Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-04

1t has now not been quite four years ago since TIL
subject Of the free navigation of the Ln ata and "a
Amazon brought the attention Of this Government
The proposition was that we should offer to Brazil ou
friendly mediation with Rosas and use kind Office
induce him to make free the navigation Of the La Pa
Ia, and so end the war.
1t was proposed ALSO that we should treat with Bolivia
Peru, Ecuador New Grenada and Venezuela fr ports
entry to foreign vessels and up their naygab
tributaries of the Amazon, and thus turn upon Brazil viii
the arguments for the free navigation of the Amazon
that Brazil stood ready urge in favor of her right t.
navigate the La Plata
Brazil got wind of this She found out that such )
thing the free navigation of the Amazon began to form
the subject of conversation in commercial and political
circles here and she Immediately took the active
steps to render of avail any attempt part having
for its object the free navigation of the Amazon.
She redoubed her energies in the against Rosas,
and she dispatched in hot haste Ministers Extraordinary
and Plenipotenary to Peru, to Bolivia Ecuador and
New Grenada, and Venezuela with each of those
i've Republics for the exclusive right
navigate their Amazonian tributaries
For the Portuguese, who had owned the Amazon for
ages who had not had the power to make impression
upon its forests launch steamer upon its BOSOM
to go and talk to the Bovans and others sending
steamers away up the main trunk of the Amazon, to
the spanish-Amercans, truly diplomatic phenome-
non! "You have Athens, embellish that" should
have been their reply to Brazil.
quote from the Rio correspondent of the observa-
tor"-a Brazilian newspaper-of May last This corre-
pondent appears to be in the of the Government
and doubt spoke the sentiments of that jealous Ca
binet:
/" The navigation Of the Amazon goes on swimmingly
the Government of Peru by the convention of the 23d
last October made with our new Minister Duarte da
Ponte Rbero obiges itself assist the first enterprise
established upon the Amazon with never less than
500, 600.
The Government has named in quality of resident
Minister and for extraordinary mission near the Gov
ernments of the republics of Venezuela Ecuador and
New Grenada, Minister to Bolivia, Miguel Maria
Lisboa The object of this mission is treaty with those
republics for the navigation of the Amazon because as
think it is feared that the United States will hasten to
arrange one for the navigation of of the tributaries
of the Amazon and thus judge themselves authorized to
enter the Amazon from without the journals of New
York and New Orleans already propose. We have been
careless In this matter and must not hurry about it.
This nation Of pirates, like those of their race wish
to dpace all the people of America who are not Anglo
Saxons''
Thus the objects of Da Ponies mission to Peru and b.
liva, and of Lisboa's to Venezuela New Grenada and
Ecuador, clearly set forth.
They were to Illustrate any attempts treaty the COM
mercial nations might be disposed make with these
republics touching river navigation and to seal up tighter
than the great arteries of those countries and thus
pepetuate the sagnaton and death that have for three
hundred years regned the great watershed
Brazil seemed already to have forgotten that what was
right the south side of the Topc Of Capricorn must
be right also under the Equaor for the arguments
that apply to the free navigation Of the La Plata apply
also to the free navigation of the Amazon
Peru fell into the trap and made the required treaty
Init Tho ran,a n n
the design and not only refused treat with Brazil upon
the subject but the enlightened President of that repub
lie proposes to establish upon the Amazonian tributaries
of Bolivia free ports to all the world.
g Como los Brazileros" says a gentleman of Bolivia
writing as to this pretenson Of Brazil steamboat nav
CATION upon the rivers of Bolivia preenden 81 pripo
Presdente Bu bdstdne capas para conocer 10 que
eonriene Boicid el hd negado dar dicha concession
qa los Estados Undos los rneros en- decbyer
aquelios reones"*
Moreover, the good genius Of Amazonia and free
navigation would have it, neither the Brazilian nor the
Peruvian Penpotentiary appeared to have sufficient
knowledge Of the subject Of which the two were treat
ing. They evidently knew very little of the naviga
by Of those waters the monopoly Of which they aimed
| to secure.
This treaty secretly negotiated in Lima last Octo
Der twelve months and ratified in Rio two or three
Its title is /" treaty of fuvial commerce and ma
vgaon and Of boundary between the republics of Peru
and the empire Of Brazil
The question Of boundary was settled in two words
i" Ud possidetis."
quote with regard to the river steamboat navigation
"ARTIcLE Fmsr.-The republic of Peru and his Males
y the Emperor of Brazil desiring to encourage respec
lively the navigation of the river Amazon its conu
ens by steamboats, which, by ensuring the expectation
the immense products of those regions may contr
butte to increase the number of the inhabitants and cyiz
the savage tribes, agree that the merchandise produce
and craft passing from Peru TO Brazil from Brazil
Peru across the frontier Of both States shall be exemp
from all duty imposts or sale duty (acabaa) whatso
ever to which the products subject in thu
territory where produced to which they shall be WHOLLY
assimated
ARTICLE SECOND. The nigh contracting parties bent
aware OF the great expense attending the establishment
steam navigation, and that will yield profit durn.
the first to the shareholders of the
to navigate the Amazon from its source to the bank
ioral in Peru-which should belong exclusively to thu
respective States-agree to give to the first compan,
which shall be formed sum Of money during Eve year.
in aid of its operatons which shall not be le thar
twenty thousand dollars annually for each Of the hql
contracting parties either Of whom may increase the
amount, If il suits its particular interests without thu
other party being thereby obliged contribute in thu
same ratio.
The conditions to which the shareholders are TO b.
subject in consideration Of the advantages conceded
them, shall be declared in separate articles
Z" The other contentious States which adopting tn
same principles may desire TO take part in the enterprs
upon the conditions shall likewise contribute Ger
tain pecuniary quota to it"
SEPARATE ARTICLES.