The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-20 00:00:00

COSTA RICA AND NEW GRENADA.

" The injuries which have been inflicted upon our citizens
in Costa Rica and Nicaragua during the last two or three
years have received tfle prompt attention of this government.
Some of these injuries were of the most aggravated charac-
ter. The transaction at Virgin Bay in April? 1856, when a
company of unarmed Americans, who were in no way con-
nected with any belligerent conduct or party, were fired on
by the troops of Costa Rica, and numbers of them kille d
and wounded, was brought to the knowledge of Congress by
my predecessor soon after its occurrence, and was also pre-
sented to the government of Costa Rica for that immediate
investigation and redress which the nature of the case de-
manded. A similar course was pursued with reference to
other outrages in these countries, some of which were hardly
less aggravated in their character than the transaction at
Virgin Bay. At the time, however, when our present
minister to Nicaragua was appointed, in December, 1857,
no redress had been obtained for any of these wrongs, and
no reply even had been received to the demands which had
been made by this government upon that of Costa Rica
more than a year before. Our minister was instructed,
therefore, to lose no time in expressing tothose governments
the deep regret with which the President had witnessed
this inattention to the just elsvims of the United States, and
in demanding their prompt and satisfactory adjustment.
Unless this demand shall be complied with at an early day
it will only remain for this government to adopt such other
measures as may be necessary, in order to obtain for itself
that justice which it has in vain attempted to secure by
peaceful means from the governments of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica. While it has shown, and will continue to show
the most sincere regard for the rights and honour of these
republics it cannot permit this regard to be met by an utter
newlect on their part of what is due to the government and
citizens of the United States. .

"Against New Grenada we have long-standing causes
of complaint, arising out of the unsatisfied claims of our
citizens upon that republic ; and to these have been more
recently added the outrages committed upon our citizens at
Panama in April, 1856. A treaty f6i: the adjustment of
these difficulties was concluded by the Secretary of State
and the minister of New Grenada, in Sept., 1857, which
contained just and acceptable provisions for that purpose.
The treaty was transmitted to Bogota, and was ratified by
the government of New Granada, but with certain amend-
ments. It was not, however, returned to this city until
after the close of the last session of the Senate. It will be
immediately transmitted to that body for their advice and
consent ; and should this be obtained it will remove all our
existing causes of complaint against New Grenada on the
subject of claims.
" Questions have arisen between the two governments as
to the right of New Grenada to levy a tonnage duty upon
the vessels of the United States in its ports of the Isthmus,
and to levy a passenger tax upon our citizens arriving in
that country, whether with a design to remain there, or to
pass from ocean to ocean by the transit route, and also a
tax upon the mails of the United States transported over
the Panama Railroad. The government of New Grenada
has been informed that the United States would consider
the collection of either of these taxes as an act of violation
of the treaty between the two countries, and as such would
be resisted by the United States. At the same time, we are
prepared to discuss these questions in a spirit of amity and
justice, and with a sincere desire to adjust them in a satis-
factory manner. A negociation for that purpose has already
been commenced. No effort has recently been made to
collect these taxes, nor is any anticipated under present
circumstances.