The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-27
From the Nao York Tribune.
The Nicaragua Treaty and Canal.

The Nicaragua Treaty and Canal.
The negotiation Of the treaty between the United
States and Great Britain, before the Senate for
approval, marks in the progress of man
kind. We shall hail its ratification (Which we
| sure is not doubtful, and, we trust, cannot be
distant) as a triumph of Civilizations victory
over barbarsm and night. The spectacle of the
two great Anglo Saxon nations, of the old and the
new world respectively, uniting their councils and
| their efforts to secure the opening of and
most advantageous highway to the commerce Of
| the world-each expressly and carefully stipu-
| lating that the advantages thereby acquired
not for themselves only, but for all mankind-such
is the spectacle Of which the contracting parties
may Justly be proud. and which will reflect honor
on the nineteenth century
The material provisions of the treaty sub
stantially as follows:
|. The United States and Great Britain mutual
ly and reciprocay pledge their faith to either that
they will not take, use, hold, occupy nor exercise
dominion over any part of Central America hence
| forth and forever.
2. They further agree not to establish nor main
| tain any Notifications nor military posts upon or
within said country.
3. Each government pledges itself to respect,
and to its best offices to cause to be respected
by other nations, the complete and perpetual neu-
trality of the ports the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans which shall be the termini respectively of
| the proposed ship canal through Central America
A. They will also respect, and their best offices
to cause to be respected by others, the perpetual
| it, and every thing pertaining thereto.
8. They further agree to respect the neutrality
of all vessels within reasonable distance of either
terminus of said canal [no distance yet agreed on,
| but two degrees one hundred and twenty geo.
graphical miles have been suggested and met with
no objection and to endeavor to procure general
recognition OF such neutrality by all nations'what
soeycr.
6. They mutually agree to protect and secure the
operations of such company as, under the authority
OF the State of Nicaragua shall construct and main
tain the proposed ship canal.
7. If the company now holding contract with
the State of Nicaragua for the construction of the
ship canal uniting the two oceans, shall within
twelve months demonstrate to the satisfaction of
the two governments its ability to construct said
canal the foregoing supuations shall enure to its
benefit; but if not, then any other company, duly
authorized by Nicaragua, and which can satisfy
the two governments OF its ability to make the
canal shall enjoy all the benefits which this treaty
is intended to guaranty to the constructors of the
| canal.
s. The contracting parties reciprocally pledge
themselves to their good offices respectively
with the several State governments of Central
America, to induce them to enter into stipulations
based upon and according with the foregoing.
g. Each party pledges to the other that il will in
terpose its good Offices for the amcabe settlement
of any disputes which may arise respecting the con-
struction of the ship canal or its management
thereafter.
TO- The two governments are not to in terfere with
the construction management Of the canal,
cept that either government should tolls be levied
on vessels passing through 1t which in its view are
exorbtant and oppressive, reserves the right of
Withdrawing from the company all the protection
and favor which this treaty pledges it 10 afford; but
this will not affect the international stpulations of
the treaty.
H. By protocol to the treaty, the two nations
covenant with each other not to claim or exercise,
under the OF protectorate OF or allegiance
with any Central American State tribe, any
have lair cd in
the foregoing articles.
Such, when il shall be published, the treaty will
prove TO be in substance; the phraseology we do
not pretend to give. And we believe the world will
realize and admit that the contracting parties
directing their energies towards noble and beneh-
cent end Undoubtedly, as the two greatest COM
mercal nations on earth, the United States and
Great Britain promote their own interest primarily
by securing the construction Of the Nicaragua
nall but they freely invite all nations TO share with
them the advantages thus obtained. And, as be-
tween themselves, Great Britain comedies more TO
the common aim than does this country; because
the neutrality Of the canal, the ports, the oing,
are indispensable to our reaping any advantage
from the canal in time Of with Great Britain,
when her overwhelming navy would enable her TO
command both ports beyond dispute, and utterly
bar the Of the canal except by herself and her
allies She, too, has more TO give up in asserting
to the policy Of ''Hands of! 20 than have, for
we adhere 10 IL any how, while she has for
generations been devoted to the colonizing, APP
propriating, grabbing policy. We do not want
a foot of foreign territory at any rate, while
she has been crazy for it. She has pretensions
TO give up in Central America; we have none.
She has devoted allies there; we had none until
very recently. So the ship canal Itself, though
very desirable TO great Britain, is even more
necessary 10 US, with Pacific whale fishery,
our vast possessions in California and Oregon, and
our immense and lucrative trade with that mag
nifcent realm. This canal will shorten the passage
from Atlantic ports TO San Francisco about
fourth, and the transportation Of goods by sailves
sells more than ons-haF. Even now, before the
nal is made, the company expect 60 convey pas
scngers (via Nicaragua river and lake, from ocean
TO ocean in less than twcnty-fo hours, and from
New York 10 San Francisco in not more than three
weeks. When the canal shall have been COM
pletcd, (and we trust IL will be in 1851 } goods may
be shipped hence 10 San Francisco at half the pres
ent and in less than half the time required.
Thus Polynesia, Australia, and Eastern Asia, will
be brought much nearer us than before, and the
trade Of Europe with them must pass by doors.
Not since the discovery Of America has any event
occurred Of equal commercial importance with the
construction Of the Nicaragua ship canal.
| MELANCHOLY OccURRErcE.--Tbe New Orleans
Picayine Of the 10Th instant publishes a note,
dated Natchitochcs, April 10th, To the following
effect, but expresses the hope that the rumor il
contains may prove unfounded: