Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-08
PANAMA MISSION.

PANAMA MISSION.
Report Of the Committee OF the Senate on the
subject of appointing Ministers to the Pana
ma Congress-C onciaded.
IN SENATE, JAN. l6, 1926.
The Committee having thus examined the
several subjects of proposed discussion, stated
or alluded to by each of the ministers of the
new States Of America, as matters OF delleera
ton at the contemplated Congress, VIII now
proceed to the investigation OF others, not men
toned or referred TO by any of them, but ex'
hibited in the message Of the President
The Committee see nothing in the documents
TO them referred, to prove that the States who
originated the project of this Congress, and set
tied the subjects proper for its elaboration, &
who most probably have already adjusted, "the
preliminary rules Of that assembly" will adj
nit, as fit matters of discussion, any other than
those which they themselves have so previous
ly announced Should this be the case, the
degraded position which the U. States must
then occupy at the Congress, must be appa-
rent to all. Without adyerting further how
ever, at this time, to this consideration, the
Committee will enter into the examination OF
the several topics suggestedby the president,
as though the discussion of them was matter
settled and already agreed.
The first of these subjects stated by the Pres
ident, is, "the establishment Of principles Of a
liberal commercial intercourse" The motives
for desiring this are stated 10 be, that "the
Southern American nations, in their inter-
course with the U. States, have sometimes
manifested dispositions TO reserve right OF
granting special favors and privileges to the
Spanish nation, as the price OF their recogni-
ton; at others, they have actually established
duties and impositions, operating unfavorably
10 the United States, to the advantages OF 9TH
er European Powers; and sometimes they have
appeared to consider that they might inter-
change, among themselves, mutual concessions
of exclusive ia, or, 10 which neither European
Powers nor the United States should be admit
ted
In considering these reasons, il cannot es-
cape the observation of any, that, in manifest
ing dispositions TO establish such commercial
relations, the Southern American Nations
must have been actuated by the only motive
that ever operates either upon nations or indi-
viduals, in regard 10 their mere commercial In
terceurse-a desire fairly to advance their own
interests, and belief that they could, by such
means, properly accomplish this end If, in
this belief, these nations are right then the y
S. can scarcely be viewed as acting towards
fraternal friendship, they have protested, when
they would strive to induce them 70 establish
as liberal principles, such as would be inIuri-
Gus to the interests of these Southern Nations
themselves And, if they ale wrong, it seems
to this Committee, that the task OF exhibiting
these errors, may be much better performed,
as hitherto it hath been, by particular discus
sions with each separately, than by general de-
monstrations made to all, assembled as Con-
gress.
The interests of commerce are necessarily
peculiar, they grow out Of numerous circum-
stances, produced by locality, climate, popula-
ton, manners, customs, and other causes no
one of which exists alike in any two nations on
the globe. Few general principles, therefore,
can ever apply, with equal truth, TO so many
pecuiarities, and such as do so apply, need
not the sanction Of solemn compact to give
them effect They may be very safely conhded
to the natural disposition ofman, promptly to
discover, and eagerly to advance, his own best
interests.
Whatever dispositions, then, may have been
manifested by the Southern Nations OF Amer
lea. this Committee think that their effects,
both uDon themselves and the United States,
will constitute subj much more TIT Tor sep
arate discussions with each, than OF general in-
yestigation before all. And the Committee
are the more confirmed in this opinion, by the
assurance given by the President, in his mes
sage, that, Gin most Of these cases, their reg
ulations unfavorable to US, have already yield
ed to friendly expostulation and remonsrance'
and, by the fact that the treaties recently con-
Guided between these States, contain express
stipulations, that, in no event will they agree
or enter into any treaty with Spain, or any
other nation, to the prejudice Of their indie
pendence, but TO maintain, at all times, their
mutual interests, with the dignity and energy
proper to free independent States
1t is true, a difference Of opinion appears to
exist, at present, between the Uni'ed States
and one Of the new Republics, of America, in
relation to a single principle of their CONNER
cial intercourse. When the Senate recollect
however, that treaties have been already con-
cluded between the United States and three
Others of these Republics, in each of which
=. treaties this point has been settled, as the U.
States themselves think right, the Committee
believe that the Senate will concur with them
in the opinion, that it is much better to con-
tinue the discussion Of this subject, with the
discerning State singly, urging upon her the
example Of her sister States, than to put in