taken for communicating with Corral. The municipal authorities met and requested Walker to take the Presidency of the Republic. This he declined, suggesting, however, that if Corral were placed in the Executive, after proper terms were agreed on between the contending parties, he would undertake, as commander-in-chief, to maintain order within the State. On the part, then, of the town, commissioners were appointed, the principal being D. Hilario Selva and D. Rosario Vivas, to go to Rivas and urge on Corral the expediency of an arrangement between the two parties which divided the Republic. At the same time these commissioners proceeded by land, D. Juan Ruiz, Minister of War, under Estrada, and Hon. Mr. Wheeler, the American Minister, would go by the steamer to San Jorge with a view of placing the same subject before Corral. Mr. Wheeler was urged to this course by the Legitimists themselves. The families of the town insisted that he should go with Ruiz, supposing the weight of his position might influence Corral to treat with Walker, and thus get rid of the hated Leoneses. Mr. Wheeler accordingly took the steamer, and in company with D. Juan Ruiz proceeded to Rivas. When he arrived there he found that Corral had marched north on the afternoon of the 14th; and D. Florencio Xatruch, the friend and comrade of Guardiola, was in command of the Legitimist troops in the Meridional Department. The Minister and his secretary were kept under guard by Xatruch for two days, and they only made good their escape—for so it may be called—by the spirit and resolution of Mr. Wheeler. After his arrival at Virgin Bay, on his return from Rivas, the minister received a note from Corral, dated at his headquarters, the 17th of October, informing Mr. Wheeler that he would not be responsible for his personal safety, and that he had communicated an account of his conduct to Mr. Marcy, the Secretary of State, and to the New-York papers. The Minister returned to Granada without seeing Corral, and D. Juan Ruiz failing to keep his parole, tied to Costa Rica.