The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-19

proposing by means of treaty g eectually To Sc
cure its advantages To the two nations" In reply,
our Government assured that republic of the deep
interest taken by the United States in the execution
of undertaking " so highly calculated TO diffuse
extensive influence on the affairs of mankind
In 1926, contract was made by the government
OF Central America with the agent of New York
company, under the name, style, and designation
OF the Central American and United States At
lantic and Pacific Company" but for want of means
the project fell through. The existence OF the con-
tract was known TO England and the whole world.
In 1880, the government of Central America made
another contract with Dutch company, under the
special patronage of the king of Holland, who EN-
barked in ii large amount of his private fortune
but, owing TO the difficulties between Holland and
Belgium, and the separation of the two countries,
this contract also failed.
On the I'd of March, 1885, resolution passed the
Senate OF the United States, requesting
''The President to consider the expediency of
opening negotiations with the governments of other
nations, and particularly the governments OF Cen
trail America and New Grenada for the purpose Of
effectualy protecting, by suitable treaty stipula-
tons with them, such individuals or companies as
may undertake to open communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, by the construction
OF ship canal across the isthmus which connects
North and South America, and of securing forever,
by such stipulations, the free and equal right of
navigating such canal to all nations, on the pay
ment of such reasonable tolls may be established
to compensate the capitalists who may engage in
such undertaking and complete the work"
Under this resolution special agent, the late
Charles Biddle, esq, was appointed by General
Jackson to proceed without delay, by the most di-
rect route to Port San Juan, ascend the river San
Juan to the lake of Nicaragua, and thence by the
contemplated route of communication, by canal or
railroad, to the Pacific ocean. From Guatemala,
he was directed to proceed TO Panama and examine
that route. He, however, went to Panama first,
and never reached Nicaragua at all.
During the whole of these proceedings, Great
Britain never once notified the United States that,
the protector Of the Mosquito king, she should
have something to say in the matter. We never
have heard either of her notifying his majesty, the
late king OF Holland, that the Republic of Central
America, in making the contract which it did with
the Dutch company, had conferred into an agree
ment in regard to places it had no competence"
She never, although the agent thereof went
over to London to procure the aid of British
capitalists for that purpose, notified the "Cen-
trial American and United States Atlantic and
Pacific Canal Company, that the lower part of the
San Juan river. including the port at its mouth be-
onged to the Mosquito king, and that she was
bound to protect him in the exercise of his terrific
rial rights Is it not strange, that, having wholly
omitted to maintain her pretensions if she had any
in regard to the Mosquito shore, these several
occasions, she should come forward to attempt to
establish them nowe We by no means wish to be
understood arguing that England, by sleeping
her rights in this case, has weakened them. She
never had any rights in the premises to sleep on,
and thereby to weaken. But we advert to the utter
indifference then manifested by the British govern
ment on the subject, rendering 1t within the linn
its of possibility that acquisition Of California,
the discovery of the gold mines there the contract
by company of our citizens with the government
of New Grenada for the opening of railroad com
municaton across the isthmus at Panama, and the
great commercial prospects opening up in that
quarter of the world in consequence of these events
have not been without their influence in impress
ing upon her Britannia majesty's government the
sacred character of the obligations it suddenly finds
imposed upon itself of protecting the Mosquito king
in the exercise of his territorial rights" Be her
motives what they may, this act of interference
the part of Great Britain, between citizens of the
United States and the independent State of Nicara-
Mosquito Indians in the exercise of his territorial
rights" is which, if persisted in by her, may
lead to interruption of the amcabe relations
existing between her and the United States, and
which every friend of either country must be sin
cerelY DESTROYS of seeing maintained